Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling

A series of professional wrestling video games officially licensed by New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Games

1993–2002

Years

Platforms

About

The Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling series features licensed professional wrestling games based on the New Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion. The franchise includes early 1990s releases, the Toukon Road series developed by Yukes for platforms like the Nintendo 64, and handheld entries like Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden Advance.

The franchise began on 16-bit consoles with the Super Famicom releases Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling (1993) and its sequel Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling (1994). These early 2D titles established the foundation for digital representations of the promotion's roster, featuring signature moves and tournament modes.

As gaming hardware transitioned to 3D, the series evolved on the Nintendo 64. This era produced Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling: Toukon Road - Brave Spirits (1998) and its direct follow-up Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling: Toukon Road 2 (1998), which utilized 3D polygon graphics to capture the physical intensity of the sport. Additionally, the PlayStation received Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling: Toukon Road (1998), expanding the brand's reach across competing fifth-generation consoles. The franchise later transitioned to portable hardware with the Game Boy Advance release of Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden Advance (2002). Throughout its run, the series served as a key vehicle for fans to interact with their favorite Japanese wrestling icons, pioneering grappling mechanics that influenced subsequent wrestling video games globally.