One of the first major licensed arcade wrestling games to hit the streets did so in 1989 when Technos Japan released WWF Superstars. While not an immensely deep game, it did offer its share of action and enjoyment to those who had enough quarters (it ate quarters like nothing else, save WWF Wrestlefest).
The story: Flashback to WWF in the late 80's, after the amazing Hogan-Andre feud. Bobby Heenan, then Andre's manager, sells Andre's services to the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase (who brought Steve Austin into the WWF).
Their main rivals are the team of Hulk Hogan and Randy "Macho Man" Savage, the Megapowers. This feud was enough to make DiBiase and Andre, the unplayable boss characters in this game, demigods in the eyes of those who played against them.
SELECT PLAYERS
Basic facts for all playable characters:
Punch (P) causes 1 point of damage after a combo of 3.
Kick (K) causes 1 point of damage after 2.
To run, hit both punch and kick simultaneously.
To tag out, position yourself next to your partner and press K.
<Numbers in red signify damage points. Moves in yellow are finishers.
 "Macho Man" Randy Savage Sarasota, FL "Oooh yeah! Dig it?" |  Hulk Hogan Venice Beach, CA "Whatcha gonna do?" |
Be carefull when executing the suplex when near the ropes... you may not come away unscathed. Locked-up: Body slam - U+P <1 Headlock - P Irish whip - K [From headlock:] Suplex - P <3 Atomic drop - K <3 (Reversal) When opponent is running: Back body drop - P <1 Dropkick - K <1 When you are running: Swinging clothesline - P <2 Knee - K <2 Ground: Pick him up - P (When by head) Stomp - P (By body) <1 after 2. Elbow drop - K (By head) <2 Pin - K (By body) From top turnbuckle while opponent is standing Dropkick - P or K <1 While opponent is laid out: Flying Elbow Smash - P or K <3 | Locked-up: Body slam - U+P <1 Headlock - P Irish whip - K [From headlock:] Piledriver - P <3 Back suplex - K <3 (Reversal) When opponent is running: Back body drop - P <1 Dropkick - K <1 When you are running: Clothesline - P <2 Knee - K <2 Ground: Pick him up - P (When by head) Stomp - P (By body) <1 after 2. Leg Drop - K (By head) <2 Pin - K (By body) From top turnbuckle while opponent is standing Dropkick - P or K <1 While opponent is laid out: Leg drop - P or K <3 |
 Ultimate Warrior Parts Unknown "SKRONK!" |  Hacksaw Jim Duggan Glenns Falls, NY "Hoooooo!" |
Locked-up: Body slam - U+P <1 Headlock - P Irish whip - K [From headlock:] Gorilla Press - P <3 Atomic drop - K <3 (Reversal) When opponent is running: Back body drop - P <1 Dropkick - K <1 When you are running: Clothesline - P <2 Shoulder tackle - K <2 Ground: Pick him up - P (When by head) Stomp - P (By body) <1 after 2. Knee drop - K (By head) <2 Pin - K (By body) From top turnbuckle while opponent is standing Dropkick - P or K <1 While opponent is laid out: Knee drop - P or K <3 | Hey... where's the three-point stance? Watch the ropes with his finisher in this game... the bulldog. You'll hit them and then hit the ground. Locked-up: Body slam - U+P <1 Headlock - P Irish whip - K [From headlock:] Bulldog - P <3 Back suplex - K <3 (Reversal) When opponent is running: Back body drop - P <1 Dropkick - K <1 When you are running: Clothesline - P <2 Knee - K <2 Ground: Pick him up - P (When by head) Stomp - P (By body) <1 after 2. Elbow drop - K (By head) <2 Pin - K (By body) From top turnbuckle while opponent is standing Dropkick - P or K <1 While opponent is laid out: Elbow drop - P or K <3 |
 Honky Tonk Man Memphis, TN "I'm gonna shake, rattle and roll!" |  Big Boss Man Cobb County, GA "You're gonna serve hard time, punk!" |
Locked-up: Body slam - U+P <1 Headlock - P Irish whip - K (Reversal) [From headlock:] Noogie - P <3 (Unreversable) Shake, Rattle and Roll - K <3 When opponent is running: Back body drop - P <1 Jump kick - K <1 When you are running: Running punches - P <2 Jump kick - K <2 Ground: Pick him up - P (When by head) Stomp - P (By body) <1 after 2. Elbow drop - K (By head) <2 Pin - K (By body) From top turnbuckle while opponent is standing Fist drop - P or K (Can't hit) While opponent is laid out: Fist drop - P or K <3 | Watch dat wiggly eyebrow! Locked-up: Body slam - U+P <1 Headlock - P Irish whip - K (Reversal) [From headlock:] Gut wrench suplex - P <3 Headbutt - K <3 (Unreversable) When opponent is running: Boss Man Slam - P (When opponents meter hits less than 5... does not apply to computer) <3 Back body drop - P <1 Knee smash - K <1 When you are running: Back fist - P <2 Shoulder tackle - K <2 Ground: Pick him up - P (When by head) Stomp - P (By body) <1 after 2. Elbow drop - K (By head) <2 Pin - K (By body) Big splash - P+K <3 From top turnbuckle while opponent is standing Elbow drop - P or K (Can't hit) While opponent is laid out: Elbow drop - P or K <3 |
Do not try any power moves on him... he can EASILY reverse them! Once in a while they will work, but it's best not even tried! Punch causes 1 point of damage after a combo of 2, and 2 points on the third. Kick causes 1 point of damage. Locked-up: Irish whip (Reversal) Headlock [From headlock:] Boot lace rake <3 Torture Rack <up to 6 until submission Irish whip When opponent is running: Chop <1 Big boot <1 When he is running: Shoulder tackle <2 Ground: Pick him up Stomp <1 Sit-down squash <2 Pin From top turnbuckle while opponent is standing None While opponent is laid out: Let's pray to God not! | Punch causes 1 point of damage after a combo of 3. Kick causes 1 point of damage after 2. Million Dollar Dream <up to 6 until submission Begging for mercy Locked-up: Irish whip (Reversal) Bodyslam <1 Headlock [From headlock:] Back breaker <3 Back suplex <3 Million Dollar Dream <up to 6 until submission Irish whip When opponent is running: Back body drop <2 Bizzarre back body drop <2 Powerslam <3 Dropkick <2 When he is running: Sliding knee <2 Clothesline <1 Ground: Pick him up Stomp <1 after 2 stomps Fist drop <1 Elbow drop <1 Pin From top turnbuckle while opponent is standing Dropkick <1 While opponent is laid out: Elbow smash <3 |
The Game:
Graphics:
The graphics would fit right into the world of Double Dragon, as they both have a very similar style.
Gameplay:
In fact, the punching in this game is Technos-y; IE very much a flailing style not unlike the aforementioned Double Dragon. Quite different from their actual punches but that's... fine.
When you pin someone, you immediately control your tag team partner. This is useful for trying to block your opponent's partner from breaking your pin, but it can be disorienting at times because as soon as the pin is broken, you're back in control of your main character.
There is no way to regain your health... even if you tag out. The only way you can heal yourself is to insert more quarters. Once your power hits 0, you have no chance of kicking out of a pin. And, your power does not regenerate EVEN if you win and go on to the next match. You better either conserve, or have enough quarters ready to go at it.
Sound:
The intro music is fantastic. I had that tune trapped in my head ever since I first laid eyes on this at Crazy Eights Arcade in Waterbury, CT. This song absolutely signified WRESTLING to me for quite a bit of time.
Furthermore, when you're low on power, the music can get QUITE dramatic... until you insert that quarter like you're supposed to, ya dingus.
Insert coin! Something you're going to see quite often in this game.
Hey... all but two of these guys were still working all the way up to 1999!
Honestly, having six distinct characters to choose from was pretty good for 1989 games. A lot of games, including the previously released WWF Wrestlemania for the NES may have had multiple characters, but in many cases, they had the exact same moveset.
Also unheard of was the fact that each character had their actual finishers (well, except for Duggan of course). Again, this was a feature COMPLETELY missing from the aforementioned WWF Wrestlemania.
Do you have what it takes?
In other words, do you have $50 in quarters?
Seriously. Games like these were serious quarter
eaters.
Seriously. Games like these were serious quarter
eaters.
Ahh... good ol' New York. Appears to be Madison Square
Garden. Noticeably absent is the Iron Sheik, bragging
about how many times he sold the place out.
To demonstrate this game, I chose the Mega Powers. The only matches available in this game are tag-team. While this may be unfortunate to today's wrestlegame fans, it is nevertheless a fun way to spend some pocket change in 1989.
And after 3 gutwrenching and heartbreaking matches for my opponents (and possibly for the poor fans in attendance who had to watch the same tag-team fight over and over again):
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| Mean Gene: "They're claiming themselves challengers to your world championship belts." | "No one can beat the Mega-Bucks", Andre says, while gazing longingly at Virgil... | "I'll put you to sleep with my Million Dollar Dream!" Ted is apparently unaware that Gene is checking out his crotch. |
Those lazy bastards! They couldn't be bothered to drawa new scene for Ted and Andre's entrance, so they just decided to reverse it!
So as you may have guessed, your final opponents are Andre the Giant and Ted DiBiase. Be sure to pay attention to what I mentioned about them in the character bios. Andre is a notorious pain in the ass, and DiBiase is no push over either.
After beating the Mega-Bucks:
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| Your victory celebration! | Elizabeth: "I am pleased to present you with these championship belts!" But wait there's more... |
What?? Do mine eyes decieve me?
Is that the Budokan?
Could we be in for some quality matches now?
So,yes. After winning in New York, you are instantly whisked away to the land of Giant Baba and Stan Hansen, as the WWF invades Japan!
Nope.
No matter where the WWE goes, it's always the same.
Hey, didn't ya ever notice that the computer can duck,
but you can't? And is DiBiase teaming with the Warrior?
Only three more matches to go... again.
Only three more matches to go... again.
This again?? "Declaring ourselves"? I thought we were the champs!
But we already have... nevermind.
Despite my apparent frustration with this game, I actually love it! At this point, wrestling games, at least in the US (with the sole exception of Pro-Wrestling for the NES) were pretty much garbage. WWF Wrestlemania for the NES was garbage, and Microleague Championship Wrestling (the C64 / Amiga game which was pretty much rock-paper-scissors with primitive FMV) was nothing but novelty. WWF Superstars was pretty much the only game in town for a "proper" wrestling game. It was great for its time, and it still holds up pretty well today!
The only things close to a "port" (and as Bobby Heenan would say, "I use that term LOOSELY") would be Ocean Software's 1991 WWF Wrestlemania for C64, DOS, Amiga, etc., and WWF Superstars for the Gameboy, both of which emulated the graphic style and had more contemporaneous wrestlers but added a weird promo mechanic.
But those are for another time!
The only things close to a "port" (and as Bobby Heenan would say, "I use that term LOOSELY") would be Ocean Software's 1991 WWF Wrestlemania for C64, DOS, Amiga, etc., and WWF Superstars for the Gameboy, both of which emulated the graphic style and had more contemporaneous wrestlers but added a weird promo mechanic.
But those are for another time!
*WARNING* Proceed no further unless you want the ending spoiled for you!
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The Bloopers:
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