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Wrestling Empire

It’s not the Joey Marella of wrestling games. It is creeping into Dino Bravo territory.
Wrestling Empire Game Cover
83%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, humor
Most mentioned negative aspects:music, stability
94% User Score Based on 2,649 reviews
Critic Score 64%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchPCTabletAndroidPhoneiPadSteam DeckMobile PlatformiPhoneWindows
Wrestling Empire Game Cover

About

Wrestling Empire is a single player and multiplayer casual role playing game. It was developed by MDickie and was released on July 2, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

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94%Audience ScoreBased on 2,649 reviews
gameplay57 positive mentions
music6 negative mentions

  • Extensive customization options allow creation of unique characters, movesets, and match types, enhancing replayability.
  • Engaging career and booking modes provide deep, emergent storytelling, with a chaotic and unpredictable wrestling experience.
  • Strong mod support on PC adds new wrestlers, arenas, music, and gameplay tweaks that significantly enrich the game.
  • Graphics are outdated and presentation is janky, including awkward camera angles and stiff animations.
  • Controls can be unresponsive and clunky, with submissions and reversals relying heavily on RNG, causing frustration.
  • Some game systems such as forced dialogue, lack of tutorials, and the court system can disrupt immersion and enjoyment.
  • gameplay

    174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the wrestling game is widely praised for its addictive, chaotic, and deep mechanics that blend arcade-style fun with surprising complexity, offering extensive customization and emergent moments rarely seen in wrestling sims. While it suffers from clunky controls, janky animations, and an obtuse UI, these flaws often contribute to the game's charm and replayability, supported by a strong, engaging career mode and a vibrant modding community. Overall, despite outdated graphics and rough edges, the gameplay experience is considered the standout feature, providing hours of unique and entertaining wrestling action.

    • “It may not have the best graphics, the AI dialogues don't make sense, the gameplay may be janky, but it is by far the most addictive wrestling game out there.”
    • “The graphics are bad but the gameplay is actually pretty damn good, if you ever played the old wrestling games on the PlayStation 1/2 this is like a refined version of exactly that... rough around the edges but has soul... also it has a sandbox style career mode where anything can happen in and out of the ring.”
    • “Amazing game with great customization and gameplay!”
    • “No explanation of any mechanics, no key binds, no true character creator without replacing an existing character, broken camera, etc. just really, really basic and frustrating.”
    • “The gameplay is still clunky: having to mash buttons senselessly to get up when you’re down, no clear explanation for reversals which seem to happen randomly whatever button you press, sometimes your character stalling and screwing up during moves you execute, the tutorial totally awkward with your teacher literally going all over the place and/or hitting you back and aggravating the tasks to be done during training.”
    • “The lack of innovation, outdated graphics, and repetitive gameplay make it difficult to recommend this title to anyone seeking a fresh and engaging wrestling experience.”
  • humor

    146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game’s humor is widely praised for its absurdity, chaotic physics, and deliberately janky gameplay, creating consistently hilarious and unpredictable moments that keep players laughing. Its witty character names, over-the-top scenarios, and sandbox freedom contribute to a goofy, often ridiculous wrestling experience that appeals to both fans and newcomers alike. Despite occasional frustrations from bugs and clunky mechanics, the humor and charm make it a uniquely funny and entertaining title in the wrestling genre.

    • “The combat is intentionally loose, physics-driven, and often hilariously messy.”
    • “With hilariously absurd character customization, over-the-top finishing moves, and the ability to hit your opponent with anything from a steel chair to a banana peel, this game is a total blast.”
    • “Every match feels fresh, spontaneous, and genuinely fun, thanks to dynamic gameplay mechanics and hilariously entertaining in-game physics.”
  • graphics

    137 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in this wrestling game are widely described as outdated, low-poly, and reminiscent of PS1/N64-era visuals, lacking polish and advanced graphical options. However, players consistently highlight that the retro, simplistic art style suits the gameplay and adds nostalgic charm, with the game's deep mechanics, creativity, and fun factor overwhelmingly compensating for its primitive visuals. Overall, while not visually impressive, the graphics are embraced as part of the game's unique identity and do not detract from its status as a highly enjoyable wrestling experience.

    • “The charming retro graphics and chaotic action evoke memories of classic wrestling games from previous eras, yet Wrestling Empire stands firmly on its own, delivering originality and excitement with every body slam and suplex.”
    • “At the same time, longtime followers of mdickie's work will notice that the wrestler models have also improved graphically as well, with character sprites looking closer to the real-life wrestling counterparts that they are based off of than ever before.”
    • “The graphics are exactly what you should expect from a game if it was out in the N64/PS1 era, which makes it charming.”
    • “The visuals are dated, animations can be stiff, and the physics are unpredictable to a fault.”
    • “The graphics are legitimately terrible in a lot of ways, looking like a glossy PS1/N64 tier game.”
    • “The lack of innovation, outdated graphics, and repetitive gameplay make it difficult to recommend this title to anyone seeking a fresh and engaging wrestling experience.”
  • story

    109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story mode offers a dynamic and often unpredictable wrestling narrative that blends serious drama with absurd humor, featuring emergent storytelling driven by player choices and random events. While some find the mission system frustrating due to its randomness, many praise the depth, replayability, and sandbox freedom to craft unique, sometimes wild storylines reminiscent of classic wrestling drama. Overall, it excels as a story generator, providing an engaging, if rough-around-the-edges, wrestling experience full of memorable moments and creative potential.

    • “At any moment, management might force an unfavorable match, a rival may ambush you backstage, or your character could be pushed into a story you never saw coming.”
    • “My narrative feels one of a kind because it is not just shaped by my choices in conversations that branch the story, but also completely random encounters within the sandbox that weave their way into your storyline.”
    • “Combining the talent you hire with the characters you start the game with, you can create the ultimate card week after week, captivating fans with intense storylines and amazing in-ring work, all leading up to your PPVs at the end of each month, where everything comes to a climax.”
    • “Story mode is straight RNG nonsense that constantly harasses you with missions and changes that you don't want.”
    • “The only complaints I have are missions; if you want a reason to scream and rip your eyes out of their sockets, this is the perfect game for you.”
    • “I bought this in hopes of playing a career mode that sprawled into organic stories, but there's no storytelling to be found.”
  • music

    33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's default music is widely criticized as generic, outdated, and irritating, especially the main menu tracks, but extensive mod support allows players to add custom music, including real wrestler themes, significantly enhancing the experience. While the original soundtrack is limited and often annoying, the community-created mods provide valuable improvements and personalization options. Overall, music quality depends heavily on user-installed mods rather than the base game.

    • “It punches far above its weight for what it costs, with accessible modding letting you implement things like custom music that really elevates the experience.”
    • “Mods that add titantrons to the normal venues, mods that make custom videos for those titantrons, mods that add real life wrestler music to the game, mods that give wrestlers their real names, mods to change the menu music, and mods that actually give new content, like created wrestlers—both solo and in packs, sometimes even giving massive roster expansions, new match types, new arenas, and even new moves.”
    • “Also the main menu music gets you amped as hell.”
    • “The menu music is genuinely the most obnoxious sound I've ever heard in my life (two rap songs on constant repeat, neither of them are good).”
    • “Also, the game has exactly 3 songs on its soundtrack (excluding the thrown-together in five minutes entrance themes), and good lord, they're generic and horrible after several hours of hearing them.”
    • “Music is horrible, unchangeable.”
  • replayability

    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers exceptional replayability, driven by its freedom, creativity, chaotic matches, and extensive modding community that enhances customization and content variety. Players enjoy nearly infinite replay value through diverse storylines, wacky scenarios, and a wide roster of characters. Overall, the game's deep customization and ongoing developer support make it highly engaging and endlessly enjoyable.

    • “The freedom, creativity, chaotic matches, and endless replay value make it something truly special.”
    • “Mods add endless replay value and allow you to customize your wrestling universe in ways limited only by your imagination.”
    • “Nigh-on infinite replayability, deep customization, wacky characters and interactions and most importantly, an extremely dedicated developer who never stops polishing the game.”
  • stability

    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is notably buggy and glitch-prone, with frequent camera issues, imprecise controls, and AI behaving erratically, which can disrupt gameplay and immersion. While many glitches are amusing and some users appreciate its depth despite these flaws, the overall stability is inconsistent and often frustrating. However, considering it’s largely developed by a single person, some players find it a worthwhile, if imperfect, alternative to more polished titles.

    • “Matches can break down due to awkward camera angles or imprecise controls, and glitches—though often amusing—can occasionally impede progress.”
    • “You will have loading glitches in the ring where you just see the ring ropes facing the entrance and you move but the camera doesn't.”
    • “It's extremely unfair at times and the career mode is also very buggy and incoherent.”
  • emotional

    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional experience of the game is raw and heartfelt, offering expressive freedom despite its rough edges and lack of polished storytelling or graphics. Fans appreciate its imaginative and nostalgic qualities, finding joy in its unique, sometimes crude charm. Overall, it evokes genuine, often surprising emotional reactions, contributing to a memorable gameplay experience.

    • “It is messy but heartfelt, crude but imaginative, and it offers a kind of expressive freedom that more polished games tend to avoid.”
    • “I was not emotionally prepared for Wrestling Empire.”
    • “I've been a fan of mdickie games ever since the Hard Time days and to see him come so far is just heartwarming.”
  • grinding

    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in this game is often tedious and can feel frustrating due to lack of control during combat, reliance on RNG, and insufficient player guidance. Progression requires significant time investment, with many players reporting extended grinding sessions to advance in career mode.

    • “I've already spent 20+ hours in career mode grinding my way to the top.”
    • “The random events can be tedious and career-destroying at times and when you're grappled there isn't really anything you can do except mash and hope that RNG is in your favor.”
    • “This game is tedious beyond belief. The game barely teaches you anything and when it does, it's through dialog that can't be skipped (which also locks the camera). It's like the game has some sort of bias against you when fighting. When you put someone in a choke hold, they can break out, but when they do, you can't. Your team doesn't help you that much, and it never feels like you have control.”
  • monetization

    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, offering a more authentic and enjoyable experience with in-depth gameplay and varied content. However, some feel the monetization relies heavily on advertising deals rather than player-focused design. Overall, players appreciate the absence of microtransactions and the value from added content.

    • “This game is exactly what I was looking for – a goofy, janky, old-school wrestling game that isn't about real-life wrestling or microtransactions.”
    • “Finally a wrestling game without microtransactions and actual in-depth gameplay plus a ton of extra content.”
    • “No microtransactions, an ever-changing storyline, and a variety of match types.”
    • “It's clear this was made to cash in on YouTuber advertisements rather than creating an enjoyable experience.”
    • “My closest allies disowned me because I wouldn't stop taking advertising deals.”
  • optimization

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has significantly improved from severe performance issues to a stable and polished experience, blending 2D and 3D elements smoothly. However, its complex mechanics impact player performance in nuanced ways that engage a dedicated, analytical community.

    • “I've seen this game transform from an unoptimized hell where everyone fights in 5 FPS stop motion to a highly stable and well-developed mix of both 2D and 3D mobile era games.”
    • “The relationship between stats and different elements of player performance is so intricate that entire secret societies have spontaneously formed around discussions of the topic.”
    • “★ = performance”
    • “I've seen this game from an unoptimized hell where everyone fights in 5 fps stop motion to a highly stable and fleshed out mix of both 2D and 3D mobile era dickie games.”
  • atmosphere

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere is effectively enhanced with elements like fog, creating a distinct and immersive mood. It balances a dark, edgy undertone with a lighthearted, over-the-top style that is characteristic of mdickie's signature approach.

    • “Add fog to give an atmospheric tint to the location you choose.”
    • “The tone, the atmosphere, the over-the-top nature in front of the camera, and the dark underbelly behind the curtain, all done with a light-hearted twist that has become mdickie's brand.”
  • character development

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users criticize the character development in career mode, highlighting frustration with forced actions that undermine player choice and the repeated erasure of customized character designs, leading to a negative and aggravating experience.

    • “The career mode is frustrating, forcing you to do things you don't want to do, or making your custom character design get wiped away repeatedly, forcing you to redo it multiple times.”
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17h Median play time
32h Average play time
7-100h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Wrestling Empire is a casual role playing game.

Wrestling Empire is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Phone, iPad and others.

The main story can be completed in around 10 hours. On average players spend around 32 hours playing Wrestling Empire.

Wrestling Empire was released on July 2, 2021.

Wrestling Empire was developed by MDickie.

Wrestling Empire has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Wrestling Empire for its gameplay but disliked it for its music.

Wrestling Empire is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Wrestling Revolution 3D, Wrestling Revolution, Weekend Warriors MMA, WWE 2K23, WWE 2K24 and others.