Inside The Games

Joe Hendry and Stevie Aaron explore the world of wrestling video games, revisiting all your favourite classics and obscure gems. There’s admiration, hilarity, anger and bewilderment as Inside The Games relives the good, the bad and the downright strangest wrestling video games ever created. From the Atari 7800, to the 16 Bit Era, to the PS1, N64 and beyond, if you love great wrestling video games (and making fun of the bad ones), this is the podcast for you!

1. Inside The Games #23 – ECW Hardcore Revolution – PS1/ N64/ Dreamcast

   May 1st 2021

   We take a look at what happened when Acclaim invested in ECW and applied that license to the WWF Attitude Era template. Will the fresh roster and branding be enough new content?

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2. Inside The Games #22 – Tecmo World Wrestling – NES

   April 24th 2021

   The first game to feature an announcer with some interesting mispronunciations in the English translations. It’s the 1989 NES classic, Tecmo World Wrestling.

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3. Inside The Games #21 – WWF Raw – XBOX

   April 17th 2021

   WWF debuts on the Xbox. The graphics were stunning but did the gameplay match up?

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4. Inside The Games #20 – Wrestlemania 2000 – N64

   April 10th 2021

   It’s the first of the WWF AKI video games, Wrestlemania 2000. We talk about the game, backstage stories and of course Ahmed Johnson promos.

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5. Inside The Games #19 – Def Jam Vendetta

   April 3rd 2021

   It’s rap meets wrestling! What could possibly go wrong? It turns out not much, with developers AKI who produced this highly underrated and unconventional classic.

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6. Inside The Games #18 – Zen Nippon Wrestling – SNES

   March 27th 2021

   We take a look at this All Japan Pro Wrestling Super Nintendo Classic and of course play some totally irrelevant Ahmed Johnson promos. What else could you want!?

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7. Inside The Games #17 – WWF Superstars – Gameboy

   March 20th 2021

   Joe and Stevie take a look at the 1991 Gameboy title WWF Superstars. We love retro tunes and roster but will it stand the test of time.

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8. Inside The Games #16 – TNA Impact! – PS2/3 and Xbox

   March 13th 2021

   Is this the underrated most underrated wrestling video game ever? Probably not, but Joe seems to think so…

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9. Inside The Games #15 – MicroLeague Wrestling – C64

   March 6th 2021

   It’s 1987 and turn-based WWF games are in. Joe and Stevie discuss how developers successfully brought the action of WWF to an 8-bit console

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10. Inside The Games #14 – Super Fire Pro Wrestling Special – SNES

    February 27th 2021

    It’s one of the most controversial and best entries in the Fire Pro Series with the darkest story arc to ever appear in a video game

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11. Inside The Games #13 – WCW vs NWO World Tour – N64

    February 20th 2021

    One of the all-time greats and the first of the AKI series for western audiences is up for discussion. Well, after another Ahmed Johnson promo and Joe’s most self-indulgent rant to date.

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12. Inside The Games #12 – WCW SuperBrawl – SNES

    February 13th 2021

    This week, the team discuss the infamous WCW game where almost none of the featured wrestlers are actually with WCW at the time. That plus random catch phrases being assigned to wrestlers that they have never used!

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13. Inside The Games #11 – WWF Royal Rumble – Dreamcast

    February 6th 2021

    The first 128 bit wrestling game is up for review. It has polished visuals and fun gameplay, but does the game provide enough depth to stand the test of time?

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14. Inside The Games #10 – WWF Wrestlemania Steel Cage Challenge

    January 30th 2021

    Joe and Stevie are back to officially licensed games and this time it’s the NES and Master System’s 19 year old WWF Wrestlemania: Steel Cage Challenge, which randomly got a re-release in 2018!

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15. Inside The Games #9 – Wrestling Superstars – Commodore 64

    January 23rd 2021

    Joe has another meltdown when Stevie brings yet another knock off Hulk Hogan game to the podcast with Codemaster’s Wrestling Superstars. The game also happens to contain the worst video game insult of all time.

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16. Inside The Games #8 – Smackdown vs Raw 2007

    January 16th 2021

    It’s arguably the strongest of the entire Smackdown vs Raw series and has one of the most stacked rosters to ever appear in a wrestling game. Also, more arguments between the hosts and of course, Ahmed Johnson promos.

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17. Inside The Games #7 – Backyard Wrestling – PS2 and XBOX

    January 9th 2021

    This week we discuss the pro wrestling game without a wrestling ring, the pros and cons of the Insane Clown Posse and we get distracted by the funniest, yet most horrific spot in the history of backyard wrestling.

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18. Inside The Games #6 – WWF Warzone – Playstation and N64

    January 2nd 2021

    After weeks of Ahmed Johnson promos, WWF Warzone is finally here. Joe and Stevie discuss the first 3d wrestling game for The Playstation. And yes, there will of course, be many, many Ahmed Johnson promo clips.

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19. Inside The Games #5 – WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game

    December 26th 2020

    This week, the highly underrated WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game is up for discussion, with graphics that somehow still hold up after 25 years. If you think modern wrestling games are too realistic and not fun enough, this could be the one for you!

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20. Inside The Games #4 – Fire Pro Wrestling – GBA

    December 19th 2020

    That’s the bottom line because Deep Freeze Steve Majors said so!

    Joe makes the case that this may be the greatest wrestling video game ever made as Stevie details the incredible Audience rating matches and the incredible balance of timing and strategy. Never before had there been such a mix of realism and fun on a handheld!

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21. Inside The Games #3 – Wrestler War – Mega Drive

    December 12th 2020

    This week Joe and Stevie discuss the sheer balls of Sega to actually put Hulk Hogan on the cover of an unlicensed game without even removing the word Hogan from his bandanna. Also, despite including the top star in wrestling, the only playable character is some jobber named Bruce Blade. What a rib!

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22. Inside The Games #2 – WCW/nWo Thunder – PS1

    December 5th 2020

    This week Joe is out for blood after finding out that a whopping 24 of the games developers felt the need to add themselves to the roster. Stevie also has to calm him down after the discovery that Sargeant The Pig may have higher stats than Ric Flair!

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23. Inside The Games #1 – Smackdown 2 Know Your Role – PS1

    November 28th 2020

    It’s time to talk about The PS1 masterpiece that brought us The Hell In A Cell, Casket Matches and well… those loading screens

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