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Pro Wrestling is an NES video game initially released in 1986. It was the first wrestling game on the console and was both published and developed by Nintendo. In all there are seven distinct characters the player can chose from, each with their own special abilities. The game finally received a digital rerelease in 2018 via the Nintendo Switch Online's NES games.

Gameplay[]

The player chooses a character from a roster of six wrestlers, each with a unique set of wrestling moves. In addition to punching, kicking, and running attacks, wrestlers may "lock up" with each other to execute body slams, piledrivers, and other professional wrestling moves. Wrestlers are also able to climb the top two turnbuckles for additional high-flying attacks. Matches are one-on-one, with no option for tag team bouts. Downed opponents may be hauled up from the mat, allowing the opponent a window to execute additional attacks, or may be pinned instead. As in professional wrestling, a wrestler who is pinned for a three count loses the match. One-player matches are timed, with the match being declared a draw if no pinfall occurs within the five-minute time limit.

Characters[]

Development[]

Masato Masuda thought up the game system and was the sole programmer. Masuda was working for the Nintendo R&D3 development team. Shortly after the release of the game, Masuda left Nintendo and joined TRY, which later became Human. Masuda later worked on Human's popular Fire Pro Wrestling series. US copyright records list "Try Company, Ltd." as the author.

Reception[]

Computer Gaming World named it as the Best Sports Game of 1988 for Nintendo, stating that it offered "realistic graphics, non-stop action and realistic wrestling moves. It concluded that Pro Wrestling was "the only wrestling game that really understands what it is simulating". Game Informer named it the 79th best game ever made in 2001. The staff considered it a trail blazer and praised its soundtrack.

Famitsū reported that Pro Wrestling was the #1 video game in the United States for about two months.

The game's Engrish victory message "A Winner Is You" has become an internet meme.

Legacy[]

A popular quote originated from this video game: "A WINNER IS YOU!". The quote has even been used in other Nintendo games such as Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (Fawful utters the quote early on in the title) and Pokémon Gold and Silver. Beyond video games it has been used in publications such as Nintendo Power and is frequently used on internet image and message boards, becoming a classic meme. Despite this, the quote itself only appears in the earliest versions of the game, with later versions shortening it to simply "WINNER IS YOU!". In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mario's bedroom in Brooklyn has a poster for a wrestling match between Starman and the Amazon.

External links[]



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