Fire Pro Wrestling
Encyclopedia
Fire Pro Wrestling is a long-running professional wrestling
video game series originating from Japan
, started in 1989 by Human Entertainment
and continued by Spike
in 2000.
, Sega Saturn
, Game Boy Advance
, Dreamcast and the PlayStation 2
. Human also released a wrestling game outside the Fire Pro Wrestling series in 1989 for Game Boy
. Titled Pro Wrestling in its native Japan, it was released internationally as HAL Wrestling.
The series became popular in Japan, but did not see an international release until after Spike took over the franchise in 2000. Early games in the Fire Pro Wrestling series were popular outside of Japan with import gamers
, and at least one game, Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium for Super Famicom, received an unofficial fan translation
through video game console emulator
s. Fire Pro Wrestling A for the Game Boy Advance
was released internationally as Fire Pro Wrestling in 2001, and was one of the titles initially available when the Game Boy Advance was launched in Japan and North America. Three editions of the game received official English translations: Fire Pro Wrestling (2001) and Fire Pro Wrestling 2 (2002) for the GBA, and Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
for PS2 (2007).
While other wrestling games made the transition to using 3-D polygonal models when 32-bit consoles arrived, Fire Pro Wrestling relies on 2-D sprite
s to represent the characters in the ring. Spike also has another wrestling game series in full 3-D, King of Colosseum.
At the 2010 Tokyo Game Show
, it was announced that a 3-D avatar-based version of Fire Pro Wrestling would be released for the Xbox 360
in 2011. This game will use a button-mashing minigame instead of the traditional time-based grappling system to appeal to mainstream casual wrestling fans.
, as well as different styles of shoot fighting and mixed martial arts
.
A third distinguishing feature of the Fire Pro Wrestling series of games, particularly the later games in the series, is the inclusion of a detailed wrestler creation and edit mode. The edit mode of Fire Pro Wrestling games allows players to build game characters with a high level of attention to detail. Appearance characteristics such as clothing and ring attire, physical build, head and facial features, can be customized for a created wrestler. A detailed set of wrestling and fighting moves, drawn from a large pool of moves built into the game, can also be assigned to a created wrestler. The extensive edit mode in the Fire Pro series of games also allowed players to make detailed changes to the CPU logic of an edited wrestler, making it possible for a skilled creator to create a wrestler that behaves very much like his real-life counterpart even when controlled by the computer. Later titles in the series allowed for customization of other aspects of professional wrestling, including changing the design of the ring mat, creating customized championship belts, and creation and editing of referees. The highly detailed character creation and edit mode of the Fire Pro Wrestling games became an influential feature that was eventually added to other wrestling and sports games.
This combination of features included in Fire Pro Wrestling games allows players to create "dream matchups" of wrestlers from different promotions, different eras in the history of professional wrestling, as well as matches between real-life wrestlers and fighters, fictional characters and non-wrestling celebrities.
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...
video game series originating from 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...
, started in 1989 by Human Entertainment
Human Entertainment
Human Entertainment was a Japanese computer and video game developer and publisher. The company produced games for a number of platforms, including Dreamcast, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, TurboGrafx-16, PC , PlayStation, Saturn, Sega CD, Super NES, TurboGrafx-CD, and WonderSwan...
and continued by Spike
Spike (company)
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher. Most of the staff were part of Human Entertainment. Human's Fire Pro Wrestling series is owned by Spike.-Games developed:*Crimson Tears*Dangan Ronpa: Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei...
in 2000.
History
Beginning with the first title in the series from Human Entertainment, Fire Pro Wrestling Combination Tag for PC Engine in 1989, the Fire Pro Wrestling series eventually produced editions of games for many systems, notably the Super FamicomSuper Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, Dreamcast and the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. Human also released a wrestling game outside the Fire Pro Wrestling series in 1989 for Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
. Titled Pro Wrestling in its native Japan, it was released internationally as HAL Wrestling.
The series became popular in Japan, but did not see an international release until after Spike took over the franchise in 2000. Early games in the Fire Pro Wrestling series were popular outside of Japan with import gamers
Import gamers
Import gamers are a subset of the video game player community that take part in the practice of playing video games from another region, usually from Japan where the majority of games for certain systems originate.- Reasons for importing :...
, and at least one game, Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium for Super Famicom, received an unofficial fan translation
Fan translation
A fan translation, in video gaming, refers to an unofficial translation of a computer game or video game.The fan translation practice grew with the rise of video game console emulation in the late 1990s. A community of people developed that were interested in replaying and modifying the games they...
through video game console emulator
Video game console emulator
A video game console emulator is a program that allows a computer or modern console to emulate a different video game console's behavior. Emulators are most often used to play older video games on personal computers and modern video game consoles, but they are also used to play games translated...
s. Fire Pro Wrestling A for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
was released internationally as Fire Pro Wrestling in 2001, and was one of the titles initially available when the Game Boy Advance was launched in Japan and North America. Three editions of the game received official English translations: Fire Pro Wrestling (2001) and Fire Pro Wrestling 2 (2002) for the GBA, and Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is a professional wrestling video game that was released in 2005 in Japan, and was released on November 13, 2007 in North America and February 8, 2008 in Italy. The game is part of the Fire Pro Wrestling series.As the title suggests, the game marks Spike's return to 2D...
for PS2 (2007).
While other wrestling games made the transition to using 3-D polygonal models when 32-bit consoles arrived, Fire Pro Wrestling relies on 2-D sprite
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
s to represent the characters in the ring. Spike also has another wrestling game series in full 3-D, King of Colosseum.
At the 2010 Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
, it was announced that a 3-D avatar-based version of Fire Pro Wrestling would be released for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
in 2011. This game will use a button-mashing minigame instead of the traditional time-based grappling system to appeal to mainstream casual wrestling fans.
Features
The Fire Pro Wrestling series of games distinguish themselves from other wrestling games by combining several unique features. One feature is the focus on a timing-based grappling control system, which encourages the use of complex strategy, built on working up to using increasingly powerful moves on your opponent. The timing-based system stands in contrast to the button-mashing tactics with which most 2-D wrestling gamers are familiar. Another feature of Fire Pro Wrestling games is the inclusion of a large roster of wrestlers from different promotions around the world, representing many different styles of professional wrestling: from North American WWE style sports-entertainment and Mexican lucha-libre, to various styles of Japanese puroresu: athletic junior-heavyweight style, realistic strong-style, women's joshi wrestling, and violent hardcore wrestlingHardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
, as well as different styles of shoot fighting and mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
.
A third distinguishing feature of the Fire Pro Wrestling series of games, particularly the later games in the series, is the inclusion of a detailed wrestler creation and edit mode. The edit mode of Fire Pro Wrestling games allows players to build game characters with a high level of attention to detail. Appearance characteristics such as clothing and ring attire, physical build, head and facial features, can be customized for a created wrestler. A detailed set of wrestling and fighting moves, drawn from a large pool of moves built into the game, can also be assigned to a created wrestler. The extensive edit mode in the Fire Pro series of games also allowed players to make detailed changes to the CPU logic of an edited wrestler, making it possible for a skilled creator to create a wrestler that behaves very much like his real-life counterpart even when controlled by the computer. Later titles in the series allowed for customization of other aspects of professional wrestling, including changing the design of the ring mat, creating customized championship belts, and creation and editing of referees. The highly detailed character creation and edit mode of the Fire Pro Wrestling games became an influential feature that was eventually added to other wrestling and sports games.
This combination of features included in Fire Pro Wrestling games allows players to create "dream matchups" of wrestlers from different promotions, different eras in the history of professional wrestling, as well as matches between real-life wrestlers and fighters, fictional characters and non-wrestling celebrities.