Sep 30, 2025
Top 47K - Syphon Filter (and Mat Mania!)
Join the HG101 gang as they discuss and rank Eidetic’s apology for Bubsy 3D. Then stick around for Mat Mania, a wrestling game by the devs that would go on to make Double Dragon!
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Top 47K - Syphon Filter (and Mat Mania!)
Join the HG101 gang as they discuss and rank Eidetic’s apology for Bubsy 3D. Then stick around for Mat Mania, a wrestling game by the devs that would go on to make Double Dragon!
Mat Mania Challenge (Atari, 1989)
Mat Mania – The Prowrestling Network flyer detail (Taito, 1985)
The rather 70s & 80s heavy pop culture filled crowd from the arcade game Mat Mania released in 1985.Top picture includes numbers by the various crowd members bottom picture, we’ve take then out so you can get a full look at the crowd.
Clearly the development team were film and music fans, based on this list of cameos these are, here are the ones we’ve spotted so far. However we think there are more in there and correct us if you think we are wrong as well on any of these:
1. ZZ Top (Band) 2. Stevie Wonder (Singer, musician) 3. Barry Gibb (Bee Gees band, tragedy cover outfit) 4. Not 100% sure on this one, Johnny Rotten & The Sex Pistols (Band) 5. Anthony "Tony" Manero (Saturday Night Fever, played by John Travolta) 6. Batman & Robin (DC Comics) Batman’s head isn’t seen 7. Superman (DC Comics) 8. Popeye the Sailor (Comic Book) 9. Darth Vader (Star Wars, film) 10. Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (Ghostbusters, film) 11. Princess Leia Organa (Star Wars, film) 12. Xenomorph (Alien, film) Very Bottom left, only head is shown 13. Leatherman/Biker from the band Village People 14. Not 100% sure on this one, might be Michael Jackson in his iconic red and black jump suit from the Thriller music video.
The crowd image is flipped in game so we just show it starting to repeat. The character next to Darth Vader looks a bit like Han Solo. Women to the right of Barry Gibb in the white top and black dungarees might be Madonna based on these photos from 1983. The oddly dressed purple chap, below the second Tommy sign, is likely something from a sci-fi or fantasy film we are guessing, but no idea who or what. Wikipedia has a few other suggestions as well.
Unsurprisingly for the follow up game Mania Challenge in 1986, it had all the crowd cameos removed from the background. No doubt fear of being sued by various films studios and music artists was a concern.
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Player 1 / Dynamite Tommy.
Exciting Hour Wrestling: Games of the Retro-Bit Super Retro-Cade
Technos Japan, 1985
Known as Mat Mania outside of Japan, this was one of the first wrestling games that really captured the sport with any faithfulness at all. The visuals are great, and the action is fairly complex for the time. You can punch, kick, do a number of rope moves, and even work with an assortment of grapples. The opponents are all based on real pro wrestlers, albeit changed just enough to avoid legal issues. Since this was the 1980s, that does mean most of the characters are stereotypes. That was pro wrestling in the ‘80s for you. As good as Exciting Hour Wrestling was at the time, though, it doesn’t hold up very well in hindsight.
The biggest problem is that the two-player mode isn’t a versus mode. You simply take turns tackling the CPU players. A later updated version added that feature, but it’s really missing here. You’re also limited to one playable wrestler. He has a good assortment of moves, but it would be nice if you had access to those other guys. It’s also a bit inscrutable without a manual to guide you. The real machine had instructions on the cabinet, and without them it can be really hard to come to grips with. Still, the excited commentator, the well-crafted pixel art, and the speedy action can add up to a bit of fun. Just don’t count on spending a ton of time with Exciting Hour. It would have been better if the updated 1986 release Mania Challenge had been included, I think.
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Next: Exed Exes (Arcade)
Detail from Mat Mania flyer (Technōs, 1985)
Original Mat Mania Arcade Marquee, 1985.