Wrestle War (Arcade)

We know that every wrestling game in arcade is button mashing nightmare that could rapture buttons or your hand or even both. Well, except WWF Wrestlemania. It's exceptionally good wrestling game. As for the not-good ones, Sega's Wrestle War (1989) is the example. 

Wrestle War takes place in wrestling organization of Sega Wrestling Alliance or you can call it SWA, sounds cool to me. There's thunderbolt behind the title signifies how awesome the wrestling can be or how painful/excruciating experience it is. Sorry for being negative so early but you may understand later on.

 

There's no backstory or instruction on attract mode, only demonstration and this screen that contain the wrestlers that you need to defeat in this game. Yup. This isn't roster of playable character. So i can say, Sega sets off at the bad start.

 

"Welcome to wrestle war!" said unseen announcer. Thanks, man! I like this intermission screen, it's very crowded, signifies that wrestling entertainment is very popular in this Sega-verse. Also, Sega brandishes their logo everywhere like that person on bottom-left who wears Sega shirt. But that's reasonable, this is their game afterall. Do you notice that the 6 wrestlers are in the list below but that leaves 2 mysterious ones on it? Maybe i will fight The Undertaker impersonator or given this is Sega's game Max from Street of Rage 2/Bare Knuckle 2. That will be blast!

 

My first opponent is Mohawk Kid. Such creative name for someone with mohawk hairstyle [Average Sarcasm]. I'm controlling this generic blonde guy. I assume he's Axel from Street of Rage/Bare Knuckle if he choose wrestling career over police career. But both profession requires him to beat anyone senselessly. The control is: joystick to move Axel, one button to make him punch while other button makes him kick. Anyway you know the basic thing of early wrestling game, don't you? Get close to each other will initiate grappling and you have to mash the buttons to increase that power bar there. If it's filled just in time, you will win the grappling and throw your enemy. Otherwise, your enemy will throw you instead.

 

Ouch! I'm scoop slammed. Next time i'll do better.

 

This is more like it. Piledriver deals more damage than scoop slam. To execute this move you have to hold down joystick while winning the grappling. I think.     

 

To pin the downed enemy, press kick button around his torso area. No need to bother to pin while your enemy's health bar isn't fully depleted, you will most likely to fail. So the routine to win every match is: deplete your opponent's health until fully empty, knock him down and pin. Simple.        

 

Then our hero triumph over defeated enemy. So i have to watch for next enemy's knee drop...and my hand's wellness to mash buttons. The latter is for entire run of this game.     

 

Wow! This Sledge Hammer guy isn't pushover. Just look at his height compare to that doofus-looking reporter! While the blonde guy with sharp suit over there (that i assume is Sledge Hammer's manager) looks very smug. He's super confident that Sledge Hammer can't be defeated by Axel.  We will see about that!

 

Cut that out! Only Demoman is allowed to hit someone with bottle. If a wrestler get Irish whipped to rope, he will either bounces or gets out of the ring. The probability is 50-50, i think. Once the fight get into outside of the ring, there's random weapon spawns and it deals more damage than punch and kick obviously. That gives me an idea. If i Irish whip my enemy out of the ring (which occurs more often than regular throw), i will immediately get out of the ring too, snatch the weapon, and beat him well. Sounds like good plan.

 

Oh, damn! He piledriver me. By the looks on my face, this can't be good.  

 

So this is his knee drop, i lose this match even though i depleted his health bar by ± 90%. I'll get him on my next credit.

Does this ring a bell to you? [Mild pun intention]

 

If the enemy bounces back, you can run (by tapping up twice ) after him and clothlines (by pressing punch while running) him. But there's a chance that he will duck under it while i can't do the same thing if i'm in the same condition or at least i don't know how. You can also stand still and wait for him to come near and give him either regular attack or hip throw but that can be negated if he's ducking. This is quite atrocious.

 

This is new to me, even in all history i play this game. The time runs out, when i'm still struggling against this bastard. I have to spend another credit to continue but my health is fully replenished while enemy's remain the same when the time is up unlike losing where you have to fight him from the beginning. Therefore stalling the match is better than losing it.

 

Then all of sudden, i pull a super throw: high jumping piledriver (but not spinning piledriver a la Zangief) then i immediately pin him. I Won. The other things that i like besides this super throw is the audience. The one on bottom row second in left, sees me pulling the stuns in terrified expression. While in corner bottom left, is Johnny Cage (from Mortal Kombat) looks very excited with the fight. There's Gensokyo fairy above the terrified bloke. I bet she paid Yukari Yakumo to transfer her to modern world and buy her ticket here. On the other hand, the bloke on her right is just spacing out. On the same row on second most right, we have a blockhead laughing nonchalantly probably thinking this match is comedy show instead of exhibition of technique and strength between two blokes in hot pants. What a damned idiot.

Scout_award02.wav. I got the trophy and the belt but wait! The match still continues. Okay, then.

 

I take it that J stands for Jason. That means he's some bootleg Jason Voorhees but instead of killing teenagers, he choose to fight man-to-man in wrestling match. I'm not scared of you.

 

Here's dropkick on my face. I really wish i can duck under his attack.

Here's my main strategy to drain enemy's health. I knock him down and i stomp his face (by pressing kick button near his head) over and over again. It's quite reliable method to rise my odd of winning compare to try win grapple again. The (morale) drawback of this method is: you have to see your opponent's sad face and hear his pitiful grunt repeatedly. But since this bastard wears mask, i don't feel sorry to stomp on his face.  

 

Plot twist! Turns out, Mr. J is terminator. I have thwarted Skynet's plan to take over wrestling entertainment industry!

"I'm gonna kick you around the ring and blow you out" said Don Dambuster here. So far he has the most sensible fashion because he wear trouser, you see.

My Goodness! He also has sensible wrestling move where he hoist me over his head and toss me down like a sack of garbage.

Arrgh! He hits me with a toaster. DX

How about some music...on your head? >:)    

This is really embarrassing. I'm defeated by ring-out count.  If only i can get up earlier (by -you can guess it- mashing button as many as possible) when he throw me outside of the ring.     

So here's his signature move: fist drop. He jumps really high and plants his knuckle on my head really hard. That must be hurt!    

 

Through persistence and luck, i defeat him eventually. So my next opponent is masked wrestler or we can say Luchador. I'll take him on!

His name is Mad Dog, huh? Not Mad Dog from The Raid so i can defeat him at my leisure. I doubt i can defeat a martial art badblood who's rumored to train President's bodyguard squad on martial art. 

The game said "Watch for his suplex!" but i'm not aware of his capability to do German Suplex Pin like this. Next time, i'll be more careful.

 

Oh, man! The game should warns me about his flying body press instead. Everytime i'm out of the ring, he will do that and it's scripted. I mean, sure. Wrestling show nowadays, is most likely using scenario in every match. But in wrestling game like this, this is unfair. I can't dodge his attack here at all. Everytime he jumps at me like this, i just stand still forcing me to accept his crazy attack. Therefore, i have to minimize the occurrence of me being thrown out of the ring. That means i have to win grapple more often which is fun [Super Sarcasm].

The match is so atrocious amazing that the reality nearby become distorted. Not really. This is just the moment in the middle of camera change whenever a wrestler get irish whipped across the ring. This graphic transition looks outdated but goes quite fast that i notice it a bit thus not makes me dizzy or disoriented.  

When the opponent is exhausted, you can initiate grabbing him from behind instead of the usual frontal grabbing. If you win the behind grabbing, you will do either another irish whip or backdrop which deals more damage than scoop slam. Another advantage of this grapple is: if you fail it, you only get elbow in your face which is less punishing than being thrown back.

It seems Axel here becomes cocky after defeating Mad Dog (which is reasonable). He begin to taunt the next opponent who is...

 

...Titan Morgan! The one who's introduced with his name at attraction mode. From his looks, i can tell that he's supposed to be Hulk Hogan impersonator which is staple for every fictional wrestling game anywhere. Also if i defeat him, i'll get not only 1 belt but 2 belts. This is beyond my wildest dream.

But i have to endure his signature move: Leg Drop from high altitude. If only i can roll away from anyone's jumping drop attack, the game will feels fairer.

 

Plot twist! Turns out, i can also do German suplex pin like Mad Dog does. Marvelous!

Heavy_award01.wav. I have 2 belts and a trophy. I'm the ultimate champion. But, wait! There's more  opponent to deal with. I'm not surprised.

But first, let me play this slot game. I almost got it! Thanks to that mohawk bastard i fail to hit jackpot.

Buckskin Rogers here looks like Piston Honda of Punch Out!. Why he's named Buckskin? Does his skin look like deer's or he's very rich? I have no idea.  

As far i can tell, he has no gimmick other than he quite often try to pin me even though i'm still healthy. Nice try, dummy!

Oh! He can do German suplex pin. Ok, alright!

Eventually, i can win over him. Next and final opponent, please!

"Let's find out who's the master" he said. Is that referring to X-Pac intro theme? Anyway, Grand Kong here is accompanied by some fair lady who's maybe Marilyn Monroe clone? Wait! His name is Grand Kong that i assume refers to King Kong. So she's supposed to be Ann Darrow, i see.

As you expected by someone with name of King Kong's pun, he's very tough and strong. He most likely win over me in grappling compare to previous wrestler. Cheesing him with stomp and kick only whittle his health very little. Even when i can kick him from the sides, he will eventually catch me in grappling contest that he can win easily.   

Duh! I make stupid mistake. When he bounces from rope i try to clothesline him but i press the punch button to late. This error most likely caused by my exhaustion especially on my right arm. The burden of mashing button from the beginning, keep pilling very hard on my right arm that it start aching quite bad. This is the second time, i almost give up the game after fighting the Masked Wrestler Mad Dog. Moreover, i don't use savestate at all. So everytime i lost a match i have to start from the beginning of the match and you can imagine how much burden on my right arm pile up from that many many button mashing. I can't use savestate due to some emulation problem. If only i can fix it or maybe turn down the difficulty or cheat, i will have better time playing this game.

But i have come this far and i'm still curious to see the ending. Therefore i took a break about an hour and continue the game. See if i can make progress or not.  

Finally, i can defeat this human that want to be King Kong! The key to defeat him is simple: win grapple more often. But to achieve that, it requires not resilient hand for button mashing but some more efficient method. I play this game using Playstation controller. At first, i map the attack buttons at 'circle' button and 'cross' button. Later i remap kick button at 'triangle' button. Finally, for this match i remap the punch button to 'L2' shoulder button and kick button to 'R2' shoulder button. That way i share the mashing button burden equally to both hand, hopefully make it comfortable for myself. I discover that i win grapple more frequent and with less button press, if i press the buttons in rhythmic/alternating manner. Because my left hand shift to 'L2' shoulder button everytime grappling happens, D-pad become untouched. But because of that, i know that to do scoop slam, i don't need to hold/press any direction button. Same goes to Super Piledriver move and i assume German Suplex Pin move too. But they only activated if your enemy's health bar near empty. The difference is Super Piledriver move begins with frontal grappling while German Suplex Pin move begin with back grappling. 

With that, Axel can take a victory drink shower. If i don't concern with my cloth and floor where i sit, i'll do the same.

The ending is: Axel create Domino effect of the wrestlers by kicking Mohawk Kid's face while Ann Darrow cheers on him. I say this is worth the trouble.

Strangely enough, there's no Sega staff on credit roll. It only contains the wrestler's names. Not even the player's name. Nice photo of backdrop, by the way.

Sega's Wrestle War (1989) is hand-cramping/button-wrecker wrestling video game. The grappling mechanic is too simple thus creating tedious/arduous for mind and hand's muscle. There's so little you can do besides grappling. Striking move is accurate but deal feeble damage. No running attack except after your opponent bounce back. No aerial move from turnbuckle too. The noticeably very difficult opponent will be: Grand Kong because he's the mightiest in grappling and Mad Dog because of his inevitable flying body press. But that doesn't mean there's no fun in gameplay context. The throws are satisfying to see and pull out. Well, except for irish whip that is. The super throw can only be executed if opponent is in very weak state, which reminds me of super instant kill move in Guilty Gear or Blazblue. If only there's clear instruction on how to play or easier difficult, the game will be much enjoyable and safe to play. Outside of gameplay context, everything are good or fine like the graphic or music. The sound effect are also good. The "Thud!" sound has big impact, for example. The graphic is colorful and great like in either the wrestlers or the scenery. The crowds are entertaining to see and the intermission/ending looks good also. There's spectator in front row who keep punches his friend besides him periodically. Ludicrous.

 
I suffer played Sega's Wrestle War (1989) so you don't have to and i doubt i want to come back to play it again. There's lot of better wrestling game than this overly-retro ones and much safer to play. I only recommend you to play this game only until Mr. J. There's definitely feeling of accomplishment if you manage to defeat Jason Voorhees/Terminator in wrestling match. Beyond that, you need either robust muscle or some cybernetic implant in your hand/arm. Just to be sure.