SNK is known for its fighting games, which are arcade staples, and less for wrestling games. While 3 Count Bout has a mixed reception, the game that deserves more attention is Big Bang Pro Wrestling for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, which has just been released on the Nintendo Switch.
Many portable wrestling games have very basic controls and Big Bang Pro Wrestling seems this way at first, with its two-button controls seemingly giving a limited moveset. The reality, however, is that the game has surprisingly deep gameplay that is easy to learn and get the hang of and that makes for a fulfilling experience. In just a few minutes, you can manage to pull off amazing moves that were far ahead of portable WWE games of that time and for years after.
There is a decent roster of characters to choose from, and it is clear that many were inspired by the top names that were wrestling at the time, such as Kurt Angle, the Undertaker and Goldberg. There are also some original characters, such as The Great Eagle who bears a striking resemblance to Tizoc, a character who would come later. Each character has their own unique aspects and style that manages to set them apart.
The unique aspects of the characters also relate to how they can interact with not just the opponents, but also the ring, such as a super heavyweight who is unable to climb the turnbuckle for example. This may have been done to hide limitations of the Neo Geo Pocket Color, but it was worked into the game in a way that made sense and so it still feels like a good move today. Big Bang Pro Wrestling did a lot to hide the limitations of the system, but at the same time, the game was not afraid to try and push those same limits.
Entrances are a big part of pro wrestling, and Big Bang Pro Wrestling tries its best to integrate entrances and theme music for the wrestlers at the start and finish. It is again leaps ahead of what other portable systems had at the time, and indeed it was better than portable wrestling games would be for quite a few years after. The great visuals and designs of the arenas and characters combined with the great music are only half the story though, as the gameplay has always been the real draw.
When playing this game for the review, what stood out was how easy the game was to get into, and how intuitive the controls were. Learning every character felt like a breeze and pulling off as many maneuvers as could be put into the game at the time was incredibly satisfying. Wrestling games live and die by their gameplay and Big Bang Pro Wrestling shines bright with what it has on offer.
Like with other Neo Geo Pocket Color ports to Switch, the game is not only emulated perfectly, but the emulator also includes some nice additions as well. Almost every aspect of the Neo Geo Pocket Color was replicated, including the options for a system set up if you want, and a Neo geo Pocket Color appears on screen for you to play the game on. You can adjust the controls as you want, adjust display options, and there is even a rewind function included.
In addition, there are a variety of skins for the on-screen Neo Geo Pocket Color in the form of the various different models of the system. The manual for the game is also digitally replicated here and that is a nice touch. As well, If you feel the screen is too small, then you can enlarge the image or zoom in to see better.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided.