How to play Title Match Pro Wrestling online
- Walk around the ring: arrow keys
- Perform a move: press and release Space, then push an arrow key (see the move list below)
- Player 2: T/F/G/H to move, A for the button
- Choose a match type: F11 (the console’s Select switch)
- Start the match: F12 (the console’s Reset switch)
Gameplay
There are four match types: one on one between two players, a two-on-two tag team match, one on one against a computer wrestler, and a tag team match against computer wrestlers. The four wrestlers are Mad Dog, Skin Head, Mr. Mean and Big Chief.
The controls work in two modes. Normally the joystick walks your wrestler around the ring. After you press the button, the next joystick direction picks a move instead, and which moves are available depends on the situation:
- Standing free: up punches, down kicks, left or right grabs the opponent in a bear hug
- Holding a bear hug: up for a power lift, down for a canvas slam, towards the opponent for an airplane spin, away to let go
- Holding him overhead: up for a back drop, down for a body slam
- Opponent down on the canvas: up lifts him again, down drops an elbow and goes for the pin
- On the ropes: up for a rope dive, down to climb back down
Each wrestler has a strength bar that drops as he takes punishment. Wear your opponent down, then pin him for a three count to win a fall. Two falls win the match. In tag team matches you swap wrestlers by walking to your corner at the bottom of the ring and pressing the button and down, but only when your partner is at full strength.
The game also has a “Muscle Mode”: waggle the joystick left and right very fast to build up extra strength. It helps you break out of a hold, get up off the mat or kick out of a pin.
Tips
- Save the pin for later. A pin works best when your opponent’s strength bar is low. Pin too early and he will simply escape.
- Waggle hard when you are in trouble. Muscle Mode is your way out of holds and pins. On a keyboard, tap the left and right arrow keys as fast as you can.
- Tag while your partner is fresh. You can only swap when your partner has full strength, so head to the corner before your own wrestler is worn out.
- Chain your moves. A bear hug leads to a lift, and a lift to a slam, so a single grab can turn into a long combination.
History
Garry Kitchen had been a designer at Activision before he set up Absolute Entertainment in 1986, together with his brother Dan Kitchen, Alex DeMeo and John Van Ryzin. At Absolute he went on making games for the Atari 2600 and 7800, and Title Match Pro Wrestling appeared on both consoles in 1987. Reviews have been lukewarm: the scores collected on AtariAge range from very poor to fair.
Similar games to play next
- RealSports Boxing – Atari’s late boxing game, also for one or two players
- Boxing – Activision’s simple top-down boxing match
- Karate – one-on-one martial arts fighting from Ultravision
- Skate Boardin’ – another late Absolute Entertainment release