This is an ongoing list that when complete, will be able to tell the world what the greatest video game of all time is. If you are interested in the "rules" then click here to see the first post.

I was once a young wrestling fan. When I was in the moment it felt like I was a fan for 5 years or more, but now I can visit the timelines and realize that I was really only a wrestling fan for about a year of my childhood. I got in during the momentous WWF vs WCW days and the start of Goldberg, and then got out before he even lost a match. I can tell you that I was solidly in the WCW camp. I didn't have an older brother or dad who watched wrestling, there was no legacy or history for me to care about. I picked my camp based on whom I thought had the bigger stars, and at the time there was no one bigger than Hulk Hogan. He was someone you knew even if you didn't watch wrestling, so when I finally did start it made sense to watch him. Now it turns out Hulk is a monster, and that neither side is actually good, but I will save that wrestling discussion for the pros.

My gateway drug

Two games existed in my short foray into wrestling, one that was already out (World Tour) and one that was coming out (Revenge). I remember buying and playing the hell out of World Tour with my neighbor. Playing Tag matches together, never playing them correctly (we never tagged, just got off the apron and beat up the other computer). When Revenge came out, we for obvious reasons never looked back. Here was an improved game in nearly all regards: Updated roster, better looking, ability for light customization, better championship mode. It became a game that even when I stopped watching wrestling, I still played the game because it was incredibly enjoyable.

Now both of these games have been talked about or played plenty on this website. I am not going to say anything profound when it comes to dissecting these games, but I will rank them, because that is the mission I am on. Lets do a quick review

WCW World Tour: This is the game that got me into wrestling games, but also kept me engaged in wrestling the product. I could take most matches I see on the screen and play them out here. Now sure the cast of characters were limited, and I would usually win in a rout, without a fun back and forth, but I still played it.

This game had far too many modes though for what it was, besides the "league challenge" mode where you could actually go for a belt, everything was just a exhibition match in different packaging.

"Hey Kids, want to pick 16 characters and just play them over and over and over again as if it was a basketball season?"

"No, why would I want to limit myself to that."

"Ok, how about a Tournament seeding mode?"

"That sounds interesting, can i make it so that the winner gets a belt?"

"Uhhh, no.. but we have another mode where we pit the WCW vs the NWO 5 v 5"

"Awesome, like 5 on 5 in the ring, that sounds amazing!"

"Well, actually its just individual matches, until one side runs out of people"

So, honestly, this game is a fun history lesson, but ultimately is a pretty mediocre game that if you dust off the nostalgia is not really one worth re-visiting, especially because of the next game.

They are all just mad at how they look in the gameIs this the greatest game of all time: No

Where does it rank:

1) Super Mario Bros

2) That's You!

3) Super Dodgeball

4) Blast Corps

5) Simpsons Road Rage

6) WCW VS NWO World Tour

7) Knowledge is Power

8) When Vikings Attack

Now we get to move on to the real cream of the crop. Revenge!

They improved the game in almost every aspect. We have a deeper roster, more locations to wrestle in, a better championship mode, the same great controls, an actual ref, better looking wrestlers, etc. And while the shell of the game did not need much improving as it still played the same, they spent more time on where it mattered. Now there were even wrestlers you could pick, who did combos, instead of just generic grab moves (looking at you Glacier).

The biggest, little improvement, is that you can see your champion with the belt that they won in the championship mode. Win with Hulk, and he spray paints "NWO" on the belt, just like he did in "real life." If you play it again as a different character, you actually have to go through the previous champion to get it. I don't know why that got me excited but, it was so nice being able to finally see my wrestler win the belt and wear it.

What a Pairing!

There really isn't a whole lot else to say, Revenge is a far better game, but that is understandable. It is my nostalgia hit when I feel like visiting a cast of characters that I know. I eventually played the other AKI wrestling games, and I will admit they are certainly better (create a wrestler alone cost me months of my life), but it was always with a cast of characters I just didn't care about. I know Stone Cold and the Rock were huge, and bigger then probably 99% of the roster, but I didn't watch them, so Revenge will still be my childhood wrestling nostalgia sweet spot.

I think the history book will show these AKI wrestling games helped set the bar for wrestling games with easy to pickup controls, and gameplay that can honestly still be fun for non-wrestling fans. However, for as important as these games were to my childhood.. I know that neither of these games are the greatest of all time.

Is this the greatest game of all time: No

Where does it rank:

1) Super Mario Bros

2) That's You!

3) WCW/NWO Revenge

4) Super Dodgeball

5) Blast Corps

6) WCW VS NWO World Tour

7) Simpsons Road Rage

8) Knowledge is Power

9) When Vikings Attack

Up Next: The Lost Vikings (SNES)

If you are interested in seeing these games played by someone who is less knowledgeable then Giant Bomb staff, then here ya go

In that pic, at least the Giant is holding the controller right. I could very easily see him with a hand on the stick, as opposed to the D-Pad

@sombre: I didnt actually notice that.. maybe he is playing.

I loved World Tour, but never played Revenge. We had so much fun with the first that I guess my buddy's parents saw no reason to pick up another one.

@csl316: They weren't really that wrong. Its like madden or any sports franchise. Sure you missed out on a roster update, and some improvements, but its core gameplay stayed the same. If only revenge added the truck stick!

World Tour was such a surprise hit, you couldn't find a copy for months. My buddy offered me $100 for my copy. I was like "heeeeell no."

Also, I used to love playing as AKI MAN

@shiftygism: i must have been oblivious to that as a kid, well kudos to my parents for getting it.

@sombre: he was clearly the best in the game

I will come in here only to add that Revenge was such a good game. As a kid that got his N64 very late second-hand from a classified listing in the paper, my system came with Super Mario 64, WCW/nWo Revenge, Bio FREAKS, and Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero. I played Mario 64 religiously, but my younger brother and I wasted countless hours with Revenge up until we got a Gamecube in 2002.

Neither of us liked, watched, or cared about wrestling. It's just a fun fucking game. We never tried any of the "successors" like Wrestlemania or No Mercy. We just kept having fun with Revenge.

Holla, if ya hear me

@myke_tuna: Honestly that is why these games have reverence now, because they were fun to play. Watching or knowing wrestling was just an added benefit.

I fully believe Revenge is the greatest wrestling game of all time. I have probably logged 300+ hours into that bad boy.

Maximum Battle Royale with 4 players is the best mode.

I loved playing World Tour so much, but I recently decided to play it today and I was looking at the intro. Something was amiss. The Giant wasn't talking into the mic like he usually would. Anyone know what could be wrong with my game?

Edit: Never mind, my AV cable is just broken lol.