WCW World Championship Wrestling (NES) Playthrough

A playthrough of FCI's 1990 license-based wrestling game for the NES, WCW: World Championship Wrestling.

This video goes through both of the game's single-player modes:

3:49 Single mode played as Nature Boy Ric Flair

1:20:20 Tag mode played as The Road Warriors, Animal and Hawk

Though the Nichibutsu-developed World Championship Wrestling was the first video game to carry the WCW license, it didn't start out that way. It's actually a localization of Super Star Pro Wrestling, a 1989 Famicom release that bears the distinction of being the only game to carry an official NWA endorsement.

WCW features twelve playable wrestlers (Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Mike Rotunda, Kevin Sullivan, Sting, Rick Steiner, Ricky Steamboat, Hawk, Animal, Steve Williams, Eddie Gilbert, and Michael PS Hayes), and the primary game mode is a ladder-style series of matches in which you take on every wrestler twice. After winning the minor title, you climb the ladder a second time for a chance to take on the mysterious "WCW Master" (Andre the Giant in a mask) for the world title and belt. There is also an extensive points-based tag-team championship mode that tests you with three rounds each made up of five matches.

WCW isn't quite as fun or as polished as Pro Wrestling or Tecmo World Wrestling, but it's a strong first showing for the brand on consoles, and if you find yourself hankering for the simplicity of an old-school wrestling game, this one is worth a look. I really enjoyed it.
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.

[NintendoComplete]

WCW is probably the best shin-kicking simulator ever made. It's also a pretty good 8-bit wrestling cart.

[adamrobinette]

Other than Fester's Quest, no other game was more of a rite of passage to gaming greatness than beating this with a standard NES controller, and not using turbo. LOL! And it's crazy how much the time limit, mixed with how much life the later wrestlers have make your last matches before the boss downright dramatic. No other wrestling game has ever done that. I remember the first time I beat the game I was Sting wrestling flair, and I put the Scorpion Death Lock on with eight seconds to go, and Flair gave up with one second left. There was like five other people in the room, two were grown ass adults, and everyone went ape shit. It was like one of the coolest moments I experienced as a kid playing video games.

[billcarson]

I always loved it when Ric Flair did his jumping neck breaker drop. I think that's what he's best known for in real life.

[ConfusionDistortion]

Nes Ric Flair was just built different. He doesn't fall to his knees and beg for his life, or flip over the top rope, walk four feet, then fall on his face.

[Psych-Blast]

My uncle still has his NES and this game. We play it from time to time.

[befdoglover]

Wow! Did not know that there was already a WCW game for the NES! I only started playing WCW games after I got the N64. I love the music in this one!

[jonathanturbide]

What a game, either the best or 2nd best wrestling game on the NES after Tecmo. The fact we can pick our moves before the match is so revolutionary, and there's even a weapon outside the ring! The cover alone was amazing, with the Road Warriors staring at you, it screamed "buy this game kid!!". 5 stars game in my opinion. 😀👌🏻

[VahanNisanian]

This voice acting is actually really good for an NES game.

[royalkumar]

Good old days where wrestling game doesn't come with micro transaction.
0:38 I always pick this

[jaydead]

seeing ric flair in full length tights just never felt right

[thecedarriversnag]

I remember this game. All shin kicks all the time. Valuable lesson.

[Mia-dtgl]

Gosh, this game makes me feel nostalgic.

[andycayton]

I actually beat this game as a kid. Mike Rotunda was the best one to pick if you were actually trying to finish the game. His high knee gave you so much distance during the final match, and if you missed it, it caused no damage to you.

[aaronbruceladner]

My Favorite Wrestler in This Game is STING

[Hypno_BPM]

i was a WWF fan as a kid but always liked WCWs games throughout the 90s

[Dylan_Nash]

What a touch for FCI to have "GIant Machine" as the champion/boss character. This may have been the second best wresting game on the NES, as Pro Wrestling was pretty much elite, even without any sort of licenses.

[leoguru]

First 5 minutes Wrestler intro with music can bring back old days

[EdsterIII]

I remember this game! I loved it! It's one of the older NES games I forgot about! Thank you for sharing this with us. Great memories!
This game had a LOT more wrestlers than most others. One thing though, WHY wasn't Ric Flair's "specialty" move the Figure Four Leg Lock? That was one of the few incorrect or inconsistencies of the wrestlers.

[chaunseybillings]

I was 12 year's old when this came this was the shit i remember me and my cousin played this shit All day what a time. Sting vs flair

[pinebarrenpatriot]

Actually not bad for the time with the angle switch-ups when you're pinning the opponent. It's not perfect but a pretty good wrestling game.