How to play Mat Mania Challenge online
- Walk: arrow keys
- Punch: Z (left button)
- Kick: X (right button)
- Run: Z and X together
- Climb the corner post, or climb back into the ring: up arrow
- Set up a game: press Z on the title screen, choose one or two players with the arrow keys, then pick Easy, Medium or Hard against the computer
- Back to the options: F2 (Select). Restart: F3 (Reset). Pause: F4
Gameplay
Each match lasts three minutes. You win by pinning your opponent for a three count, by keeping him outside the ring for a count of twenty, or by having more points when time runs out. Every move scores points. In a one-player game, each win sends you on to the next opponent, and one loss ends the game. A two-player game runs for up to three matches.
Which moves you can make depends on the situation. When the wrestlers meet, they lock up in a grapple, and either button puts your rival in a headlock. From there you can hurl him into the ropes, slam him or hit a pile driver. While running you have shoulder jabs, flying kicks, side kicks and clotheslines, and from the top of the corner post you can come down with a knee drop or a back drop. When he is down, Z picks him up and X goes for the pin.
| Move | Points |
|---|---|
| Punch | 50 |
| Kick | 100 |
| Flying kick | 300 |
| Pile driver | 800 |
| Knee drop or back drop from the post | 1,000 |
| Pin | 4,000 |
Tips
- Use the ropes. Throw your opponent into them and meet him with a clothesline as he bounces back.
- Don’t rush the pin. Picking him up and hitting more big moves first builds your score, which matters if the match goes to time.
- Go up top. If he lands near a corner, climb the post. Drops from the post are worth the most points after a pin.
- Escape by running. Pinned against the ropes and taking a beating? Press both buttons to run and break away.
- Get back in quickly. If you are thrown out of the ring, walk to the front and press up before the count of twenty.
The story behind Mat Mania Challenge
Mat Mania was a 1985 arcade wrestling game from Technos Japan, published by Taito, and in the United States it was among the highest-earning arcade games of 1986. An updated version called Mania Challenge followed in 1986 and added two-player competitive matches. Atari’s 1990 cartridge for the 7800 was described by Atari as a mix of both games, and it includes the wrestlers Dynamite Tommy and Hurricane Joe from Mania Challenge. The 7800 version was developed by BlueSky Software, the studio that also made Ninja Golf for the system.
