Fire Pro Wrestling probably isn't a name that is part of many a wrestling fan's gaming dictionary, but it should be. Although it doesn't feature any major wrestling brands (at least well-known to the general WWE audience) and looks like it came straight from the SNES visually, it also manages to trump any current wrestling game on the market.

The minute I looked at the back of the Fire Pro Wrestling Returns box, I figured it would be ignored because of how it looks. Yes, it looks like something you would have played 15 years ago on your SNES and yes, it is 2D, but it still looks great for what it is. As you look at the rosters, you'll probably see a lot of wrestlers you've never heard of, but that's sort of what makes the game so fun. You don't go in with preconceived notions about characters or what they look and move like, and you just have fun. Even better, the character customization aspect is incredibly deep, so you can conceivably recreate the entire WWE roster and have them fight the TNA roster in dream matches that Vince and Dixie would never, ever set up on their own.

Still, the visuals are 2D which to some is about as bad as five Montreal Screw Jobs and a reprisal of the Katie Vick storyline. Regardless, the sprites look great and there is so much depth that it is easy to overlook a few choppy animations or pixilated blood. What isn't east to overlook, however, is the music - which is just outright bad and annoying.

One of the best things about Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is the insane amount of customization available. Although you have access to a lengthy list of Japanese wrestlers, it is a lot of fun to create your own. However, the process isn't as easy as better-known wrestling games. Not only do you select your wrestler's look and fighting style, but you can also go so far as to customize his entire move list or a wrestler's A.I. Choosing a move set is probably the most overwhelming part of the game's customization options since there are so many. Name a move and it is more than likely on the list somewhere. It may not go by the same name it does in the WWE, but it is there. Some moves even have variations and mutations on the same move, expanding the list even more.

The entire creation process is a little daunting at first, but the deeper you delve into the process, the more entertaining and enjoyable it becomes. Creation menus are as straightforward and try to make the process as easy as possible. Still,there's a lot there and it does get chaotic, but the chaos is somewhat controlled.

Not only can you create wrestlers, but you can also customize nearly everything else in the game. Want a new in-ring logo? You can make it. Want to create your dream title belt? You can make that too. If you want, you can even create a new referee. In short, there are a lot of things you can do before you even set one foot into the ring.

In-ring, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is straightforward. There's no story-based 24/7 mode or any type of major story mode. Instead, it is just a bunch of guys beating the snot out of each other in a ring. Match types are as numerous as the moves, so there is always something new to try, from boring cage matches to barbed-wire, thumbtack flaming death matches (okay, so I made that up - but there are some crazy match types).

Aside from the menu system, the only major knock against Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is that it isn't something that you can pick up and instantly be good at. There are no tutorials to lead you through the game's numerous subtleties - and there are a lot of them when you really get into the game. It is incredibly easy to pull off moves, though pulling them off isn't the point of the game. Rather, it is how well you can pull them off in a way that will gradually work down your opponent enough that you can unleash a power move and get the win.

Unfortunately, the complexity might be a little too much for a player whose experience begins and ends with recent WWE titles. Not to disparage those games since they are good at what they do, but Fire Pro Wrestling Returns brings sports entertainment to a near simulation level. Still, it isn't anything you couldn't eventually master with a little practice.

Professional wrestling is about two things, showmanship and grappling. Although it doesn't put on the best of shows, it is still a master grappler. The wrestling system used in Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is incredibly easy to play, yet amazingly complex. In order to perform a move, all you have to do is lock up with another wrestler and push one direction and button - that's it. There are no complicated meters or precisely-timed combinations. In addition to grappling moves, you also have a variety of strikes and running moves. There are an amazing number of moves you can pull off in a match, and since they are easy to pull off, matches feel more like real matches.

However, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns isn't just a massive spot-fest where both guys do nothing but pull off monster moves. Instead, matches require a bit of strategy where you have to slowly weaken your opponent. Moves fall into weak, medium and strong categories. The object is to use a number of weak and medium moves to wear down your opponent before breaking out the heavy-hitting moves, like your wrestler's finishing move.

I was a big fan of wrestling games all the way up to the N64 and PlayStation era. After that, I was never able to get into the games in the same way - so it has been a few years since I played a wrestling game for any length of time. It is easy to overlook Fire Pro Wrestling Returns based solely on graphics; but by doing so you would rob yourself of playing one of the best wrestling games on the market. Save the $20 you would spend paying for the next lukewarm Pay-Per-View event and pick up Fire Pro Wrestling Returns. You'll thank me later.