WCW/nWo Revenge (N64, 1998)

The follow-up to the previous year’s WCW vs. nWo: World Tour, Revenge packs an updated roster of over sixty wrestlers, superior graphics and attention to detail (wrestlers now utilise their own variations on particular finishers) and, brilliantly, the ability to edit the roster in order to keep up with the near-constant belt dropping and faction-switching that made up the near-incoherent WCW programming of the time. AKI’s brilliant grappling controls make for one of the most accessible wrestling games ever made, even to this day. Arenas based on WCW pay-per-views add further authenticity, as do the addition of each wrestler’s unique ring entrance.

WWF No Mercy (N64, 2000)

Often considered the greatest pro wrestling game of all time, AKI’s masterpiece builds on the fundamentals seen in WCW/NWO Revenge and Wrestlemania 2000 to create something indelible, a game constantly in demand even to this day – indeed, enterprising fans continue to create mods to add current wrestling rosters to the game, and the upcoming AEW: Fight Forever is said to take a great deal of inspiration from No Mercy.

What’s new since Revenge? A branching story mode. Ladder matches. The ability to take the fight backstage. Hundreds of unlockables available from the “Smackdown Mall”. Check it out yourself and see what the fuss is about.

WWE Day of Reckoning (GCN, 2004)

Day of Reckoning, while rather well-loved, isn’t exactly the greatest wrestling game. Why include it here, then? Well, that’d be the story mode, which sees you take a player-created wrestler through the ranks of the WWE in a bespoke new narrative; one which, fascinatingly, directly continues into the game’s own sequel, WWE Day of Reckoning 2, released the following year.

The game’s controls are heavily inspired by the AKI engine, but the inclusion of a new “momentum shift” feature allows you to turn the tables at a critical moment, recreating some of the drama of pro wrestling in a smartly-designed way.

WWE All-Stars (Wii, 2011)

A bombastic throwback, WWE All-Stars is a breath of fresh air following the at times exhausting Smackdown vs. Raw series, seeing acrobatic wrestlers soar into the air before slamming down with lethal elbows, while the real bruisers are able to throw their opponents clear across the arena. It’s a little lacking in modes, but it makes up for any shortcomings with the brilliant, ingenious Fantasy Warfare feature, which pits a WWE Superstar of yesteryear against their contemporary equivalent – Andre the Giant takes on Big Show, for example, for the role of “Greatest Big Man”.

Brilliantly-made clip packages also do a great job of selling why these battles should matter.

WWE '13 (Wii, 2012)

Let’s not beat around the bush; the Wii was short-changed on WWE ‘13, with many modes and features missing. However, the most important part – the Attitude Era mode – is all present and correct, a mixture of video packages and standout matches that brilliantly evokes those iconic years of wrestling and lets you relive them. As you’d expect from a developer with over a decade of experience, the grappling is polished and there are plenty of match types to enjoy.

But it’s that unlockable-filled, constantly-rewarding run through the Attitude Era that keeps us coming back to WWE ‘13 even ten years hence.

Wrestling Empire (Switch, 2021)

Legendary developer MDickie’s magnum opus is a love letter to what makes wrestling awesome, in the form of one of the most chaotic games ever made. Not only do you get a full suite of match types and options, you also get to play booker with a full-featured booking mode that got thrown into a game update as if it wasn’t even a big deal. Yes, the visuals could be a hell of a lot better, but it’s because the game looks like this that it can pack in such a blistering amount of content without compromise.

What else is there to say? If you don’t like Wrestling Empire, you don’t like wrestling.

So there you have it! Let us know what you think, as always, and even if you disagree it's fine - we'll settle it in a grudge match later.