Ultra Pro Wrestling promises to bring back the feeling of Nintendo 64 wrestling games.
Hyperfocus games recently released the trailer for its upcoming wrestling game project Ultra Pro Wrestling. Currently, a project that you can back on Kickstarter, UPW is heavily influenced by a Nintendo 64's wrestling games produced by AKI and THQ. The announcement trailer even resembles the opening cinematic of WCW/nWo Revenge, with certain animations appearing exactly as they did in the 1998 video game.
Hyperfocus Games detailed the plan features and gameplay system via its Kickstarter description.
With Ultra Pro Wrestling there will be an extensive moves list of grapples, strikes and aerial attacks from a range of combat disciplines. With multiple ring types, match types, weapons and rules... No two exhibitions will ever feel the same.
- Create-A-Wrestler - Wrestler customisation is at the very core of UPW. As such every wrestler in the game will be fully customisable. UPW's create a wrestler system will offer a vast and ever expanding collection of clothing and design items and players will be encouraged to recreate their favourite superstars from wrestlings historic past or present.
- Online Mode - UPW will be unique in its online mode. Players will compete and wins/losses will determine your ranking. Working your way up the ranks will earn you a shot at the title. This online title "Global Internet Wrestling Championship" can only be held by one person at a time and that person will be treated as a real champion. As a real champion you will be required to defend the title at least once a week on our live streamed show "UPW Monday Blast".
- Single Player Campaign - UPW will have a massive career mode which will span multiple decades. more information about this is listed below.
It is our feeling that wrestling games today feel more like fighting games than wrestling games. UPW is attempting to be recognised as the spiritual successor to the wrestling engine made popular on the N64 series of games. As such the core gameplay has been designed to reflect that engine to the best of our ability. However we are not simply recreating old gameplay mechanics - we aim to bring the core principles of that engine into the modern day in a way in which we feel the original developers would have done.
For fans unfamiliar with those games, here is what to expect from the gameplay:
- The basic control system is relatively simple and doesn't require the player to memorise a series of button/d-pad combinations in order to perform moves.
- While it is intuitive and easy to pick up for new players UPW is also a game that rewards skillful play. No amount of "button bashing" or "move spamming" will save you from an opponent with better timed reversals and more varied attacks.
- In order to perform a sequence of moves, you will be responsible for the execution of each move. In other words, there are no in-match cinematic's where the game takes over. We feel these automated sequences take the player out of the experience.
- When you are pinned or in a submission you must repeatedly press the kickout button(s), which represents a wrestlers actual struggle to wake up/escape - as opposed to timing based mini-games.
Fans can support the project at this link. At the time of this writing, there are still 27 days left to donate to the Kickstarter, and the game has amassed over $13,000 in donations.
AEW Fight Forever also hopes to be a spiritual successor to games like WWF No Mercy. Fans can learn more about the features of that upcoming game at this link.
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