10 Best Non-WWE Wrestling Video Games Ever
5. Def Jam: Fight For New York (PS2)
Released in late 2004 for the PlayStation 2, Def Jam: Fight for NY was a wrestling game with a difference. The aim was to beat your opponents into submission (or knockout, or pinfall and all the rest) but players weren’t going to be controlling icons like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. This was wrestling without the wrestlers.
The scraps in Def Jam: Fight for NY were between rap royalty, stars and icons such as Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Lil’ Kim and many more artists signed to Def Jam at the time. There were also plenty of fictional characters in the game, along with record company execs, PR people and all the rest. If you ever wanted to see a fight between Shawn Paul and Carmen Electra, this was your chance.
The fighting was all sorts of fun, but what helped Def Jam: Fight for NY stand out was the sheer depth of story. While most wrestling games hinged on basic stories and the excitement in the ring, the free-for-all nature of this game allowed for a movie-like scope and an incredibly layered backstory. It bridged the gap between traditional wrestling games and the immense depth of modern gaming.