{"id":76328,"date":"2020-11-01T11:14:46","date_gmt":"2020-11-01T16:14:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=76328"},"modified":"2020-11-01T11:14:46","modified_gmt":"2020-11-01T16:14:46","slug":"revisiting-wrestling-video-games-nintendo-wii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2020\/11\/01\/revisiting-wrestling-video-games-nintendo-wii\/","title":{"rendered":"Revisiting Wrestling Video Games (Nintendo Wii)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The seventh generation of video game systems brought with it a number of innovations. Certain consoles fully embraced high-definition graphics, which became the standard moving forward. They also incorporated elements of social media, which made communication via consoles that much easier. These points were true for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, both of which we’ll discuss in the future. However, the Nintendo Wii proved to be a unique beast from the pack, which carried over into the wrestling video games it offered.<\/p>\n

\"Nintendo
Photo \/ Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Nintendo Wii<\/strong><\/h3>\n

To say that the Nintendo Wii craze was strong during the mid-to-late 2010s would be an understatement. In fact, following its release in 2006, gamers would be hard-pressed to find the system in stores. It became the hot ticket item even after the holiday season, which meant that many people had to wait months to get their hands on it. However, for these people, the wait was worthwhile, as the Wii provided a gaming experience that brought together players of varying skill levels.<\/p>\n

The Wii was incredibly simple on the surface, largely due to its main input method. The Wii Remote was more straightforward than the controllers of consoles during the same generation; it was almost skin to the original NES controller but held vertically. Furthermore, many games required less complicated inputs. \u201cWii Sports,\u201d the title that the system was bundled with, focused heavily on the Wii Remote’s motion capabilities. It was easy enough to swing the remote like a baseball bat, tennis racket, or what have you instead of remembering which buttons to put like traditional games.<\/p>\n

The success of the Wii can’t be denied. The Wii sold over 101 million units, handily defeating the technically superior Xbox 360 and PS3. Granted, Nintendo’s home console boasted the least amount of power, which made third party support tricker. Nonetheless, it came with a host of memorable titles ranging from \u201cThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess\u201d to \u201cMetroid Prime 3: Corruption\u201d to \u201cSuper Mario Galaxy\u201d and beyond. When it comes to wrestling video games on the Wii, offerings were just as unique as the console they were on.<\/p>\n

\"Natsume
Photo \/ Natsume<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Natsume Championship Wrestling (Wii Virtual Console)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In addition to the line of original Wii content, the system came with classic content via the Virtual Console. This served as a platform to sell titles from older consoles, including the NES, Sega Genesis, and even more obscure platforms like Neo Geo. When it comes to wrestling video games on the Wii Virtual Console, \u201cNatsume Championship Wrestling,\u201d which originally released on the Super Nintendo in 1994, is where to look.<\/p>\n

The Natsume-developed and published \u201cNatsume Championship Wrestling\u201d is an unlicensed title. The North American version featured 12 original characters; in Japan, the game incorporated stars from All Japan Pro Wrestling<\/strong>. This game required a bit of strategy from players. To pull off moves, well-timed button presses were the name of the game. Players could adjust the difficulty from easy to medium to hard if need be, providing an easier barrier for entry.<\/p>\n

Long-time gamers may be surprised that Natsume released a wrestling game. Keep in mind that this is the same company that developed quirky titles including \u201cWild Guns,\u201d the \u201cHarvest Moon: series, and even a few \u201cPower Rangers\u201d games. Nonetheless, \u201cNatsume Championship Wrestling\u201d is an enjoyable little romp. It’s also currently available on the Nintendo Switch Online<\/a> service, so if you’re a member, load up the SNES app and give this a try.<\/p>\n