Game Boy Advance

Fire Pro Wrestling 2

This is my favorite wrestling game on the U.S. market right now. I want to see a next-gen Fire Pro soon!

If you already own the first game, Fire Pro Wrestling 2 may not offer enough new features to warrant an upgrade. On the other hand, if you've never tried the Fire Pro series and you're someone who enjoys fighting or wrestling games, you really owe it to yourself to experience Fire Pro Wrestling 2. It may not have recognizable wrestlers or an official license, but it is easily the best wrestling or fighting game currently available for the Game Boy Advance.

As long as you are willing to trade amazing gameplay for lackluster sound and visuals you are going to enjoy this game. If Spike had managed to include graphics and sound that were on par with the gameplay this would have been a surefire nominee for GBA Game of the Year.

Overall, Fire Pro Wrestling 2 is a great game that could have been better if it wasn’t so similar to the original title. Don’t get me wrong, the first game was awesome, and this one is just as good, but if you’ve already played Fire Pro Wrestling then this title doesn’t bring much new stuff to the table. The new game modes and extensive customization options will keep you busy for quite some time though, and for some people those things might be enough to warrant a purchase, but chances are you’ll be better off if you give this game a rental before making any final purchasing decisions.

Unfortunately, that is about the extent of new content that Fire Pro Wrestling 2 brings to the table. The game just doesn't reach any new goals that scream "buy this game." Last year, Fire Pro Wrestling broke new ground with the fighting engine, the audience matches, and a visual style that really excelled on the Game Boy Advance. Fire Pro Wrestling 2 does all of that too, but at this point it is old hat. I would have liked to see a greater number of new match styles (perhaps some classic ladder matches), a more enthralling single player career, or a unique twist of some kind. The Japanese sequel to Fire Pro featured an RPG-esque wrestling manager system. Why couldn't we have had that.

On its own, Fire Pro Wrestling 2 is still a superior game, one that's a much better package than the original. THQ made some strides this year with its WWE title (against ALL odds,) but it still can't touch the total package that are the tight gameplay and incredibly deep creation features of FPW. Wrestling fans owe it to themselves to get a sampling of the underground phenom.