A few months we got a chance to interview the Development team of Ultra Pro Wrestling. In that conversation, we got a chance to learn about the upcoming title, the inspiration behind it, and the ambitions of the final product. After months of hard work behind the scenes, It is now time to take a look at the Announcement Trailer in all its glory below.
Ultra Pro Wrestling Gameplay
The main inspiration for Ultra Pro Wrestling is to recapture the magic from what many call the golden age of wrestling games, where they felt like Wrestling and less like fighting in a ring. UPW is attempting to be seen as the spiritual successor to the wrestling games for Nintendo 64 such as WCW/nWo Revenge, Virtual Pro Wrestling 2, and the heavily celebrated WWF No Mercy. That magic has been brought to the game, not just in the execution of moves and camera angles, but down to the control scheme below.
- The basic control system is relatively simple and doesn't require the player to memorize a series of button/d-pad combinations in order to perform moves.
- While it is intuitive and easy to pick up for new players UPW is also a game that rewards skillful play. No amount of "button bashing" or "move spamming" will save you from an opponent with better-timed reversals and more varied attacks.
- In order to perform a sequence of moves, you will be responsible for the execution of each move. In other words, there are no in-match cinematics' where the game takes over. We feel these automated sequences take the player out of the experience.
- When you are pinned or in a submission you must repeatedly press the kick-out button(s), which represents a wrestler's actual struggle to wake up/escape - as opposed to timing-based mini-games.
The Campaign is Your Legacy
In the game's story mode dubbed Legacy Career, you experience the life of a Pro Wrestler with the goal of recreating the trials and tribulations of cementing your legacy. The story is a dynamic take that begins your career in the 1980s before eventually expanding into the 1990s. This Dynamic story changes based on a multitude of factors including your popularity, morality, and in-ring skill.
Creation Suite
At the very core of UPW is the Creation Suite. The ability to not only Create your own unique Wrestler but also have them fit in and look as detailed as an original character to make sure your character has a sense of fitting in when compared to built-in characters. UPW's goal to encourage creativity wouldn't be accomplished without giving the player many options to bring their own created character to life. Whether you are making a completely unique character or creating a star from wrestling past or present, UPW is ready for you. If character creation is not where you want to spend your time, don't worry! UPW plans to have a deep roster of characters with detailed backstories. Check them out on the UPW Roster page.
The Developers: Hyperfocus Games
The humble beginnings of Hyperfocus games can be found 7 years ago when lead developer Sam Vallely began working on gameplay concepts with a popular wrestling promotion based in Scottland. With the idea of utilizing gameplay similar to No Mercy and featuring top stars from the promotion, it seemed like a recipe for success. Unfortunately, not all things work as intended and the project was sidelined until February 28th, 2020 (3 years to the day). Seeing that while a licensed wrestling game could be a success, the most important aspect to gamers around the world was the Gameplay. With this vision in mind, the team grew and the opportunity to make this dream a reality.
How to Support & Kickstarter
Ultra Pro Wrestling is heading into a strong development cycle with many projects to complete. The best way to not only learn more about the development of this game but lend your support to the development of the game is to check out their Kickstarter. The Kickstarter will give you updates on the progress of UPW along with different tiers of support. Below we have also added links to find UPW across the internet!
- Add to your Wishlist on Steam
- Follow UPW on Twitter
- Check out UPW on Youtube
- Join the public Discord server to keep up to date on updates and submit ideas
- Visit the Ultra Pro Wrestling website
