Summary
During the late 90s and early 2000s, the Monday Night Wars between the WWE and WCW took wrestling entertainment to a new level of mainstream popularity. With two big brand wrestling promotions, gamers were spoiled for choice with WCW andWWE games.
There were the AKI-developed wrestling games that covered both WCW andWWE games, and then there was the rise of theSmackdown! series on the PlayStation to take up the mantle for the WWE wrestling franchise going forward.
Unfortunately, with the collapse of WCW, WWE started to dominate the wrestling games market too, leading to a degree of complacency. This meant that the PS2-owning wrestling fans arguably didn’t have the same level of quality that the N64 and PS1 enjoyed in their prime, but the console was still home to some great titles. Here are thebest PS2 wrestling games.
Updated on June 12, 2025, by Mark Sammut:The specifications of each mentionedPS2 wrestling gamehave been added.
Released in 2003,Galactic Wrestling: Featuring Ultimate Muscleis an over-the-top wrestling title from the same studio that createdWWF No Mercyand theDef Jamseries. Being based on theUltimate Muscleanime series, the character have special moves and superpowers.
It doesn’t come close toNo MercyorDef Jam,but with one of the most robust fighting systems under the hood,Galatic Wrestlingis still a solid title. However, it’s hard to shake the feeling that AKI’s talents would have been put to better use in a proper wrestling game.
Developed by the same studio that created theWWE SmackdownseriesRumble Rosesis an all-female wrestling game using the same engine as the much lovedSmackdown Here Comes the Pain.This means that it’s using one of the most popular engines in wrestling game history and offers a good alternative to fans tired of the WWE brand.
Mechanically, the game performs very well and is one of the better-looking PS2 titles. However, its themes which put it more in line with theDead or Aliveseries complete with jiggle physics and ridiculous costumes will certainly frustrate some players. If one can look past that, thenRumble Rosesremains a solid wrestling title offering something different fromtheWWE wrestlinggameson the PS2 system.
WWE All Starswas released by THQ on the PlayStation 2, PSP, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and the Nintendo Wii in 2011. Despite being a scaled-down port of the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, the PS2 version ofAll Starsfared very well in the visuals department and was nearly comparable to the Wii version.
It lacked the online element of the more powerful consoles and players weren’t able to download any of the future DLC. However, gamers looking for an entertaining beat-‘em-up with characters that resembled WWE action figures from the 1990s need to look no further thanWWE All Stars.
WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2007was developed by Yuke’s under the THQ label in 2006 on the PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and PSP. Despite not having the power of its more powerful counterparts, the PS2 port’s presentation remained intact and was one of the better-looking games on the older machine.
Smackdown vs. Raw 2007introduced a new control method that implemented the analog stick for grappling instead of the face buttons. It was a tricky system to learn for long-time players of the franchise but the game had a more natural flow to it than previous games.
Def Jam Vendettawas developed by the same team behind the popularNintendo 64 wrestling games, ranging fromWCW vs. nWotoWWF No Mercy.Instead of wrestlers,Def Jam Vendettafeatured famous hip-hop artists under the Def Jam label like DMX, Method Man, Ludacris, and more.
Despite the slightly ridiculous notion of street-fighting rap stars, the excellent wrestling and grappling system were very similar to AKI’s licensed titles, albeit with some added brutality. As such, the gameplay was and still is addictive, and the story mode was pretty good by the genre’s standards at the time.
WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010was developed by Yukes and released by THQ in 2009, so the PS2 was well outdated by this point. While among the worst ways to experience this entry, the version of Sony’s aging console was still a fun wrestling sim that offered a decent single-player experience. If nothing else, it permitted fans who had yet to make the job the opportunity to experience a limited but still enjoyable new version.
The PS2 version lacked several features found in the more powerful consoles like Create a Finisher and Superstar Threads. However, the Story Designer remained intact and offered players an incredible amount of depth to create their own WWE storylines and feuds.
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011was also decent on the PS2
Def Jam: Fight For NYwas once again developed by wrestling game veterans AKI. The game featured more rap stars than its predecessor and included the likes of Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Sean Paul, and Ice-T.
The game retains its AKI momentum-based gameplay but adds in more fighting styles like wrestling, street fighting, martial arts, kickboxing, and submissions. In addition, the game had a good story mode, which was hardly the standard for fighting games at the time, even if the wrestling subgenre fared generally better in this area.
Released in 2005 on the PlayStation 2 and PSP,WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2006remains a favorite among wrestling fans. The game wasn’t a downgraded port of the moreadvanced console version, instead being designed from the ground up to make use of every resource the PS2 had available.
However, the game’s biggest feature is the General Manager mode. For the first time, the series player could now take on the role of an authority figure in the WWE and compete against the opposing brand whether that is Raw or Smackdown. It was very deep and as a management sim felt like another game that was entirely separate from everything else in the series. To this day, the GM mode is still the most requested feature that fans want to see make a return in theWWE 2K series.
Instead of the 3D graphics that were popular at the time,Fire Pro Wrestling Returnsused 2D visuals, and they have aged fairly well all things considered.While unlicensed,Fire Pro Wrestling Returnsfeatures over 320 recreations of real-life wrestlers, including the likes of Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant, albeit with amusing alternate names to avoid a lawsuit.
Furthermore, the game was a true wrestling simulation that required timing and skill and the matches were more about building drama than the fast-paced arcade action seen in the WWE games. Adding to the simulation was the requirement of booking the most exciting matches in advance to achieve the best possible grading based on audience excitement. It’s still a game that’s loved and played to this day thanks to its replay value and brilliant wrestling engine with stunning animations that transcend its 2D visual style.
