Tecmo World Wrestling
Encyclopedia
Tecmo World Wrestling is a NES
professional wrestling
game for one or two players released in 1989 where the player can control one of ten fictional international professional wrestlers. This is first wrestling game to feature a play-by-play announcer, the animated Tom Talker, although his speech was only text bubbles. The game's text, e.g. Tom Talker's commentary, was translated from the Japanese game almost directly, leading to instances of Engrish
. For example the Northern Lights Suplex is called "Northern Right Suplex". The game was released in Japan under the name
In addition, the game was perhaps the first to feature action replays: when certain signature moves are performed on a weakened wrestler, the game introduces a quick cut-scene, showing the move being performed, as if in a close-up television replay.
Matches can be won by a standard three-count pinfall, submission, or by count-out (if a wrestler is tossed out of the ring, a twenty count starts, and if either wrestler is still outside of the ring when the count ends, they're disqualified). In the single-player game, if both wrestlers are counted out, it counts as a loss for the player.
The single-player mode consists of defeating all of the other wrestlers in the game with your chosen wrestler. Between matches, the player is given an option to train; through button mashing exercises, the player performs either squats
, situps
, or push-ups (with a sumo
wrestler on his back). When the meter measuring your progress in training fills up, a sphere above the meter (seven in total) fills up. The more training you do, the more damage your moves will do during a match. Once all seven spheres fill up, you cannot train any further; however, if you lose a match against an opponent, you will lose a sphere, and you must train again to regain it. When all of the other wrestlers are defeated, the player must overcome the challenge of the non-playable final boss, "The Earl of Doom" Blue King, before winning the game.
Two-player mode in Tecmo World Wrestling features the same gameplay as the single-player game. Each player selects a wrestler (the game prevents the same character being chosen for both players) and then proceed directly into the match. The most notable difference from the single-player game is the addition of a momentum meter onscreen that rapidly swings back and forth between both players. This meter determines which player will have the advantage in a grappling situation.
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
game for one or two players released in 1989 where the player can control one of ten fictional international professional wrestlers. This is first wrestling game to feature a play-by-play announcer, the animated Tom Talker, although his speech was only text bubbles. The game's text, e.g. Tom Talker's commentary, was translated from the Japanese game almost directly, leading to instances of Engrish
Engrish
refers to unusual forms of English language usage by native speakers of some East Asian languages. The term itself relates to Japanese speakers' tendency to inadvertently substitute the English phonemes "R" and "L" for one another, because the Japanese language has one alveolar consonant in place...
. For example the Northern Lights Suplex is called "Northern Right Suplex". The game was released in Japan under the name
Gameplay
Tecmo World Wrestling contains more than 20 moves per wrestler, by virtue of not having a dedicated grapple button. Instead, a grapple is initiated whenever the wrestlers walk into each other, and from there, combinations of the joypad and buttons can be used to perform a variety of holds and slams. There are also many situational moves (such as ground attacks, high-risk top-rope aerial attacks, and running attacks) to perform.In addition, the game was perhaps the first to feature action replays: when certain signature moves are performed on a weakened wrestler, the game introduces a quick cut-scene, showing the move being performed, as if in a close-up television replay.
Matches can be won by a standard three-count pinfall, submission, or by count-out (if a wrestler is tossed out of the ring, a twenty count starts, and if either wrestler is still outside of the ring when the count ends, they're disqualified). In the single-player game, if both wrestlers are counted out, it counts as a loss for the player.
The single-player mode consists of defeating all of the other wrestlers in the game with your chosen wrestler. Between matches, the player is given an option to train; through button mashing exercises, the player performs either squats
Squat (exercise)
In strength training, the squat is a compound, full body exercise that trains primarily the muscles of the thighs, hips and buttocks, quads , hamstrings, as well as strengthening the bones, ligaments and insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body...
, situps
Sit-up (exercise)
The sit-up is a strength training exercise commonly performed with the aim of strengthening the hip flexors and abdominal muscles. It begins with lying with the back on the floor, typically with the arms across the chest or hands behind the head and the knees bent in an attempt to reduce stress on...
, or push-ups (with a sumo
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler on his back). When the meter measuring your progress in training fills up, a sphere above the meter (seven in total) fills up. The more training you do, the more damage your moves will do during a match. Once all seven spheres fill up, you cannot train any further; however, if you lose a match against an opponent, you will lose a sphere, and you must train again to regain it. When all of the other wrestlers are defeated, the player must overcome the challenge of the non-playable final boss, "The Earl of Doom" Blue King, before winning the game.
Two-player mode in Tecmo World Wrestling features the same gameplay as the single-player game. Each player selects a wrestler (the game prevents the same character being chosen for both players) and then proceed directly into the match. The most notable difference from the single-player game is the addition of a momentum meter onscreen that rapidly swings back and forth between both players. This meter determines which player will have the advantage in a grappling situation.
Wrestlers
All information in this section, other than "Other Notes," comes from the game.| Name | Nickname | Birthplace | Height | Weight | Specialties | Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akira Dragon | The Samurai | Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
6'3" | 231 lb | Back Brain Kick, German Suplex |
Akira Dragon's likeness and moveset are based on real wrestler Antonio Inoki Antonio Inoki is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes... . |
| El Tigre | =Striker= | Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... |
6'0" | 242 lb | Back Drop, "Northern Right Suplex" |
El Tigre's appearance and moveset are based on Tiger Mask Tiger Mask is a Japanese manga series written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Naoki Tsuji. The series was first published in Kodansha's Bokura Magazine from 1968 to 1969 and was later published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1970 to 1971... . |
| Pat Gordon | Greek Warrior | Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
6'5" | 282 lb | Back Drop, Power Slam Powerslam A powerslam is a professional wrestling body slam move in which the wrestler performing the slam falls face-down on top of his/her opponent. The use of the term "powerslam" usually refers to the front powerslam and the scoop powerslam.-Emerald Flowsion:... |
Pat Gordon's appearance and moveset are loosely based on Lou Thesz Lou Thesz Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz was a United States professional wrestler and 18-time world heavyweight champion, most notably holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. Combined, he held the NWA Championship for 10 years, three months and nine days , longer than anyone else in history... . |
| Rex Beat | The British Star | "Britain United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... " |
6'2" | 286 lb | Power Bomb Powerbomb A powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position... , Death Drop |
Rex Beat's heavy metal Heavy metal music Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States... persona resembles the style of the old tag team Tag team Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name... The Road Warriors. |
| Jackie Lee | Kung Fu Master | Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
5'11" | 264 lb | German Suplex, Power Slam Powerslam A powerslam is a professional wrestling body slam move in which the wrestler performing the slam falls face-down on top of his/her opponent. The use of the term "powerslam" usually refers to the front powerslam and the scoop powerslam.-Emerald Flowsion:... |
Jackie Lee is a play on Jackie Chan Jackie Chan Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts... and Bruce Lee Bruce Lee Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement... , two Hong Kong movie legends. His appearance and moves are based on Korean/Japanese wrestling legend Riki Choshu Riki Choshu Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū , is a Korean-Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro Wrestling as a wrestler and a booker... . |
| Boris Chekov | The Siberian Machine | U.S.S.R. | 6'3" | 297 lb | Giant Swing, Power Slam Powerslam A powerslam is a professional wrestling body slam move in which the wrestler performing the slam falls face-down on top of his/her opponent. The use of the term "powerslam" usually refers to the front powerslam and the scoop powerslam.-Emerald Flowsion:... |
Boris Chekov bears a resemblance to Stan Hansen Stan Hansen John Stanley Hansen, Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, Hansen was well known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributes to poor eyesight, as he is nearly blind without glasses... . His profile pose closely resembles Hansen's Texas Longhorns hand gesture, revealing the resemblance. |
| Mark Rose | Mr. Tattoo | Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
6'4" | 260 lb | Back Drop, "Northern Right Suplex" |
Mark Rose bears a somewhat looser resemblance to Ric Flair Ric Flair Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world.... during the 1980s. |
| Julio Falcon | Iguanaman | Ecuador Ecuador Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border... |
6'7" | 319 lb | Death Drop, Power Slam Powerslam A powerslam is a professional wrestling body slam move in which the wrestler performing the slam falls face-down on top of his/her opponent. The use of the term "powerslam" usually refers to the front powerslam and the scoop powerslam.-Emerald Flowsion:... |
Julio Falcon somewhat bears a resemblace to Hulk Hogan Hulk Hogan Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .... , albeit with darker skin and a one-shouldered singlet (Hogan originally wore a 2-shouldered singlet). |
| Randy Gomez | The Flying Grenade | Venezuela Venezuela Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south... |
6'2" | 275 lb | Back Brain Kick, Power Bomb Powerbomb A powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position... |
Randy Gomez bears a resemblance to Harley Race Harley Race Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times... . |
| Dr. Guildo | The Technician | U.S.A. | 6'8" | 330 lb | Death Drop, Giant Swing |
Dr. Guildo bears a close resemblance to Big Van Vader. |
| Blue King | Earl Of Doom | Unknown | ??? | ??? | Every wrestler's techniques | Non-playable character. Blue King is also called Blue King Demon. He appears to be based on Japanese masked wrestler Junji Hirata Junji Hirata is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestles for the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, and currently uses the ring name .-Career:Hirata made his debut in New Japan on August 26, 1978 against Yoshiaki Fujiwara... , also known as the Super Strong Machine. |