A WrestlingGame is a FightingGame designed to mimic the bouts seen in ProfessionalWrestling. It lacks the flashy special moves often seen in fighters, and instead emphasizes a system based around grapples, holds, and throws. Most wrestling games are {{Licensed Game}}s, bearing a license from a real-world wrestling federation and using its wrestlers and storylines.

While a wrestling game usually uses some strikes, the majority of the gameplay is focused on grappling. A player can initiate a grapple either through a button press, or simply getting close to an opponent, depending on the game. From there, each player fights for dominance (generally either through ButtonMashing, or timing) to pull off a move. The move can still be countered, especially if one goes for a powerful move too early in the match.

Early wrestling games generally just simulated the matches, and not the general presentation of wrestling. Later games added CutScene entrances, to mimic pro wrestling's elaborate entrances, as well as commentary tracks and crowd noise (which, depending on the game, can actually affect the match, as a wrestler may receive a power boost while the crowd is chanting his name), and various GimmickMatches to change up the gameplay. However, one of the more interesting developments in the genre has been the advent of Create-A-Wrestler (CAW) modes, which allow a player to make a custom character, designing his build, attire, strengths, weaknesses, and moveset from scratch. A game with a suitably extensive CAW mode can have numerous fan sites spring up around it, each of which gives diagrams and formulas on how to create various characters, including wrestlers from other federations, characters from movies and TV shows, etc. These are often supplemented with other creative modes, such as Create-An-Entrance, Create-A-Taunt, etc. Some people take this to the next step, creating their own "Wrestling federations" by recording their caws off the TV screens in matches or backstage segments. These are known as Wrestling/CAWLeagues.

Older wrestling games used a simple, FightingGame-esque "beat all the other characters" ladder as its single player mode, but newer ones split one of two ways: a Season mode, which plays out like a standard sports game season with a few added storylines, or a Story mode, which is heavily scripted and story-based, usually based on a wrestling federation's storylines over the year in which the game is released.
----
!!Examples:
* The NES classic ''VideoGame/ProWrestling''.
* ''Tag Team Pro Wrestling'', which would be utterly forgotten if it weren't for the fact that Strong Bad from ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' is named after the opposing team in the game.
* ''Tecmo World Wrestling'', which introduced Tecmo's trademark cinema scenes into the action.
* The mostly-Japan-only ''VideoGame/FireProWrestling'' series is one of the major innovators of the genre, having [[TropeMaker introduced such staples]] as the Create-A-Wrestler mode (in ''Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium'', for the Super Famicom) and the Story mode (in ''Fire Pro Wrestling G'' for Platform/PlayStation 1). It still boasts the most extensive CAW mode in the industry, which is saying a lot, given that its 2D, sprite-based style makes animating the various selectable costumes far more difficult than simply swapping out textures. Each game also boasts hundreds upon hundreds of wrestlers, most of them {{Captain Ersatz}}es for real-life wrestlers. To date, only three games under the ''Fire Pro'' line have made it to the United States: ''Fire Pro Wrestling Advance'' and its sequel (both for the Game Boy Advance), and the currently-last game in the series, ''Fire Pro Wrestling Returns'' for the Platform/PlayStation2. Fire Pro's GaidenGame, ''Blazing Tornado'', also had a limited American arcade release, but no home release (unlike in Japan, where it was ported to the Sega Saturn).
** The series has a hardcore following amongst its fans, many of which reside on the Fire Pro Forums (which also has subforums for other non-''Fire Pro'' wrestling games).
* ''[[Wrestling/{{WWE}} WWF]] War Zone'' and its sequel, ''WWF Attitude'', are famous for introducing the CAW mode to American audiences. Sadly, they have not aged well.
** The same engine was used for ''{{Wrestling/ECW}} Hardcore Revolution'' and ''ECW Anarchy Rulz''. Like their WWF predecessors, they have aged horribly.
** After losing the ECW license, Creator/{{Acclaim}} went a different direction and put together an AllStarCast of wrestlers from across the ages to make the ''Videogame/LegendsOfWrestling'' series. It has aged nicely, the second installment in particular, thanks to some innovative gameplay, some gorgeous arena designs and its massive cast.
* Between 1997 and 2000, AKI developed and THQ published a series of highly-regarded licensed WWF and Wrestling/{{WCW}} titles for the Platform/Nintendo64. In order, they were ''WCW vs. [=nWo=] World Tour'', ''[=WCW/nWo=] Revenge'', ''WWF [=WrestleMania=] 2000'', and ''VideoGame/WWFNoMercy''. Each game improved on the mechanics and features of the last, and ''No Mercy'' still boasts one of the most complex story modes, with branching storylines depending on whether matches are won or lost; it's widely considered the greatest professional wrestling game ever. ''Revenge'' still has its loyal fanbase as one of the last ways to relive WCW's glory days.
** An interesting note: when THQ lost the WCW license (due to their new WWF license; WCW didn't want to share a video game company), their stock dropped $8/share. The old AKI/THQ wrestling games were THAT big.
** Also in that timeframe, AKI developed the Japan-only ''Virtual Pro Wrestling'' series using the same engine but with Japanese pro wrestlers instead. The first game was based off of ''World Tour'', while the second was based off of ''WM 2000''. The second game also featured licensed wrestlers from ''Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling'', and a fighting style based of ''UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts'' using the AKI engine.
* The ''WWE Day of Reckoning'' series is interesting here, simply because the CAW mode and the Story mode are so closely intertwined; you are ''required'' to play Story mode as a CAW, not one of the wrestlers in the game. As well, ''WWE Day of Reckoning 2'''s story mode is a direct sequel to the original game, and not based on the real-life WWE's storylines. The gameplay is noticeably reminiscent of the Nintendo 64 games, which makes a little sense when you realize that the ''[=DoR=]'' games were both released on the Platform/NintendoGameCube.
* ''VideoGame/WWFSuperstars'', a 1989 arcade game from Technos Japan.
* Its sequel, ''WWF Wrestlefest'', is probably the epitome of the old-school arcade wrestling game.
** The game received a VideoGameRemake in 2012 for the iPhone and iPad.
* ''King Of Colosseum'', a sort of 3D successor to the ''Fire Pro Wrestling'' series, even though ''Fire Pro Wrestling'' continued to run strong.
* ''Lucha Libre Wrestling/{{AAA}}: Héroes del Ring''
* ''Natsume Championship Wrestling'', Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling's licensed game.
* ''Wrestle Kingdom'', Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling's licensed game.
* Creator/{{SNK}} briefly dipped their toes into the genre with ''3 Count Bout'' (or ''Fire Suplex'' as it's called in Japan) in 1993, and again with ''Big Bang Pro Wrestling'' for the Platform/NeoGeoPocket in 2000.
* ''Videogame/TotalExtremeWrestling'' and its spinoff ''Videogame/{{iDomination}}''
* The [[VideoGame/{{WWE}} WWE]] (previously ''[=SmackDown=] vs. Raw'') series is probably the most popular wrestling franchise today, if just because of the lack of competition and the yearly ''Madden''-esque sequels. It's also introduced many innovations within the genre, including the very first "Create A Finisher" mode (in ''[=SvR=] 2009'') and, in the upcoming ''2010'' edition, the very first "Storyline Editor", where players can create their own shows and angles.
** Its progenitor, ''WWF [=SmackDown!=]'' (originally released for the [=PS1=]), used a simplified version of the ''Touken Retsuden'' engine.
** The series is also one that zigs zags on involving a story. The first two games had small cut scenes that would determine allies and enemies, ''Just Bring It'' and ''Shut Your Mouth'' was a more WideOpenSandbox where you could hook up, make enemies, and get involved with matches with other wrestlers, even CAWS. ''Here Comes the Pain'' and the original ''[=SmackDown=] vs. Raw'' had a single brand storyline, the latter removing the ability to play as a diva or Unknown type (HCTP had you get involved with a Diva). [=SvR=] 2006 was perhaps the best thought out story of the series, with brand specific storylines and your decisions having an impact on matches and the ending (accuse Wrestling/JohnCena of running down Teddy Long and it turns out you were responsible, side with Wrestling/TripleH and an incensed Shelton Benjamin will turn on you). The next two games had stock cutscenes, where by 2009 the focus shifted to a few individual wrestlers and a CAW, no Mickie James story for you (except in 2010).
* The Midway-developed ''Wrestling/{{TNA}} Impact'' was received marginally well, but plans were in place to produce a sequel that likely would have been a much better game. Midway then went bankrupt and now nobody knows the future of the series.
* ''VideoGame/SaturdayNightSlamMasters'' is a Capcom-produced hybrid between the FightingGame and the WrestlingGame. Be on the lookout for expies in the [[Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar Tetsuo Hara]] character designs.
** The sequel is a straight up fighting game. You can't even pin people, although characters can still bounce against the ropes during a run.
* The ''Microleague Wrestling'' games on Commodore 64 were -- I kid you not -- ''turn-based'' wrestling games.
** This would not be the last of them either. The TNA Wrestling game for the iPhone is in many ways a turn based wrestling game. It's story mode is SoBadItsGood, so you may have case for it being better than the game that was released on the consoles.
* ''[[VideoGame/DefJamSeries Def Jam Vendetta]]'', a wrestling game starring rap stars (by the developers of ''WWF No Mercy'', no less, and sharing the same engine). Its sequel, ''Def Jam: Fight for NY'', was a hybrid [[FightingGame fighter]]/wrestler.
* ''VideoGame/SumotoriDreams'' is a wrestling game with RagdollPhysics. It's exactly as hilarious as it sounds.
* ''VideoGame/RumbleRoses'' is an [[PantyFighter all-female]] wrestling title. With such things as "humiliation moves" that involve holding your opponent in such a way that the audience can see her goodies better. At least one match in every story mode takes place in a mud pit on a beach. Other than the arguably excessive fanservice it was pretty much a straight pro wrestling game with wrestling rings, pinfalls, submissions, countouts... it was also built on the same engine as the ''[=SmackDown vs Raw=]'' series.
* Predating the above is the ''VideoGame/WrestleAngels'' series, which began as a wrestling game with some HGame elements (the loser of certain matches is stripped in early games), and its combat mechanics are basically a CardBattleGame. When they realized that the main draw was the management of the teams, they morphed it into mostly a wrestler management simulator with the player basically playing Vince [=McMahon=] for an all-ladies wrestling league.
* ''VideoGame/WWEAllStars'' is a 2011 game for the Platform/{{PS3}}, Platform/XBox360, and Platform/{{Wii}}. It features current wrestlers fighting alongside legends such as Wrestling/HulkHogan, Wrestling/RandySavage, and Wrestling/AndreTheGiant. Its style is more over-the-top compared to other recent wrestling games.
* The Creator/DataEast UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame ''Mutant Fighter'' features a cast consisting mostly of mythical monsters grappling with each other in no-holds-barred matches. It hardly pretends to any sort of realistic simulation, but even with the absence of pins and ropes, it's more obviously influenced by ProfessionalWrestling than anything else.
* ''VideoGame/WrestlingMpire'', an infamous SoBadItsGood game by [=MDickie=] about making your own wrestler and getting champion belts and promotions.
* ''VideoGame/AEWFightForever'', the first full-fledge video game for Wrestling/AllEliteWrestling, developed by Yuke's (formerly of WWE game fame) and supervised by Wrestling/KennyOmega.
* ''Manga/{{Kinnikuman}}'' has had several, which is fitting given it's an anime about wrestling in the first place. However, most of them are hybrids between a wrestling game and a FightingGame since the emphasis is usually on victory by knockout rather than pinning your opponent.
** ''Kinnikuman: Muscle Tag Match'' (released as ''M.U.S.C.L.E. Tag Team Match'' in the US)
** ''Kinnikuman: Dirty Challenger''
** ''Kinnikuman: The Dream Match''
** ''Kinnikuman: Muscle Grand Prix'' and its various sequels.
** Its SequelSeries ''Anime/UltimateMuscle'' also had several:
*** ''Ultimate Muscle: The Path of the Superhero''
*** ''Ultimate Muscle: Legends vs. New Generation'', which was actually made by the same people behind ''WWF No Mercy'' and ''Def Jam Vendetta''
*** Ditto for ''Galactic Wrestling Featuring Ultimate Muscle'', which actually ''did'' give you the option of pinning your opponent.
----