Mat Mania
Encyclopedia
Mat Mania - The Prowrestling Network, known in Japan
as , or simply either as Mat Mania or , is a Japanese pro wrestling
-themed arcade game
developed by Technōs Japan and published by Taito
. It is a spiritual successor to the arcade game Tag-Team Wrestling, also developed by Technōs Japan, but published by Data East
.
The game is played by one or two players (alternating in turns). It is recognized among game enthusiasts
as the first of the genre to have achieved a high level of playability. Further, the game aesthetics, sprite
concepts & design, in-game theme music
, and comical presentation have lent well in preserving it as a beloved arcade classic.
The player controls a wrestler who makes his way through the ranks of the TWA, challeging various thematically colorful opponents, before finally challenging the champion
in the fifth match. Upon ascending to the championship
, the player is presented with a championship belt
in a presentation ceremony. The player must then defend his title against the previous five opponents, drawn at random.
was possibly modeled after The Dynamite Kid. Called simply "YOU" in Exciting Hour and Mat Mania, he is dubbed Dynamite Tommy (the Dynamite Kid's real name is Tom Billington) in Mania Challenge. However, in the crowd of Mat Mania it can be read the words FIGHT TOMMY and TOMMY GREAT, and since all the challengers have a name, the name Tommy only could refer to the unnamed player's character. He sports shaggy brown hair and wears blue trunks and white boots. His assortment of manoeuvres include: a Punch
and a high Kick
, and a shoulder block from a standing position; from a Headlock, an Irish Whip, a Body Slam, a Piledriver
, and a Vertical Suplex; upon a running opponent, a Back body drop, an Elbow Smash, a Clothesline or a Jumping Back Kick; upon a downed opponent, a running Body Splash, or, from a turnbuckle, a Sunset Flip or a Knee Drop. The player-controlled Wrestler is fashioned after common "Babyface"
performers of the era.
n Punk
/Barbarian
themed performers popular during the 80s (see: The Road Warriors, among other performers inspired by the 1981 film, The Road Warrior.) Characteristically, presented with a Mohawk hairstyle
, loose-fitting black trousers and heavy make-up. Accordingly, his maneuvers are limited to unskilled clubbing blows and a Gorilla Press Body Slam as his ultimate move . Also, unique from other opponents in that he pins the player-controlled wrestler using only one hand. He has the Player's Elbow Smash and Clothesline. This wrestler is all about pure power.
themed wrestler. His silken, Manchu style trousers and slippers indicates something of a misnomer - Kung Fu Fighter seems more appropriate. Typically his maneuvers include fast, kicking strikes, jump kicks, and karate chops (used as a normal grasp and also as his finishing move). His hair is shaggy and covers his face, suggesting possible inspiration by The Great Kabuki, Chopsocky
, or well-known martial artists such as Bruce Lee
and Bolo Yeung
. In the introductory sequence he is depicted with what would appear to be a set of nunchaku
; however this weapon is not used during actual game-play. He is the only opponent who doesn't possess any of the Player's moves. Karate Fighter's character concept was later adapted by Technos for the Chin Taimei character featured in the NES
version of Double Dragon.
themed wrestler, clearly inspired by Bobo Brazil
, a popular performer for Japan Wrestling Association in the late 60s and 70s (in fact, Bobo Brazil's finishing move was known as the Coco Headbutt
). Depicted wearing a Leopard
skin and barefoot
, he is unique from other opponents in that his attacking style is especially swift; he neither punch
es nor kick
s, rather he is the only opponent to use the shoulder block, the same used by the Player. His unorthodox and unpredictable fighting style includes shoulder blocks, a Mongolian Chop and Giant Swing Throw as his finishing move, as well as a Body Splash on a downed opponent. He's quite possibly the most difficult opponent to beat in the game.
"Rule-breaker"
themed wrestler fashioned after Mil Mascaras
, who often used a mask with a shark teeth design. Pirania uses illegal tactics, like choking
, and cheating to win his matches. He possesses the Player's back body drop. He also uses a Clawhold, performed after whipping the Player off the ropes, which drops the Player to his knees almost immediately. Perhaps his most effective, and most humiliating, move involves suspending the Player above the mat by grabbing his hair with one hand, and illegally punching him square in the face with the other. He also uses an elbow drop as his ultimate move.
star, Bruiser Brody. In some versions of the game, the world champion changed to more closely resemble Hulk Hogan
to reflect the rise of Hogan's popularity, although the character's furry boots (a la Brody) remained intact.He was named as Golden Hulk in Mat Mania for the purposes of U.S. licensing, likely to exploit the popular appeal of Hulk Hogan
in that market. He uses Hogan's "Legdrop of Doom" as a finisher. He also has the Player's Body Slam (performed one-armed!) and Elbow Smash, plus a Dropkick
, which the player's character later gained in Mania Challenge.
released an Atari 7800
version of Mat Mania titled, Mat Mania Challenge This version was faithful in some aspects like graphics and controls. However, it was reviewed poorly by most magazines and game players because it was missing all the villain characters (due to the amount of low memory Atari cartridges were known for). Atari
described this version as a cross between Mat Mania and Mania Challenge, as this game features both Dynamite Tommy and Hurricane Joe. A version for the Atari XE Game System was also planned but was never released. A prototype copy of the Atari XEGS version was once available for a limited time sale via longtime Atari seller B&C ComputerVisions.
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...
as , or simply either as Mat Mania or , is a Japanese pro wrestling
Professional wrestling in Japan
Puroresu is the popular term for the predominant style or genre of professional wrestling that has developed in Japan. The term comes from the Japanese pronunciation of "professional wrestling" , which is shortened to puroresu . The term became popular among English-speaking fans due to Hisaharu...
-themed arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
developed by Technōs Japan and published by Taito
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
. It is a spiritual successor to the arcade game Tag-Team Wrestling, also developed by Technōs Japan, but published by Data East
Data East
also abbreviated as DECO, was a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was in operation from 1976 to 2003, when it declared bankruptcy...
.
The game is played by one or two players (alternating in turns). It is recognized among game enthusiasts
Gamer
Historically, the term "gamer" usually referred to someone who played role-playing games and wargames. Since they became very popular, the term has included players of video games...
as the first of the genre to have achieved a high level of playability. Further, the game aesthetics, sprite
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
concepts & design, in-game theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
, and comical presentation have lent well in preserving it as a beloved arcade classic.
Gameplay
The game is presented in the guise of a televised pro-wrestling broadcast, the Taito Wrestling Association (Technos Wrestling Association in the Japanese version). The intro sequence and subsequent intermissions portray a disheveled pro-wrestling host, Cory (Nari in the Japanese version). His hair is unkempt and his sleeves rolled up as he manically announces the particulars of the upcoming bout.The player controls a wrestler who makes his way through the ranks of the TWA, challeging various thematically colorful opponents, before finally challenging the champion
Champion
A champion is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition.There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, and even further divisions at one or more of these levels, as in soccer. Their champions...
in the fifth match. Upon ascending to the championship
Championship
Championship is a term used in sport to refer to various forms of competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.- Title match system :...
, the player is presented with a championship belt
Championship belt
A championship belt is a large, extravagantly designed belt used primarily in combat sports such as boxing, mixed martial arts and professional wrestling to signify the champions of the promotion or company, much like a cup or trophy in other sports...
in a presentation ceremony. The player must then defend his title against the previous five opponents, drawn at random.
The Player
The player-controlled wrestlerProfessional 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...
was possibly modeled after The Dynamite Kid. Called simply "YOU" in Exciting Hour and Mat Mania, he is dubbed Dynamite Tommy (the Dynamite Kid's real name is Tom Billington) in Mania Challenge. However, in the crowd of Mat Mania it can be read the words FIGHT TOMMY and TOMMY GREAT, and since all the challengers have a name, the name Tommy only could refer to the unnamed player's character. He sports shaggy brown hair and wears blue trunks and white boots. His assortment of manoeuvres include: a Punch
Punch (strike)
A punch is a striking blow with the fist. It is the most commonly used attack in hand to hand combat. It is used in some martial arts and combat sports, most notably boxing where it is the only type of technique allowed...
and a high Kick
Kick
In combat sports and hand-to-hand combat, a kick is a physical strike using the foot, leg, or knee . This type of attack is used frequently, especially in stand-up fighting...
, and a shoulder block from a standing position; from a Headlock, an Irish Whip, a Body Slam, a Piledriver
Piledriver (professional wrestling)
A piledriver is a professional wrestling driver move in which the wrestler grabs his opponent, turns him upside-down, and drops into a sitting or kneeling position, driving the opponent head-first into the mat. The most common piledrivers are the basic belly-to-back, or Texas piledriver, and the...
, and a Vertical Suplex; upon a running opponent, a Back body drop, an Elbow Smash, a Clothesline or a Jumping Back Kick; upon a downed opponent, a running Body Splash, or, from a turnbuckle, a Sunset Flip or a Knee Drop. The player-controlled Wrestler is fashioned after common "Babyface"
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
performers of the era.
Insane Warrior
Named as Insane Worrier in Exciting Hour. Fashioned after fanciful, dystopiaDystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
n Punk
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
/Barbarian
Barbarian
Barbarian and savage are terms used to refer to a person who is perceived to be uncivilized. The word is often used either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage...
themed performers popular during the 80s (see: The Road Warriors, among other performers inspired by the 1981 film, The Road Warrior.) Characteristically, presented with a Mohawk hairstyle
Mohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
, loose-fitting black trousers and heavy make-up. Accordingly, his maneuvers are limited to unskilled clubbing blows and a Gorilla Press Body Slam as his ultimate move . Also, unique from other opponents in that he pins the player-controlled wrestler using only one hand. He has the Player's Elbow Smash and Clothesline. This wrestler is all about pure power.
Karate Fighter
A martial artsMartial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
themed wrestler. His silken, Manchu style trousers and slippers indicates something of a misnomer - Kung Fu Fighter seems more appropriate. Typically his maneuvers include fast, kicking strikes, jump kicks, and karate chops (used as a normal grasp and also as his finishing move). His hair is shaggy and covers his face, suggesting possible inspiration by The Great Kabuki, Chopsocky
Chopsocky
Chopsocky is a colloquial term applied to a diffuse group of martial arts movies made primarily in Hong Kong and Taiwan during the 1960s and 1970s. The term was coined by the American motion picture trade magazine Variety...
, or well-known martial artists such as 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...
and Bolo Yeung
Bolo Yeung
Yang Sze , better known as Bolo Yeung, is a former competitive bodybuilder and a martial arts film actor. Primarily cast as the villain in the movies he stars in, he is best known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon and as Chong Li in Bloodsport, and also for his many appearances in...
. In the introductory sequence he is depicted with what would appear to be a set of nunchaku
Nunchaku
is a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
; however this weapon is not used during actual game-play. He is the only opponent who doesn't possess any of the Player's moves. Karate Fighter's character concept was later adapted by Technos for the Chin Taimei character featured in the NES
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...
version of Double Dragon.
Coco Savage
Named as Coco Savege in Exciting Hour. A "Wild Man"Noble savage
The term noble savage , expresses the concept an idealized indigene, outsider , and refers to the literary stock character of the same...
themed wrestler, clearly inspired by Bobo Brazil
Bobo Brazil
Houston Harris was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. He is credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling...
, a popular performer for Japan Wrestling Association in the late 60s and 70s (in fact, Bobo Brazil's finishing move was known as the Coco Headbutt
Headbutt
A headbutt is a strike with the head, typically involving the use of robust parts of the cranium as areas of impact. Effective headbutting revolves around striking a sensitive area with a less sensitive area, such as striking the nose of an opponent with the forehead...
). Depicted wearing a Leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
skin and barefoot
Barefoot
Barefoot is the state of not wearing any footwear. Being barefoot is regarded as a human's natural state, though for functional, fashion and social reasons footwear is worn, at least on some occasions...
, he is unique from other opponents in that his attacking style is especially swift; he neither punch
Punch (strike)
A punch is a striking blow with the fist. It is the most commonly used attack in hand to hand combat. It is used in some martial arts and combat sports, most notably boxing where it is the only type of technique allowed...
es nor kick
Kick
In combat sports and hand-to-hand combat, a kick is a physical strike using the foot, leg, or knee . This type of attack is used frequently, especially in stand-up fighting...
s, rather he is the only opponent to use the shoulder block, the same used by the Player. His unorthodox and unpredictable fighting style includes shoulder blocks, a Mongolian Chop and Giant Swing Throw as his finishing move, as well as a Body Splash on a downed opponent. He's quite possibly the most difficult opponent to beat in the game.
The Pirania
A maskedWrestling mask
A Wrestling mask is a fabric based mask that some professional wrestlers wear as part of their in-ring persona or gimmick. Professional wrestlers have been using masks as far back as 1915 and they are still widely used today, especially in Lucha Libre in Mexico.-History:In 1915 a North American...
"Rule-breaker"
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
themed wrestler fashioned after Mil Mascaras
Mil Máscaras
Aaron Rodríguez , best known as Mil Máscaras , is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler and actor, who has starred in several films with fellow luchadores...
, who often used a mask with a shark teeth design. Pirania uses illegal tactics, like choking
Choking
Choking is the mechanical obstruction of the flow of air from the environment into the lungs. Choking prevents breathing, and can be partial or complete, with partial choking allowing some, although inadequate, flow of air into the lungs. Prolonged or complete choking results in asphyxia which...
, and cheating to win his matches. He possesses the Player's back body drop. He also uses a Clawhold, performed after whipping the Player off the ropes, which drops the Player to his knees almost immediately. Perhaps his most effective, and most humiliating, move involves suspending the Player above the mat by grabbing his hair with one hand, and illegally punching him square in the face with the other. He also uses an elbow drop as his ultimate move.
Golden Hulk
Named as Blues Bloody in Exciting Hour. The TWA World Champion, who uses his strength and skill to overpower his opponent, clearly inspired by famed All Japan Pro WrestlingAll Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
star, Bruiser Brody. In some versions of the game, the world champion changed to more closely resemble 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 ....
to reflect the rise of Hogan's popularity, although the character's furry boots (a la Brody) remained intact.He was named as Golden Hulk in Mat Mania for the purposes of U.S. licensing, likely to exploit the popular appeal of 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 ....
in that market. He uses Hogan's "Legdrop of Doom" as a finisher. He also has the Player's Body Slam (performed one-armed!) and Elbow Smash, plus a Dropkick
Dropkick
A dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
, which the player's character later gained in Mania Challenge.
Cameo appearances
In the crowd, you are able to see:- SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
- BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
& RobinRobin (comics)Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman... - ZZ TopZZ TopZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
- PopeyePopeyePopeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
- Alien
- Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
- John TravoltaJohn TravoltaJohn Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
- The Jackson Five
- The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from GhostbustersGhostbustersGhostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
- Darth VaderDarth VaderDarth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
and Princess Leia OrganaPrincess Leia OrganaPrincess Leia Organa of Alderaan is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe...
, from the Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
series
Ports and related releases
AtariAtari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
released an Atari 7800
Atari 7800
The Atari 7800 ProSystem, or simply the Atari 7800, is a video game console re-released by Atari Corporation in January 1986. The original release had occurred two years earlier under Atari Inc. The 7800 had originally been designed to replace Atari Inc.'s Atari 5200 in 1984, but was temporarily...
version of Mat Mania titled, Mat Mania Challenge This version was faithful in some aspects like graphics and controls. However, it was reviewed poorly by most magazines and game players because it was missing all the villain characters (due to the amount of low memory Atari cartridges were known for). Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
described this version as a cross between Mat Mania and Mania Challenge, as this game features both Dynamite Tommy and Hurricane Joe. A version for the Atari XE Game System was also planned but was never released. A prototype copy of the Atari XEGS version was once available for a limited time sale via longtime Atari seller B&C ComputerVisions.