Ads From the Past 488: Pro Royal Wrestling (3DO)

Ad from the Past: “Royal Pro Wrestling” – Where Muscles, Paint, and Pixelated Pain Collide

If you've ever wondered what it would look like if Kiss had a lovechild with a headlock, then say hello to the gloriously over-the-top world of Royal Pro Wrestling for the 3DO. This vintage Japanese ad, published by Natsume, is the kind of testosterone-fueled chaos that would make a steel chair blush.

“3DO’s First Flesh Collision!”

Yes, you read that right. The vertical Japanese text hypes this up as “3DO’s first flesh-on-flesh combat,” which sounds more like a late-night cable movie than a wrestling sim. But no—this is wrestling, baby. And not just any wrestling—this is spandex-stretching, face-painted fury with 1,800 moves and a body count only limited by your controller’s durability.

The centerpiece of the ad? A hyper-detailed close-up of a wrestler's face, mid-scream, with veins, war paint, and pure, unfiltered rage. You can practically smell the baby oil and hear the ring bell.

Gameplay? Let’s Talk Theater of Pain

Down near the bottom of the ad, two small screenshots show off the game’s matches. Wrestlers square off in colorful rings under TV lights while tiny pixel crowds cheer (or maybe jeer—it’s hard to tell with early ‘90s sprites). With 180 (!) different wrestling techniques and over-the-top character animations, this game wanted to be the Street Fighter II of the squared circle.

Is that an Irish whip into a lariat? A suplex from the top rope? A flying elbow that defies the laws of pixel physics? Yes, yes, and probably.

Wrestling Meets Anime Intensity

There’s a dramatic flair to this ad that’s unmistakably Japanese pro wrestling. This isn’t your uncle’s beer-soaked wrestling game from the SNES days. Royal Pro Wrestling promised full TV-style presentation, dramatic entrances, and the kind of face paint that says “I’m here to fight and maybe summon a demon.”

Also, that yellow starburst? It’s not an explosive wrestling move—it’s actually a callout recruiting game developers. That’s right, this ad pulls double-duty: hyping up turnbuckle destruction while asking you to help build the next one. Classic.

Final Bell

Royal Pro Wrestling may not have been the most famous title on the 3DO (okay, it wasn’t), but this ad is pure gold. It's loud, it’s sweaty, and it’s unapologetically over-the-top—the perfect embodiment of '90s wrestling madness with a distinctly Japanese twist.

If you ever needed proof that the 3DO was a haven for wild ideas and glorious excess, look no further than this powerbomb of an advertisement. Just remember: in Royal Pro Wrestling, the drama is real—even if the pixels aren’t.