Every year sees the release of a new WWE 2K game. Recently, the series has been on a roll, as both WWE 2K22 and WWE 2K23 are stellar titles. In fact, they're two of the best wrestling games 2K has released in many years. So, now is as good a time as any to either return to the series or experience it for the first time.
If you fit into either of those categories, though, it may take you some time to get used to the series' various mechanics and features. To speed up the acclimatizing period, take a look at these tips and tricks, which are ideal for beginners.
Go For The Victory When Your Opponent's Black Health Bar Is Down
At first glance, it seems that wrestlers in WWE 2K23 have two health bars: a green one and a red one. Yet, under them is actually a secret black one, which is a true indicator of how much damage your opponent has taken.
This is why you can hit a finisher on an opponent who only has a small red bar and still not get the win. On those occasions, their black bar is still probably pretty high. So, when you're deep into a match, it's smart to save your finisher until your opponent's black bar is at least halfway down.
Use Roll-Ups
You likely win most matches by pinning your opponent after hitting them with a powerful finisher or signature move. Yet, sometimes you can be toward the end of a match and not have either of those things on hand. For example, your opponent may have recently countered or kicked out of your biggest moves.
However, there is another weapon in your arsenal. It's called the roll-up, aka leverage pin. These are covers that are harder to kick out of and come out of nowhere. You can do them by going for a pin when your opponent is standing. They are very effective and a solid substitute for a finisher or signature.
Use Instant Recovery Sparingly
While playing, you probably see the 'instant recovery' prompt appear often. Hitting it allows you to pop straight up off the mat and get back into the fight. It's useful in changing the momentum of a match, but you shouldn't utilize it too often.
After all, performing an instant recovery consumes some of your blue bar, meaning you need to wait longer to use your paybacks and signature moves. So, it's best to avoid using it unless you really need it, such as when your opponent is climbing a cage or ladder to victory.
Knock Opponents Of The Apron In Tag Matches To Attempt Uncontested Pins And Submissions
When you go for a pin or submission on a weakened opponent in a regular tag match, their teammate will typically run in to break things up. Your partner will also enter the ring, but the one trying to save the match is always quicker. As a result, tag matches can be tricky to win. To make things much easier, you can take the partner out of the equation.
When you're ready to attempt a pin or submission, quickly run over to the opponent on the apron and hit them. Sometimes, they may reverse your attack, but usually, you will knock them down to the floor and give yourself a chance to go for the win without any interruptions.
Take Advantage Of Stunned Opponents
During any match, you and your opponent are likely to get stunned multiple times. This occurs when a wrestler takes a lot of damage in a short time frame. A stunned superstar isn't able to attack or even defend themselves, meaning even the highest-rated wrestlers are vulnerable in this position.
As such, you should quickly go on the attack and deal serious damage. Signatures and finishers are particularly good to use at this time since your opponent can't reverse them.
Experiment To Discover Which Pin System Suits You Best
The developers at 2K seem to struggle to decide what is the perfect pin system for the series. They've continually changed their minds over the years over which system should be the standard. In this game, they leave the decision somewhat up to you, as you get to choose between a timed or rapid button press system.
At the end of the tutorial, you get to test both and decide on your favorite - you can change it later in the gameplay options menu. However, it isn't the greatest test since the pin is easy to get out of either way. It's best to experiment with each system for a while to figure out which you prefer.
Don't Be Afraid To Lower The Difficulty While Playing Showcase Mode
John Cena's showcase mode in WWE 2K23 is up there with the best in the series' history. Yet, while it is a lot of fun, it isn't easy to beat, especially on the higher difficulty levels.
This is partially due to you having to go against highly-rated versions of John Cena. But the fact you also have to complete specific objectives makes it harder than typical matches anyway. So, don't feel bad for lowering the difficulty a little. After all, the enjoyment of the mode mainly comes from re-living classic matches. How difficult they are isn't as important.
Wait Until It's A Two Count Before Using Resiliency
One of the best paybacks in the game is resiliency, as it allows you to escape pins and submissions instantly. You can only use it once per match, though. Therefore, when going against the toughest opposition, you don't want to waste it.
So, avoid the urge to hit the resiliency prompt at the start of a pin. Make a few attempts to kick out first. Only use it when the referee reaches the count of two. That being said, don't wait too long or get overconfident about your abilities to get your shoulder up. There's nothing worse than losing a match even though your resiliency was active.