Contemplating that Capcom was ruling the preventing recreation roost in 1993, Saturday Night time Slam Masters is such a low-key manufacturing. Avenue Fighter 2 blended along with a wrestling recreation feels like such a tremendous idea, however that’s completely not what Saturday Night time Slam Masters is.

And that’s actually bizarre, contemplating that one of many grapplers, Gunloc, has a bio that means he’s associated to a well-known avenue fighter whereas Chun Li seems within the viewers. But, regardless of the references that indicate it exists in the identical universe as Avenue Fighter 2, Saturday Night time Slam Masters is just about only a wrestling recreation. It’s not even a very excellent wrestling recreation, however it’s nonetheless one among my favourite arcade video games of all time.

Why?

Mike Haggar. Mike Haggar! MIKE HAGGAR!

The Excellence of Execution

Saturday Night time Slam Grasp was launched in 1993 in arcades, however it additionally received ported to the SNES, Genesis, and FM Cities Marty. I first performed it on the SNES the place it turned one among my most prized cartridges, however now that it’s extra extensively out there via Capcom Arcade Stadium 2, that’s the place I sometimes get my Haggar on.

In Japan, the sport is definitely referred to as Muscle Bomber, however I personally love the Saturday Night time Slam Masters moniker. I find it irresistible a lot. It simply feels like an previous televised wrestling present, just like WWF’s Saturday Night time’s Primary Occasion. I find it irresistible a lot that the flagship present of the fictional wrestling promotion I make again and again in each wrestling recreation with customization, Breakfast Time Wrestling, is Saturday Morning Slam. I virtually italicized that prefer it’s an actual factor.

Saturday Night time Slam Masters facilities across the worldwide Capcom Skilled Wrestling Affiliation. You select a wrestler from a number of 10 after which take them all over the world to compete for the title belt. I don’t assume that’s how wrestling titles are alleged to work, however it’s an amazing framework. After which, after you win the title, the sport retains on going, with you having to defend it.

There’s apparently extra of a backstory. Based on the Capcom Database citation-less abstract, CPWA’s model of Hulk Hogan out of the blue disappeared. With the vacuum of energy the place their champion was alleged to be, the CPWA decides to host their world tour Crash Carnival, to crown a brand new champion. However an evil promotion referred to as the Blood Skilled Wrestling Affiliation decides that they need the title, and a few of their wrestlers crash the Crash Carnival, which, once more, I don’t assume is how wrestling works. Possibly it’s kayfabe.

Magic Mike

Then there’s the aesthetic, which has that slight grit frequent within the Avenue Fighter and Ultimate Battle video games. The CPWA is a far cry from the shiny productions placed on by wrestling promotions lately. It jogs my memory extra of the early days of televised wrestling the place the wrestlers would virtually wade via a sea of individuals to get to the ring, slightly than having an virtually choreographed entrance.

Mike Haggar’s entrance, for instance, merely has him throwing a towel into the group. If solely I used to be there to catch that towel…

Then you definitely get to the precise wrestling, and it’s simply… fantastic. There are punches, grapples, and Irish whips, plus loads of button mashing. I really feel that button mashing is definitely key to arcade wrestling. Hammering that button and shaking the stick provides some physicality to the expertise.

Nonetheless, Saturday Night time Slam Masters lacks any nuance beneath that. You possibly can climb the ropes, however opponents don’t keep down lengthy sufficient so that you can actually land a flying elbow. It’s attainable to get exterior the ring and use weapons, however that’s largely pointless. When you do it to quickly escape your opponent’s thrashing, it’s unlikely the opponent will truly be a part of you. So that you’re left standing on the market, holding a bucket whereas the ref counts.

Haggarmania

Then there are the particular strikes. I solely know of Mike Haggar’s, as a result of when I’ve a option to play as Mike Haggar or actually anybody else, I select Mike Haggar. He has his spinning double-lariat from Ultimate Battle, in addition to a spinning piledrive. Besides the spinning piledrive requires you to tie up with an opponent, rotate the joystick 360 levels, and hit the punch and soar buttons collectively. The issue is that when you tie up, you may have about 1 second to mash the punch button to overpower your opponent. In any other case, they carry out a slam in opposition to you.

I can play Zangief simply fantastic. I’m no stranger to 360 rotations. However I’ve by no means as soon as been capable of carry out Mike Haggar’s spinning piledriver. To at the present time, its existence is rumour to me.

Pins are additionally considerably routine. In case your opponent has no life left of their gauge, they’re out the second you pin them. The identical goes for you. Battle all you need, but when your life gauge is empty, you’re not getting free.

A whole lot of the precise fight in Saturday Night time Slam Masters simply feels “ok.” It’s not truly that significantly better than 1986’s Professional Wrestling on the NES or 1989’s Tecmo World Wrestling, simply to call a pair. Heck, 1991’s King of the Monsters is a greater wrestling recreation, and that recreation is de facto about kaiju.

Though, none of these have Mike Haggar, which suggests Saturday Night time Slam Masters is the very best.

Pinfall

I ought to observe that there’s a tag group mode, which is fairly enjoyable. It means that you can group up with a buddy or captive stranger to tackle the CPWA. Actually, it’s extra like a twister tag. You’re each within the ring on the similar time, and the purpose is to pin each opponents, which could be carried out separately.

There have been two follow-ups to Saturday Night time Slam Masters. The primary was Muscle Bomber Duo, which was form of just like the “Turbo” model of the bottom recreation. The gameplay is extra polished, and you’ll play because the boss characters. It truly does play fairly a bit higher. Getting right into a tie-up truly requires you to press a button to grapple.

The precise sequel is Ring of Destruction: Muscle Bombers 2, and it’s a horrible abomination. For no matter motive, the builders turned it into an easy preventing recreation. The wrestling is now simply an aesthetic alternative. You don’t even should pin on the finish of the match. Even worse, it isn’t a good preventing recreation. It does nonetheless have Mike Haggar, although.

Sadly, neither of those follow-ups had been in Capcom Arcade Stadium 2, which isn’t an enormous loss for Ring of Destruction, however Muscle Bomber Duo is a transparent enchancment over the unique. I’m unsure if we’ll ever see a Capcom Arcade Stadium 3, but when they’re nonetheless not included, we riot.

Get again within the ring

Despite the fact that it isn’t the very best wrestling recreation, I nonetheless find it irresistible. It’s simple to select up and play a number of rounds, the aesthetic is ideal, and whereas it isn’t nice, it’s ok. Adequate, plus Mike Haggar, is instantly top-shelf.

One in every of my dream video games is for Capcom to return to Saturday Night time Slam Masters. The wrestling sub-genre in video video games is in a stagnant place proper now. A lot of the air within the room is dominated by the WWE 2K sequence’ considerable flab, and enjoyable arcade wrestlers are few and much between. A wrestling recreation that eschews licensed wrestlers and as an alternative gives a enjoyable forged with a singular aesthetic seems like it might stand out as we speak. Particularly if it options Mike Haggar.

For different retro titles you’ll have missed, click on proper right here!