Big Bang Pro Wrestling
Big Bang Pro Wrestling (ビッグバンプロレス) is a wrestling game made by SNK and S-Neo for the Neo Geo Pocket Color. It was in the Japanese market on November 23, 2000 and is one of the few import games to have a working English option. For wrestling fans, it's a miniature revival of the sprite wrestling genre. However, it's also very rare and hard to obtain. Several characters in the game are based on WWE pro wrestlers.
Story
Only a handful of top wrestlers can be show their face on the TV for their fans at home. In the IEW mat, this rule is no exception. In an event practiced for 300 years, only the best performances are in demand. This year, the great king of the IEW, Josef Steele, returns to defend his throne. The story of eight top wrestlers competing for the greatest prize on the ring, the IEW champion belt, is about to begin...
Gameplay
Attacks are limited to the A and B buttons on the Neo Geo Pocket. The A button is used for physical attacks and grappling. The B button is for various actions such as getting out of the ring, mounting the turnbuckle, taunts, climbing, and pinning an opponent. When a character's name is flashing, pressing both buttons at once will perform their special attack, which varies with each character. Each character has unique moves and subtleties to distinguish them from one another.
There are four modes that can be played. The game's story mode is the IEW Championship, where the player will face the other seven wrestlers before facing the boss, Josef. In One Match and Tournament mode, the player can set up a match with the computer and change the time limit, rules, ring color, and difficultly of their opponent. In these modes, they can also select the alternate Coffin option (where the winner successfully throws their opponent in an open casket) and Money option (the players climb a rope outside the ring to reach a bag of cash). The last mode is a standard VS Mode with another Neo Geo Pocket owner.
Characters
- Brian McDougall - a power character who takes a lot of inspiration for his undefeated streak and moves from Goldberg.
- Mashii the Oriental - known as "Macey" in the game, but listed as The Oriental in the manual. He is a versatile fighter who can spit mist and appear in a puff of smoke before his matches. Most likely inspired by the Great Kabuki.
- Mike Martin - a slow wrestler who focuses on powerful grapples. Has a moveset similar to Kurt Angle.
- Deitz - a character who looks, acts, and moves like the Undertaker.
- Sho Hayama - a practitioner of Vale Tudo. He's a quick moving technique wrestler who relies a lot on his physical attacks.
- David Bogner - the heaviest wrestler who is a brawler character. He is the only character who cannot climb the turnbuckle.
- Alex Fall - a slim and cocky guy who is actually a rather strong grappler heavily inspired by The Rock.
- The Great Eagle - a speedy technique character who bears a resemblance to Tizoc.
- Josef Steele - the IEW World Champion and the final boss who is playable after he's defeated in the IEW tournament. He is one of the tallest characters in the cast and fights with his own powerful grappling style, similar to that of Shawn Michaels.
- Kei Nakano - a time released character and the only lady wrestler in the game. She is the quickest yet weakest character and is Josef's manager.