Hello my faithful Game Marks Listeners (I guess now readers too), I have decided that it’s time to utilize this beautiful website that we have, in which George had me up all hours of the nights making corrections to, to voice some of my thoughts on the games we play. Sometimes on the pod we have too much fun and forget to cover certain things. Also, sometimes opinions are left out as well, which I will get to later. So this is going to be my new platform so you can read, or skim, rather than hear my voice.
For my first post I want to discuss the Fire Pro Series. This is a series that I have both loved and hated, and as most of the Podcast listeners know, it started with hate. I wanted to share how I went from trashing the game in every aspect, to playing it almost every single day. So here we go.
Fire Pro Wrestling. The first thing that comes to mind is that 3/4 turned camera for the ring, the classic Japanese Wrestling Game grapple system, perfecting the timing of strikes and majority of a roster as made up, yet familiar characters. This game dates back to 1989 when Fire Pro Wrestling Combination Tag was released for the PC. So yeah, this series has had some legs for a long time. To be fair and completely honest, I never gave this series a shot. It’s like when your younger sibling likes a band or musician and that’s all they talk about and you can’t stand the thought of it (cough, Green Day). All I have heard from the start of my wrestling fandom is “FIRE PRO IS THE BEST WRESTLING GAME EVER” or, “You aren’t a real wrestling game fan if you don’t play Fire Pro!” It was just “Fire Pro”, “Fire Pro”, “Fire Pro” and to me, that is what made me not want to play this game. Ever.
Obviously like most kids, I grew up playing the Smackdown’s, the No Mercy’s and everything in between all the way up until the 2K’s now. I had no reason to like or even try Fire Pro and it wasn’t something popular with my friends who liked wrestling. It wasn’t until this podcast was stared and we got a TON of people once again telling me how great Fire Pro is, that I made up my mind that this game was not for me and it was trash, based on the appearance and game play.
Now comes Episode 14 of our beloved Podcast, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns. So now we are playing a game that my whole life I have “hated” without even playing it. Now let’s add the controls and dynamic of the game I was VERY unfamiliar with. Now let’s add George flat out whooping me all over the ring when I couldn’t even get a strike in! This game was a no brainer. FUTURE ENDEAVOR!
Then it began…
So not only is it really dumb to base an entire show off one episode you didn’t like, but you’re also countering someone’s opinion with your opinion, and acting as if it is FACT. Who is right? Who is wrong? You tell me Kitty Omega! It was stuff like this making my hatred for this series build even more. Sometimes these things aren’t worth arguing or even bringing up because we know other people can handle our opinions, in this case, my opinion, when some can’t be told that someone doesn’t like what they like. But this was sort of my “wake up call” to have more of an open mind. So let’s jump up to Episode 44, Super Fire Pro Wrestling, All Star Dream Slam.
I went into this game with now 40+ games under my belt, including NJPW and AJPW titles with very similar controls and dynamics. I think even George would admit that I put up more of a fight in this one as well. It was still unfamiliar territory and something I didn’t like very much. But then, one day, there was a post online about Fire Pro Wrestling WORLD on sale in the Playstation store for only $14.99. Now I don’t know about any of you, but the Free Games in the PS store as well as the cheap ones usually find a place on my hard drive because you never know what gems you can find. This was a no brainer, I had to download it and see what it was all about.
So now, after progressively “liking” this series a little bit more each time I play it, I now have the current release which includes the New Japan Roster, and some of my favorite wrestlers. This made it a little easier for me to make the decision to buy the game and jump in. Once it was downloaded, I took George’s advice (for once) and went through the tutorial to have a better feel for the game play. That helped a ton and should be included in every game, ever! I was getting a feel for the controls as well as actually winning a few matches.
So now I have the controls down, and it was time to see what this giant creation suite was all about. After all, this is what keeps people coming back to this series, right?
I created an account on firepro-w.com and I got to downloading everything and every one. Now, the issue was I was downloading just wrestlers not realizing I needed these packs and other pieces to complete them. So let’s just say headless Otis and Triple H looked really odd. But after organizing my roster into Stables, WWE, TNA, ECW, AEW, Create A Pro etc, I was hooked. I created myself. I created Conor McGregor. I dove into the ring creation HARD.
Again, this is an opinion piece so I will say, the game play is fun but it’s not what kept me coming back it was THIS. The creation suite. Being a graphic designer and knowing I can just create and upload these pieces, way easier than 2K i might add, and then I can show it off and play in that arena? This was incredible! I definitely did a 180 on Fire Pro Wrestling and it’s all thanks to Fire Pro World, and a little bit of an open mind.
Another thing I appreciated about this game was the Fighting Road modes. I had purchased the Junior Heavyweight pack and played it for a bit. Unfortunately I haven’t dove that hard into it, since it gets a bit boring because it takes a while to get going, and theres a TON of text. But I think it’s something I will definitely go back to.
So all in all, I wanted to share my Fire Pro Wrestling Journey with the Game Marks faithful and sort of “defend” my reasons why I didn’t like this game. Now when people say how great it is, and how it’s the best wrestling game in the world, I don’t cringe as much as I used to. As far as will I “Play it Forever” or “Future Endeavor”……. You will have to wait until we cover this episode!
Thanks for reading! Game over, MARKS!
-Johnny Clash @jclash21
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