Virtual Pro Wrestling 2: Oudou Keishou

"Greatest Wrestling Game of all time"

Introduction:

Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 was the Japanese version of Wrestlemania 2000 for the US, but only better. Also, the game features wrestling stars from New Japan, All Japan, Pride and Legends from wrestling. This game features Japanese wrestling legends such as Antonio Inoki, Jumbo Tsuruta, and Giant Baba, Japanese superstars such as Kobashi, Misawa, Kawada, Great Muta, and more. Plus, shoot fighter legend such as Rickson Gracie and Olympic amateur wrestling great Alexander Karelin. And US wrestling stars such as Terry Funk, Vader, Stan Hanson, Kimala, Andre the Giant and more. This is Virtual Pro Wrestling 2.

Career Mode: 8 out of 10

Career Mode had special guest appearances from Giant Baba and wrestlers to unlock throughout career mode. Also, this mode you had fueds with tag teams and in single's competition and were fighting for the belts. The computer was a smart fighter, as they knew how to break up pins in tag team matches and go for special moves when time came. Also, during career mode they had leagues, tournaments, and their version of the Royal Rumble. The career mode is different everytime, especially with the fact that you have different champions. I rate this game 8 out of 10 because it's a great career mode and there is always a shot at unlocking something new. They literally make you a student of the game to unlock wrestlers and wrestling items as well.

Special Features: 10 out of 10

This is a great game and it comes with great features. The game had 3 way dances, including tag and singles matches, and rumble mode. Also, it had tournaments, leagues and elimination mode. Plus, it even had black in white mode. Also, my personal favorite was that there were titles to defend. This also has been my friends favorite as well. We got the game in 2002 and we are still defending those titles today. This game might not of had the fancy ladder, cage, or hell in the cell matches, but it is still perfect for the fact that it didn't need any of these features to be a great game. It was a unique game in it's own and each feature truly expressed what the game was and that it was a great game.

Create a Wrestler: 10 out of 10

The create a wrestler feature had many different faces to choose from many different costumes or ring attire, many different moves, and you could have given your character many TKO moves. My friends created characters such as Chong Li, Frank Dux, Cobra Kai members, Myagi and Overweight Seagal. Plus, the created characters we made looked like my friends and I, it was scary, but all of this made for a great create a wrestler mode.

Graphics: 10 out of 10

The Aki engine does it again. They have definition in their arenas, and definition in their characters. They went with cartoonish characters, but I still believe these graphics are better then the real life graphics. Also, glitches in the game were very rare. Overall, perfect graphics.

Entrances: 9 out of 10

It had a small selection of great Japanese wrestling themes from All Japan. Also, it featured great backstage entrances and the Japanese announcers announced your guy standing in the ring. You knew your wrestler was coming to the ring by hearing the music, and you would be pumped up for the match. Overall, these are excellent entrances, especially with Baba's theme or the piano sound of Kobashi's theme music.

Controls: 10 out of 10.

Aki is great at making an easy playing grappling and striking game. You know what a weak or strong grapple or strike button is. You know how to run and you know how to change focus or to pin. Usually the hard part I find is at the timing game of catching blocks or grapples and revering them. I usually get TKO'd most of the time by my friends. Also, changing focus and breaking up pins may be tough for me. But still I find this game an easy to play grappling game of all time.

Replay Value: 10 out of 10

This is a very great game to play over and over again. At times you will feel that the music will be stuck in your head for life. Also with defending titles in the game, career mode and create wrestler mode, you can find yourself playing this game for hours and hours. My friends and I have played this game for 1,000's of hours and it has saved us a lot of money. Again, this is a very great game to play over and over again.

Final Recommendation: 10 out of 10.

With the special features of the game, create a wrestler, great Japanese and US stars, and titles to defend; this game is the greatest wrestling game to date. Everything about this game is great and it's a must but. Aki really knows how to make wrestling video games.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/28/04