10 Landmark Wrestling Video Game Firsts
9. The Use Of Weapons (Pro Wrestling, 1986)
Before WWF WrestleMania was released in 1989, wrestling fans who adored the top leagues had few choices to satisfy their needs. One of the options was to play Pro Wrestling (how's that for a straightforward title?) on the Sega Master System. The box cover art depicted a beheaded wrestler putting himself in a headlock, which was certainly unique.
Something else completely original that the game could shout about was the use of weapons. Barbed wire bats, 2x4 planks of wood and tables would have to wait for their moment in the sun, but Pro Wrestling did allow gamers to smack opponents with a trusty steel chair.
Situated around ringside, the chairs delivered some rule-breaking fun for players. In a cool twist, only heel characters in the game could make use of the weapon, adding a nice babyface vs. heel dynamic to matches.
The actual graphics and gameplay may not have been much to look at it, but Pro Wrestling revolutionised the use of 'foreign objects' in wrestling titles.