One of the most underrated wrestling games of all time, Wrestling Revolution 3D, recently received a sequel for the Nintendo Switch. A project by solo-developer Matt Dickie, Wrestling Empire has seen a heavy amount of work, with tons of new features and even a brand new engine. For those looking to get into one of the most underrated wrestling game series after the disappointing WWE 2k20, here is what to expect from Wrestling Empire.
Gameplay Changes
Those who haven't played a Wrestling Empire game should know these are known for their over-the-top take on the world of wrestling. Wrestling Empire plays similarilt to classic titles like the Yukes-developed WWF: No Mercy, which should be great news for nostalgic Nintendo 64 fans. The game aims to take aspects from classic wrestling titles such as No Mercy, the Fire Pro series and the WWE Smackdown Vs Raw games.
Any Matt Dickie game includes a wide range of features that fans don't often see in a wrestling game. Things like steroid use, anti-bullying campaigns, wrestler unions and even death are all featured and sometimes even parodied through in-game storylines. Wrestling Empire is bizarre in the best ways, taking a shockingly real look at equally bizarre world of professional wrestling.
Wrestling Empire follows most of the core gameplay mechanics from Wrestling Revolution 3D. Players can select from a huge roster of wrestlers that mimic real-world performers to take into dozens of different customizable match types. Wrestling Empire can handle up to 30 wrestlers in a single match, which is, unfortunately, a downgrade from previous entries' 100 character cap. One small change is the addition of unlockable characters, with only five percent of the game's entire roster unlocked from the start.
The main changes come from the game's transition to the Unity engine. Explosions return from one of the earlier 3D games in the series, which lets players recreate some of wrestling's craziest match types, like the landmine deathmatch. The transition to Unity also allows animations to support players comboing any of the game's moves into each other. The last major gameplay change is the addition of four-player local multiplayer, though the previous game did support two-player multiplayer
Career Mode
The series' Career Mode has also received a huge overhaul. Wrestling Empire keeps the same gameplay premise as previous entries, with players taking on the role of a wrestler who has recently joined the training promotion known as Wrestling School. Players will have to navigate a realistic interpretation of the wrestling business, dealing with contract negotiations, injuries, storyline rivalries and real-world relationships. The end goal of the game's career mode is ultimately up to the player, though the general idea is to retire before the player's character is fired, goes bankrupt or is forced to retire due to injury.
One of the main changes comes with the clause system present in contract negotiations. In previous games, players had the option to ask for any combination of health coverage, guaranteed pay and control over their own appearance and moves. In Wrestling Empire, these are not included under a list of clauses that can be both positive or negative. Players can select only one clause for their contract, so it really comes down to how players want their career to play out.
Clauses can be everything from only getting paid for winning matches to only being booked into matches that revolve around championship feuds. These clauses raise the value of a wrestler's contract, meaning that a promoter may not agree if they don't feel as though they're worth the cost. Negative clauses, like only getting paid for losses, can lower the value of a character's contract and give them a better chance at getting signed.
There are a few more Career Mode features planned for future updates. The developer has announced that a new free-roam mode is said to be in the works, which will completely change how the Career Mode is played. The Booking Career seen in previous games, where players take on the role of a wrestling promoter, is also planned to return in a future update. The game's Nintendo eShop description also states that all future content updates will be free.