Who wants EVPs?

Snap on the spandex and comb that mullet, because it’s time to step again within the Nineteen Eighties heyday {of professional} wrestling, as Hamster provides Taito’s old-school ring-rocker Champion Wrestler to the Arcade Archives on Nintendo Change and PS4.

Hitting the arcade scene in 1989 — on the peak of each Hulkamania and professional wrasslin’s first worldwide growth — Champion Wrestler lacks any official licensing from any real-life promotions, however makes a powerful effort to seize the joy, coloration, and flamboyance of the pseudo-sport as depicted throughout this golden period. Gamers can select from a number of suspiciously acquainted characters with rad names like Matterhorn Decker, The Samurai, Miracle Rastan, and Jimmy Carbon, earlier than battling it out in one-on-one, tag crew, and even cage match motion.

Try the motion within the video beneath, courtesy of YouTuber Janet.

Champion Wrestler is actually a bizarre one. The sport boasts a number of good strikes, some enjoyable sprite artwork, and funky touches reminiscent of ring entrances and dishonest managers. To play, nonetheless, it’s a bit of odd, with the participant required to stroll round so as to construct up energy for a few of their higher throws and holds. Nonetheless, all of those flaws fall away on the finish of every match, as weird wrestler portraits present the winner hanging in casinos, showing on TV reveals, and residing in luxurious, whereas the loser is carted off to hospital, quits the enterprise to promote scorching canines, and even turns to a lifetime of crime! A foolish however enjoyable contact.

Champion Wrestler would ultimately be ported to PC Engine in Japan, and would additionally make an look as a Digital Console title for Nintendo Wii. For those who fancy getting into the ring with this odd launch, then it’s obtainable to obtain now on PS4 and Nintendo Change, priced at round $8.