Bop'N Wrestle

Easily one of the best wrestling games to be developed outside of Japan during its era. Designed with a joystick in the mind, the controls do take some getting used to nowadays, but there's surprising depth and a lot of charm to this game.

Bop'N Wrestle is an old-school wrestling game that delivers a straightforward look at how professional wrestling was translated into video game form during the late 1980s. Instead of complicated career systems, extensive customization, cinematic entrances, or simulation-heavy mechanics, it concentrates on getting players into the ring and letting them battle through a lineup of colorful opponents. Originally developed by Beam Software and now published on Steam by Ziggurat, it is best approached as a preserved retro experience rather than a modern interpretation of professional wrestling. The player takes control of Gorgeous Greg, a wrestler sitting at number ten in the rankings with ambitions of becoming champion. Progression revolves around defeating the wrestlers standing between Greg and the World Championship Belt. This simple setup gives the game a clear sense of direction. Every match represents another obstacle on the climb toward the top, and the steadily changing opposition provides enough structure to make the campaign feel like more than a disconnected collection of wrestling bouts. For a game originating from this period, the wrestling mechanics offer a respectable v…