If you’ve practiced what we showed you in part one, now it’s time to kick it up a notch. At its core, Fire Pro Wrestling World easy to master if you just want to beat an opponent or the AI. However, the game has an added element: match rating.
Fire Pro has never really been about beating opponent after opponent until you become champion. That’s bush league. The game has always been about having the best matches possible. As a result, the game has a very particular but pretty accurate system that rates the matches.
I’ll tell you the easiest way to get top scores.
Match Ratings In Fire Pro Wrestling World
The first time I saw the feature in a Fire Pro game was while playing the GBA release in 2001. In that game, it was based purely on the player’s setting for the match style. If you set it to “lucha libre” your best bet at a high rating is to play a lucha style match. This either meant playing with a luchador or just know to mix the showman style with some dives.
That’s the core of match ratings. Use what you learned in the basics and play a match around that style. Check part one if you need a refresher or play the Mission Mode which is basically a lengthy tutorial taking you through everything.
A note about match ratings: I’m going by the Fire Promoter mode’s definition of a great match. Something between 70-79 is considered good but that’s not really acceptable when your promotion’s growth is on the line. We’re talking 80 to 100, here.
Getting That High-Rated Match
Now, this version has a default offline mode where it gives a general match rating. I’m not sure what the computer grades on exactly, so to get a high rating here, it would be best to run with any playing style outside of Stoic or Freestyle. Those are more for MMA promotions when we explore Fire Promoter.
The easiest way to get a good or great match is to build through moves, do some dives, taunt, and get in some near falls. That’s honestly the easiest way. Or rather, that’s what you want to make sure you get in on most matches.
Listen to the Crowd
The crowd is a massive factor. You can tell when you’ve paced the match right either by watching the clock or paying attention to the crowd. It can be hard to know when things have amped up with the crowd if a wrestler has S or A-level charisma and ranking since the crowd will always buzz.
The crowd will normally amp up as the match goes on. Unless the wrestlers in the match are popular, there might be soft buzzing early on before they get frenzied. Pretty much like those epic Japanese matches from the 90s and early 00s. There’s a build-up here.
The Ring Game
As for the action, you want it to be seen as an even or exciting match. Dives and weapon attacks help in the offline mode exhibition matches. Also, your opponent needs to get offense.
A great match is give and take and can’t just be you beating them up non-stop before ending the match. That’s boring. If a PPV main event was just one guy beating someone relentlessly that match would get crapped on.
So, watch your stamina and how much damage you take but let them get in something. You’ll also want them to get in their pinfalls but be sure to kick out if you’re concerned about winning. Watch the referee carefully on these pins because a good near fall is between 2 and 2.9 but a nuclear near fall is 2.9.
The referees in this game are different and might have a different counting speed on pinfalls and count outs. Some might be very fast while others will be just…slow. Also, a CRITICAL will give you bump in rating. These are particularly brutal knockouts.
Along with a perfect 100% match, CRITICALs are pretty much achievements. Unlike a 100% match it can be rare.
The Swift Style ()
Now, I explained the basics of a high-rated match. Mix it with the basics you learned in part one and you should be to score a dope match. Here’s my personal shortcut. First, beat the opponent as much as you can early on. Just build up through your move levels until you can use strong attacks.
Make sure your opponent doesn’t get enough offense to hurt you. Also, mind your stamina. There are no health or stamina bars but you’ll know when you did too much. The animation for your wrestler when standing still will go from their grappling stance to trying to catch their breath. Finally, your guy is exhausted if they looked slumped with both arms down while breathing.
Once you’ve beat them down enough, use a finisher or major move. Now you should be in 2.9 range. Pin them and left them up at either near 2.9 or 2.9 by pressing the light attack at the right time. Since you’re as hurt as them and you could take them out at any time, make sure they’re just about in pinning range.
Don’t worry if they kick out at 2.9, that’s good. Think of it as a failsafe to you letting them up too early or not doing so soon enough. I also tend to do a few dives and get some blood for good measure. The best way to get blood is to have a grounded striking attack or weapon attack that’s part of your moveset. Weapons from under the ring might do it.
Get your three nuclear near falls in early so that any time you attempt it later, the crowd is already with it. Once they count along with the referee, you’re good.
Next Time
When we return to Fire Pro Wrestling World, we’re getting into the Fire Promoter mode and bringing part one and what you learned here together!
