The Royal Rumble mode in wrestling games has always been a difficult match type to get right in games. There has to be a balance of fun and randomness to it without resorting to frustrating mechanics. These matches are often better when played with friends as the random nature of the match becomes hilarious instead of frustrating.
The Royal Rumble has been a staple of wrestling game franchises whether it's in WWE games or as a Battle Royale mode in non-licensed wrestling games like Fire Pro Wrestling, past WCW games, and likely in the upcoming AEW Fight Forever. Until then, this list will include some of the WWE wrestling games that include the Royal Rumble feature.
7 WWF Royal Rumble 1993
- Released: 1993
- Developer: Acclaim
- Platform: Sega Megadrive/Genesis and SNES
Released in 1993, Acclaim's WWF Royal Rumble was a direct follow-up to WWF Super WrestleMania. The gameplay remained the same except that it added new illegal moves tactics and new weapons. The animation and the characters still look great to this day and Royal Rumble mode was way ahead of its time.
It allowed up to 6 wrestlers to be in the ring at the same time and a new entrant would be added to the match after each elimination. There were only twelve wrestlers in the game but that was considered a big roster in its day. Wrestlers needed to be worn down but there was always the added risk that a hip toss could eliminate an opponent rebounding from the ropes.
6 WWE 2K22
- Released: 2022
- Developer: 2K Visual Concepts
- Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
Most of the Royal Rumble modes in the WWE Smackdown and WWE 2K series have a frustrating element to them. That remains to some degree in WWE 2K22 but this game borrows gameplay elements from WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain in terms of speed and action.
There is always a chance that one could make it to the final four only to get eliminated by a simple clothesline. However, when playing in multiplayer the game is a lot of fun. The Royal Rumble finishing moves make a return but now it's easier to store them and unleash hell on the other wrestlers by eliminating multiple wrestlers at once.
5 WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth
- Released: 2002
- Developer: Yukes
- Platform: PS2
WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth was the first game to be released under the new WWE banner. This is the first game in the series that started to feel like a blend of arcade action and simulation that Yukes brought in from their Japanese wrestling games.
The action didn't slow down when there were multiple wrestlers in the ring and players feel like they've got a fighting chance of winning instead of relying on luck. The action can still get chaotic and wild when playing multiplayer matches and as always this is another WWE game that's at its best when played with friends.
4 WWF WrestleMania 2000
- Released: 1999
- Developer: AKI Corporation
- Platform: N64
WWF WrestleMania 2000 is the first WWE game developed by AKI Corporation. The same studio is responsible for the WCW vs NWO wrestling game series and the engine is still regarded as the best wrestling system in gaming.
The fantastic wrestling mechanics translate to WWF WrestleMania 2000's Royal Rumble mode too. Surviving and winning the Royal Rumble match is a matter of skill instead of luck and the matches can go back and forth between the players and opponents. The Royal Rumble mode is fun whether it's played solo or in multiplayer modes.
3 WWF No Mercy
- Released: 2000
- Developer: AKI Corporation
- Platform: N64
As a sequel to WWF WrestleMania 2000, WWF No Mercy has similar mechanics and features to its predecessor. However, the gameplay is highly regarded as an improvement in almost every way.
WWF No Mercy's Royal Rumble mode functions in a similar way to its predecessor, but WWF No Mercy also benefits from a larger roster to choose from. In addition, players can now add the Team Battle option to Royal Rumble to shake things up.
2 WWE Day Of Reckoning 2
- Released: 2005
- Developer: Yukes
- Platform: GameCube
Released in 2005 as a Nintendo GameCube exclusive, WWE Day of Reckoning 2 was one of the best wrestling games of its generation. Even though it was developed by Yukes, the same studio behind the WWE Smackdown vs Raw series, the gameplay was significantly different.
The wrestling mechanics fell somewhere between the Smackdown games and AKI's WWF No Mercy. Functionally, it plays similarly to Here Comes the Pain but with the implementation of a momentum meter. This can change the dynamics of a grappling war organically but also allows players to mount a comeback in the Royal Rumble match.
1 WWE Smackdown! Here Comes The Pain
- Released: 2003
- Developer: Yukes
- Platform: PS2
WWE Smackdown! Here Comes The Pain is arguably Yukes' most popular wrestling game in the West. Even though WWEHere Comes the Pain implements familiar mechanics it also has impactful arcade-style gameplay that makes the Royal Rumble matches as chaotic and as fun as they should be.
It can have 6 wrestlers in the ring at once and the action doesn't suffer from any slowdown. Moreover, the matches are hilarious fun when played with friends and worthwhile as a solo experience too. Every move looks and sounds like it has weight which translates into the organized chaos that is a Royal Rumble match.