Top Five Wrestling Games

Wrestlemania is this weekend, and it's the grand daddy of them all. The Miz versus John Cena? Oh my God. How is this pay-per-view not going to get big ratings? Snark aside, I was once a huge wrestling fan, but that was during the Attitude Era. This PG stuff and Cenation doesn't cut if for me. Regardless, here's my top five favorite wrestling games of all time.

5) WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain (PS2)


Create and develop your own superstar through a story mode inked by WWE writers. You can track seasonal stats, build up abilities, earn money, and unlock hidden content through these modes. New modes included the Elimination Chamber, First Blood, and Bra & Panties matches. The gameplay was fast and frenetic-- perfect for multiplayer sessions late at night. The first SmackDown game that I would consider a classic, Here Comes the Pain does a great job of excelling at what it sets out to do, and it's number five on our countdown.

4) WCW/NWO Revenge (N64)


Sure, every entrance was pretty much the same, but there's no doubt that WCW/NWO Revenge laid the foundation for future wrestling games on the system. Without Revenge, we wouldn't have the later titles on this list. Using strong or weak grapples to take down opponents, using high-flying moves to incapacitate foes, and using one of dozens of WCW wrestlers including Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Goldberg made Revenge one memorable game.

3) WWF Wrestlemania 2000 (N64)


Wrestlemania 2000 had plenty of content to it from an abundance of match types to lots of familiar Attitude era superstars to play as. The superstar entrances were incredible, the Create-A-Wrestler was impressive and still is to this day, and the stamina and grapple systems from Revenge were updated to make this one force to be reckoned with. Throw in the Rock, Mankind, the Undertaker, Triple H, and more, and you have one excellent wrestling game that I spent many a-night playing in multiplayer with friends.

2) WWE Day of Reckoning (GCN)


The last great wrestling game (Day of Reckoning 2 had too many loading screens), WWE Day of Reckoning featured impressive visuals for its day. This was back when each platform received its own style of wrestling game. Sony received the Smackdown series, Microsoft got the Raw brand, and the Gamecube got Wrestlemania and what I deem the superior series, Day of Reckoning. From the awesome story mode to the enhanced grapple and ringside mechanics, Day of Reckoning was WWF Wrestlemania 2000 on steroids.

1) WWF No Mercy (N64)


The epitome of an excellent wrestling game, WWF No Mercy had it all-- multiple arenas, a wealth of unlockable characters and legends, a multi-path story mode that put you right in the shoes of a WWF superstar, a robust Create-A-Wrestler mode, the ability to go backstage and take out opponents with chairs, sledgehammers, and bouquets of roses, and multiple match types like battle royal and the incredible ladder match. Those looking for the ultimate wrasslin' game, look no further than the Nintendo 64's No Mercy.

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The WWE may not be as hot as it was back in the nineties, nor are their games as up to snuff. However, as this list shows, there's still the classics to pick up and play. Have a great weekend, everybody!