Original Release: Technos, 1983, Arcade
Other Releases: (as Tag Team Wrestling): Apple II / C64 / PC (1984), NES (1986)
Technos’s first tilt at rasslin’ is a mediocre game that is more enduringly famous for eventually giving the world Homestar Runner than anything else.
The Big Pro Wrestling! (Arcade, Technos, 1983)
Where to Buy: KLOV, eBay
How to Emulate: Arcade Emulation Page
Review by: C. M0use
This would go on to be better known as Tag Team Wrestling on the NES, but the arcade version is the original incarnation. It’s actually kind of impressive for 1983, at least in the presentation — a detailed ring entrance, lots of voice clips (if obnoxious sometimes), a full crowd, and a sequnce of goofy animations when you lose.
Sadly, I can’t make heads or tails of the gameplay. One button makes you make yourself big to scare off bears apparently, and the other kinda resembles a punch a bit but only goes north for some reason. I couldn’t figure out how to tag. I do know you can chuck the opponent out of the ring, since the computer did it to me every time I was trying to figure out how to tag, but they don’t follow you out to fight — the only purpose seems to be to chuck a weakened foe out and hope they’re too exhausted to get back in before the very quick 10-count.
Technos would eventually become known as master craftsmen of brawlers, but they were still rough-edged rookies at this point. The “Strong Bads” name also apparently didn’t come until the NES port; they’re just called the “Heel Team” here, and they’re the only foes you ever face.
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