The 2010s weren’t the best decade to be a fan of the WWE video games. The quality of titles went down hard compared to the previous ten years, which is much more striking considering the advancement in consoles. However, there are still certain games you can find that deliver good entertainment.
The WWE's leg in the gaming industry is such that it releases games other than its mainline entries, which can confuse gamers. For this reason, it’s worth knowing which games fall under the core series and, furthermore, which ones are worth getting. That said, here are the main titles available in the WWE franchise, ranked from the worst to the best.
10 WWE 2K20
This game’s awful quality is such that it’s more well known for the plethora of memes at its expense than anything else. The gameplay is archaic, redundant, and lacks creativity in such a way that WWE 2K20 is unplayable.
For a game that was released at the end of the eighth generation of consoles, WWE 2K20 looks like it wouldn’t even fit in the PS2 era. There’s nothing good that can be said for a game that fails on every single level.
9 WWE 2K15
Who knew an “authentic” wrestling experience could be so boring? While WWE 2K15 does okay in the graphics department, the gameplay is a total bore. With a focus on grappling over strikes, the fun in fighting is taken away.
There’s also the fact that a lot of additional material, such as gameplay modes, create-a-wrestler options, among others, were cut back, meaning there’s not much to do here. More than anything else, it’s the slow pacing of the game that sucks the fun out of it.
8 WWE 2K18
Sometimes the lack of originality is an issue that just can’t be countered. WWEK 2K18 is a passable game that would have benefited from bringing back features from older wrestling games to at least resemble better times.
Instead, it’s more of the same, with nothing in particular standing out. Those who’d played WWE 2K17 would feel as if it’s an exact copy of that title, but with new outfits for the wrestlers. It's not entirely bad, but the game is your average wrestling title that doesn't justify the expenditure.
7 WWE 2K17
A special focus on wrestling legends brings a certain edge to this title. It’s not the best for those looking for a refined campaign mode. But for the gamers who want a revival of the attitude days of the WWE, this game will feel familiar.
Combat has more focus on hard-hitting qualities than pure wrestling, which is both good and bad in that it makes for fun multiplayer but loses points for being relatively generic.
6 WWE '12
After years of employing stock scripts for announcers and pretty much the same level design, WWE ‘12 was something of a palate cleanser. It retains most of the mechanics of its predecessors but does feel like a refreshing change due to the upgraded in-game models and arena presentation.
The downside of this was the removal of multiple “Road to WrestleMania” stories, instead featuring a singular story that gets the pacing wrong due to constant shifts between playable characters. It's far from the best wrestling game, although it's at least good enough for passing the time.
5 WWE 2K16
One of the weird drawbacks of previous titles was the advantage for players who spammed their moves rather than perfecting their craft. WWE 2K16 fixed this issue by making gameplay fair, with several ways to reverse grapples and avoid being hit by the same attacks all the time.
The expanded roster is noteworthy here, although it’s also noticeable how only big stars have unique move sets while the rest are there to make up the numbers. All in all, it’s good if you play as big-name wrestlers but not that great if you want depth in the roster.
4 WWE 2K14
This is the game where the development was shifted from THQ over to 2K. Gameplay is a definite weak point here, with too much emphasis on button-mashing and hitting the same strikes. However, the campaign modes are a redemptive highlight and rich in nostalgia.
Commentators and gameplay A.I. are also negative points, feeling a bit too familiar. Still, there’s a certain charm about the gameplay modes, including great picks like “30 Years of WrestleMania,” “The Streak,” and “WWE Universe” that make this gameplay addictive in its own way.
3 WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2011
The final Smackdown Vs. Raw employed the “if it ain’t broke” formula and delivered a similar presentation to previous titles. And yet there’s no questioning the entertainment value to be found, especially since matches like TLC and Hell in a Cell are more vibrant here.
Road to WrestleMania is as immersive as ever, making a whole kayfabe world with multiple wrestlers to choose from. The frustrating A.I and failure of the reversal system suck away a little bit of the quality, but that can be overlooked.
2 WWE '13
With a contemporary twist to the Attitude Era portrayed here, WWE ‘13 is a fine presentation of the best times in the WWE. It’s the game you want to play if you want to dive completely into the finer points of the company.
Legends like Stone Cold Steve Austin and other figureheads are fully updated to make them your first choice of playable characters. The addition of dozens of new moves fit each wrestler, and a more realistic style of gameplay makes this an entertaining addition to the series.
1 WWE 2K19
After trying to make the authentic fighting style a thing, the developers realized sticking to video game mechanics is much more entertaining, which makes WWE 2K19 a return to the series' roots. It’s a faster-paced entry, one which allows gamers to breeze through matches and really get into all the modes available.
In addition, the “Showcase” mode’s use of Daniel Bryan’s career is such that it’s easy to get addicted to this campaign. The improved “MyCareer” mode and inclusion of several nifty options in gameplay ensure there aren’t any boring moments to be found in this game.