I have personally used this game to simulate results for two e-feds I have ran over the years for the past 7 years and haven't thought about going back to using THQ's games for simulations not even once. Other than that, it's easy to get lost in the fun of this degree of customization if you're a wrestling fan.
For those you who are new to owning the PS2 version (NTSC or PAL versions), you can still continue to read on for some friendly advice.
Do's
- Create an account on FireProClub.com - Much like Caws.ws or Smacktalks for the WWE Games community, this is where you will find the loyal followers of the Fire Pro community. After the infamous Fire Pro HD prank (long story there), there's not many members left but there's still enough around willing to welcome newcomers with open arms. Don't be shy and introduce yourself and don't be afraid to ask a LOT of questions.
- Download the official game guide from Fire Pro Club - Instead of reading that bare bones manual that comes with the game, do yourself a favor and download this beast. I have this PDF document printed out myself and refer to it constantly even to this day. It answers a ton of the commonly asked questions that you are bound to ask with your first time playing the game. It contains EVERYTHING you need to know to play this game.
- Download Phil Parent's Renaming Guide - Phil Parent of FPC has taken this time to assemble a list of everyone in the game by default under their aliases. Fire Pro Wrestling Returns uses aliases for real wrestlers to avoid legal rights to wrestlers and individual promotions. I won't link you to his guide directly (as he has only given FPC and GameFAQs authority to share his guide) but I'll direct you to the right direction.
- Create a "base" save - Whether you have acquired this game on PSN or on PS2, I highly suggest taking the time to do this. A base save is pretty much your "default" save with minor modifications, namely just the renaming guide or renaming save used as a foundation. From here, you can import other wrestler edits to your leisure, using other saves acquired from over the Internet -- both GameFAQs and FPC have a LARGE collection of saves to suit both N.America and Japanese players' tastes.
- Invest in either a Codebreaker or Action Replay Max for PlayStation 2 or find someone who can convert PS2 saves for use on PS3 - There is next to no one who sits down and writes down edit formulas for this game like for CAWs found in the WWE games. Instead, the community uploads and trades their save files over the Internet for the community's use as you can take hundreds edits from one save and add them to your own.
- Invest a lot of time into this game - There is a LOT to be had here that you cannot find in any other wrestling title to date. WWE-themed games may sport better visuals and have similar creation modes, but they definitely do not have the sheer amount of depth-found here. Below you can see some example of both CAWs (edits in this game) and other customization features on display - rings, custom referees, and match types.
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| Capcom's Saturday Night Slam Masters in a custom ring |
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| ECW's Mike Awesome vs. Tommy Dreamer in a Barbwire Massacre |
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| Beth Phoenix vs. Awesome Kong (Kharma) |
Don'ts
- Don't come into this community like the typical disrespectful, angry WWE Game fanboy. Lots of these players have been playing these games for well over two decades, importing them internationally. So show them the respect that they deserve that they are taking the time to teach you how to play this game.
- Don't panic if you get stuck in the Emblem Editor. Trust me it happens to everyone eventually. Just reset your console if you can't navigate your way back to the main menu.
- Don't expect learning this game to be easy. This is NOT a button masher or brainless like the WWE Games. Matches play out like a real life match on TV or internationally in puroresu. Fire Pro has a very steep learning curve, but even if you're not that good at it, most people tend to enjoying simulating matches because the AI Logic is so damn good and life-like.
- Don't expect gender restrictions here. Unlike WWE games, women can fight against/with the men in every match type in the game. You even have the option to set whether or not your ladies will have the ability to bleed or not in the Wrestler Edit menu.
FAQs
- Why should I even care about this game? Don't let me convince you. Watch this video first hand below:
- I don't live in North America, where can I get a PAL version of this game? Best bet is searching around ebay, but fair warning, people charge a pretty penny for the PAL version as it's so rare to come across.
- How come more people don't know about this game and play it? For one, most wrestling fans are spoiled by THQ's annual bullshit and don't want to try an alternative that sports lower grade visuals that they are accustomed to. Second, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is the only one of this series to make it outside of Japan so it's already pretty rare to come across.
If you have ANY questions about this game, feel free to ask by leaving a comment below. I honestly get sick of people complaining about the WWE games on a regular basis but still don't take the initiative to find worthy alternatives like a rare gem like this. THQ/2K Games would benefit if players neglected to purchase the next WWE game if their recycled and true "same old shit" tradition doesn't change for the better. You really can't go wrong with this game - less equals more here.
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