Super Star Pro Wrestling

Super Star Pro Wrestling is a 1989 Japanese professional wrestling, or puroresu, game made by Nihon Bussan and published by Pony Canyon for the Nintendo Famicom system. Released December 9, 1989, the game features play for both one- and two-player modes. It was released a year later in the United Sates as WCW Wrestling on the Nintendo Entertainment System, with different wrestlers.

Gameplay

Each wrestler in "Super Star Pro Wrestling" has strikes (punches and kicks), eight "selectable" moves, two common moves (body slam and headbutt), two Irish whip moves (different for each wrestler), two top rope maneuvers (splash and knee drop), and a finisher. When a wrestler is thrown outside of the ring, a wrench can be used by a wrestler as a weapon.

Wrestlers can compete in exhibition or championship modes as a single wrestler or with a partner in tag team competition. In singles competition, one must defeat each wrestler in succession to receive the Minor title. In order to face the boss character, André the Giant, for the World title, each wrestler must be defeated again. In tag team competition, the team selected by the player must go through five randomly created teams featuring the other wrestlers.

Selectable moveset

"Super Star Pro Wrestling" differs from most wrestling titles in that the player selected his or her moveset prior to the match. Each wrestler has a menu of eight moves (with each wrestler featuring a unique moveset), of which the player may choose four (each move selected is assigned to a direction on the D-pad).

Irish whip moves

These moves are performed by first initiating an Irish whip (throwing the opponent into the ropes by pressing left and B or right and B) and then pressing either A or B when the opponent is near. Each wrestler has a different Irish whip moveset (though these moves are not selectable in the moveset menu).

Finishers

Each wrestler has his own finisher move. These must be performed in the middle of the ring and can only be accomplished when the opponent had two squares remaining on his health meter. The move is performed by pressing A and B simultaneously. Finishers deliver significantly more damage than a regular move and are likely to end the match in a knock-out or submission.

Featured wrestlers

The game featured several puroresu legends of the era. There are some inaccuracies in the game, mainly with the birthdates of some of the wrestlers, and Big Van Vader's hometown and date of birth are not listed in order to protect his gimmick. The correct information is in parentheses next to the information listed in the game. With the exception of Road Warrior Hawk, each wrestler's finishing maneuvers were their respective moves at the time the game was created.

=Giant Baba (affiliation: All Japan Pro Wrestling)=

*Specialty: Jumping Lariat

Antonio Inoki (New Japan Pro Wrestling)

*Specialty: Octopus Hold

=Akira Maeda (UWF)=

*Specialty: Capture Suplex

Genichiro Tenryu (AJPW)

*Specialty: Powerbomb

Riki Chōshū (NJPW)

*Specialty: Sasori Gatame

Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW)

*Specialty: Bridging Belly-to-back Suplex

Bruiser Brody

*Specialty: Running Knee Drop

Road Warrior Hawk

*Specialty: Brainbuster

Road Warrior Animal

*Specialty: Powerslam

Big Van Vader

*Specialty: Avalanche Hold (Front Powerslam)

Abdullah the Butcher

*Specialty: Sudanese Meat Cleaver (Running Elbow Drop)

Stan Hansen

*Specialty: Lariat

André the Giant

*Specialty: Jumping Hip Drop (Seated Senton)

External links

* [http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~t-suzuki/vol.12/ssp.htm A Japanese review of the game, with graphics and biographical information]