Highlights
- Stone Cold Steve Austin and Edge have made 44 appearances each in wrestling video games, showcasing their unique moves and finishing moves.
- The Big Show, Bret Hart, and Kane are all highly featured wrestlers in video games, with each having over 40 appearances.
- These wrestlers' movesets in the games accurately reflect their in-ring personas, strengths, and signature moves, allowing players to experience their larger-than-life characters.
WWE has seen a multitude of amazing wrestlers come and go from their roster. Most of them are immortalized in more ways than just winning matches, championships, and performing incredible matches in front of thousands of fans. These larger-than-life performers have graced the video game world, thanks to the countless wrestling games available.
The Strangest Wrestling Games of All Time
Wrestling is a fan-favorite event, but some video games have featured the sport in some strange outings.
But which WWE wrestlers have the most appearances in wrestling video games? From beer-guzzling brawlers, A-List celebrities, and everything in between, these muscle-bound titans of the squared circle have been laying the smack down not just in real life, but in the video game world as well.
The wrestlers on this list are past and present WWE Superstars. The games considered have wrestling as part of their mechanics or gameplay: WWE Crush Hour is not included since this title is a vehicular combat game.
10 Stone Cold Steve Austin: 44 Appearances
First Wrestling Game Appearance: WWF Attitude
Those who were fans of pro wrestling during the late 90s would have Stone Cold Steve Austin as their favorite wrestler. With a mean swagger and a perpetual chip on his shoulder, Stone Cold would head to the ring and stomp a mudhole on his unfortunate opponent, who’s often one of Vince McMahon’s cronies or hired muscle.
As the icon of the Attitude Era, Stone Cold’s moves in various wrestling games depict him as a smash-mouth brawler who often targets his opponent’s head via punches and slams. This softens his opponents up for his patented Stone Cold Stunner finishing move.
9 Edge: 44 Appearances
First Wrestling Game Appearance: WWF Attitude
Edge is one of the main-eventers during the WWE’s PG Era. He started out as an enigmatic loner who eventually became tag partners with Christian under The Brood with leader Gangrel.
After winning multiple tag team championships, Edge’s singles run saw him continue winning gold, culminating with winning the world heavyweight championship on different occasions.
In the games he is featured in, Edge’s moveset often has unique holds that let him stand out from his fellow grapplers. This includes his signature Downward Spiral, Edgecution DDT, and Edgecator submission hold in later titles.
8 The Big Show: 46 Appearances
First Wrestling Game Appearance: WCW vs. The World
Billed as “The World’s Largest Athlete,” The Big Show is truly a mountain of a man who often towers over his opponents. He started his wrestling career in World Championship Wrestling under the name “The Giant” as homage to Andre the Giant, and would compete in the ring sporting the latter’s iconic singlet attire.
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In wrestling games, The Big Show is often the largest grappler players can use. In THQ’s WWE games where the weight classes were implemented, The Big Show is the heaviest wrestler, and cannot be slammed or picked up by smaller wrestlers. This also meant that he hits the hardest, often dealing massive damage to enemies with his power moves and Showstopper Chokeslam finisher.
7 Bret Hart: 47 Appearances
First Wrestling Game Appearance: WWF Wrestlemania: Steel Cage Challenge
Considered by many wrestling fans as the best wrestler to come out of Canada, Bret “Hitman” Hart is synonymous with crisp, technical, and mat-based wrestling and in-ring storytelling. While the multiple WWE champion was decent with the mic, Hart often showcased his greatness between the ropes: he is known to have excellent matches with almost anyone he faces.
When depicted in wrestling titles, Bret Hart often sports a highly technical moveset and would often counter his opponent’s holds with his own. This includes various submission holds that target specific body parts, usually the legs, to set up his Sharpshooter submission finisher.
6 Kane: 47 Appearances
First Wrestling Game Appearance: WWF Attitude
Kane, also known as “The Devil’s Favorite Demon,” is one of the most imposing wrestlers who also has one of the more memorable debuts in wrestling. During the first Hell in a Cell match between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker, Kane made his shocking debut by literally tearing the cell door off its hinges to confront his kayfabe brother.
He mixes scary power and agility for a wrestler his size while also being extremely durable, like an unstoppable monster. This was projected well in games Kane is in: he is hard to take down, and his moveset often hits hard and fast.
5 The Rock: 49 Appearances
First Wrestling Game Appearance: WWF Attitude
“The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment,” The Rock is one of the most recognizable wrestlers who successfully transitioned to Hollywood as an A-List celebrity and action star. During his time between the ropes, The Rock oozed charisma and razor-sharp wit with his bombastic moveset. He is the master of put-downs as well as laying the smackdown on his opponents.
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In the games, The Rock mixes brawling with some technical moves to soften up his opponents. He would often drill enemies with his signature Rock Bottom in the middle of the ring, and finish them off with the People’s Elbow while the crowd erupts.
4 Shawn Michaels: 50 Appearances
First Wrestling Game Appearance: WWF Super Wrestlemania
“The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels is regarded as one of the best in-ring performers in WWE. While not usually the biggest wrestler, he uses his quickness and craftiness to get the best of his opponents in the ring. HBK has had epic rivalries with the likes of Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the Undertaker: his knack of being an amazing storyteller in the ring made for truly memorable moments in the squared circle.
Shawn Michaels’ moveset consists of quick strikes and high-flying attacks to keep his opponents off their feet. He is also adept at countering attacks and then taking advantage, which usually results in him knocking them out with his Sweet Chin Music finisher.
3 Hulk Hogan: 52 Appearances
First Wrestling Game Appearance: Appoooh
Hulk Hogan is synonymous with professional wrestling. During the 80s, he was the driving force that put wrestling in the mainstream. His over-the-top personality, exaggerated mannerisms, and infectious aura made him the biggest attraction during the Rock-n-Wrestling boom. This culminated with his match against Andre the Giant in Wrestlemania 3, where the Hulkster managed to body slam Andre in front of 78,000 fans.
In the games Hulk Hogan is in, his moveset is predominantly conventional wrestling holds and power moves, which is accurate since, during his heyday, he often relied on his big moves to create highlight moments. These big moves are typically a body slam, his Big Boot, and his iconic Leg Drop.
2 Triple H: 53 Appearances
First Wrestling Game Appearance: WWF In Your House
Also known as “The Cerebral Assassin,” Triple H rose to popularity alongside Shawn Michaels when they formed D-Generation X during the Attitude Era. He then came to prominence during the 2000s when he ruled over the main event scene with his stable, Evolution, along with Randy Orton, Batista, and Ric Flair.
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Whether tied to WWE or completely fictional, most wrestling games are willing to get weird with their rosters of wrestlers and characters.
Triple H in the games is usually depicted as one of the most complete wrestlers, with at least a 90 in overall ratings. His moveset mixes powerful slams and technical ones, usually targeting the opponent’s legs and head. This softens up his opponents for his devastating finisher, the Pedigree.
1 The Undertaker: 65 Appearances
First Wrestling Game Appearance: WWF Wrestlemania Steel Cage Challenge
With a career spanning decades, the Undertaker is one of the greatest professional wrestlers to ever step into the ring. The Deadman boasts a career that is seemingly untouchable, with dozens of titles won, to having the best win-loss streak in Wrestlemania at 25-2.
His enigmatic aura lends well to the wrestling games he is included in: he often has one of the highest overall ratings and a diverse moveset that consists of strikes, submissions, and power moves. His signature and finishing moves are also iconic, with his Chokeslam often the set-up for the Tombstone Piledriver.
