The Top 10 Luchadores in Video Games

In the long history of video games there has been one fighting style that has surfaced fairly frequently, but it's hardly ever talked about within the grand-scale world of gaming. Everybody loves martial styles of combat; kung fu, karate, ninjitsu, anything that involves a sword, however over the top it may be, but many tend to ignore one of the most beautifully flashy styles of fighting.

What style is that?

Lucha Libre.

Luchadores have been prevalent in gaming for quite some time now; some of gaming’s most famous Hispanic characters have donned the mask of the luchador. In honor of the late great luchador, Pedro Aguayo Ramirez, also known as Hijo del Perro Aguayo, this is a list of the top ten luchadores in video games. The art of Lucha Libre was important to him, and he put his heart and soul into every match to give the audience a good show, like a true luchador. We will be looking at luchadores in video games that do the same. There will be only one representative per franchise, and only those who practice Lucha Libre can be part of this list.

10. Jugglernort

An ex Luchador who has done time behind bars, is a DJ for the little, underrated gem of a game, DJ Hero. He's one of the playable characters in the game, and despite no longer being a Luchador, he still wears his mask. All of his outfits are inspired by various Luchadores, alongside some more modern styles. Jugglernort isn't memorable for his character as much as he's memorable for his DJing style, bringing a unique light to this already odd game.

9. Hawlucha

Hawlucha is a flying/fighting type Pokémon with all the extravagance of a great luchador! No other Pokémon has its typing, and with its feathers and mask, it’s a good representation of the Lucha Libre fighting style. It can learn nearly all the fighting moves in the game and previously had an exclusive dual type move made just for it – Flying Press – which makes Hawlucha fly above an opponent just before dive-bombing them, dealing damage through both flying and fighting.

Which means it gains a STAB (same type attack bonus) every time it is used, giving him a huge advantage in battle. Originally, this move could only be learned by Hawlucha and was his signature move throughout the Pokémon X and Y. Luchador wrestlers also have their own signature moves which aren’t supposed to be used by anyone but them. Unfortunately, in the newest game Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the event Pokémon Cosplay Pikachu gained this move and took some of its exclusivity away from the bird luchador. None the less, it is still the signature move of the masked Pokémon and it still gets the most bonus from it. Just like in combat, you may learn your opponents’ greatest move but that doesn’t mean you’ll be a master at it.

8. Greco

Many people may not recognize Greco because the game he starred in, Chrono Cross, didn’t get as much attention as its older brother, Chrono Trigger. However, this luchador turned priest is one of the many characters you can recruit in the game. Most of his fighting style revolves around a mixture of Lucha Libre fighting and some not-so-subtle religious symbolism. He’s shown to be a kind, caring character, looking for redemption after he killed a man. He’s a great party member to have, and how often can you say that your preacher is a retired luchador wrestler who can teach you about religion and then protect the weak with his awesome moves? Not often.

7. Lisa Hamilton "La Mariposa"

Known as La Mariposa in the ring, Lisa might have made her first appearance in Dead Or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, but she’s made her presence well known in the Dead or Alive series. With various aerial moves that show off her skills as a luchador as well as her cunning and wit, she's not to be underestimated. Her appearance has been both needlessly flamboyant in Dead or Alive 4 as well as toned down in Dead or Alive 5. Her fighting style does truly reflect that of the “Butterfly” – which is what La Mariposa means – and she uses this to her advantage.

6. Tizoc

One of the many Luchador fighters popular among the kids, Tizoc, made his first appearance in Garou: Mark of the Wolves and later in King Of Fighters 2003. While he isn’t a mainstay character and has only made cameo appearances as of late, he’s still a very well-known luchador. He uses actual luchador moves that one would see in an authentic Lucha Libre match, but he also has overly exaggerated moves that one expects to see in a fighting game such as the Hurricanranna. While Tizoc may not have been an addition to the King of Fighters cast, he still deserves to be on this list for the long lasting impression he leaves with his wonderful mask.

5. El Fuerte

While being a somewhat humorous character, El Fuerte is still one of the biggest faces in gaming when it comes to luchadores. Despite only being introduced in Street Fighter IV, he's gained quite a following. He’s a cook who is also a luchador wrestler, and his fighting style reflects both of these. Many of his moves have food names and he spurts out lines about cooking whenever he has a victory. Much like every character in Street Fighter, El Fuerte is a stereotype, but a non-harmful one: he’s fun and bouncy and is all about showing off his machismo to the world. In Street Fighter there are very few characters that come off as both annoying and fun, and El Fuerte is certainly one of them. He’s an endearing sort of character, and who better to put on the list than the speedy El Fuerte.

4. El Blaze

While the Virtua Fighter series may be somewhat forgotten compared to the other luchador games on this list, El Blaze, one of the newest entries in the series is not. After his appearance in Virtua Fighter 5, El Blaze and his lightning moves gained quite a following. If one follows tier listings, El Blaze managed to place 14^th, which is better than poor El Fuerte got. He’s also quite a bit more serious, not that being fun and bouncy is a bad thing, but El Blaze has a certain air about him that gives off a more professional image than his fellows. Is he still over the top and silly at times? Yes, of course he is. He’s a luchador, but he makes more of an impact in a good way, and is not easily forgotten.

3. King

No one can make a list about luchadores and not put King on that list. He's model of all luchadores characters in gaming thanks to his appearance in the first Tekken game, and King is the type you think of when you imagine a luchador in a video game; between his mask and his intimidating physique, he’s pretty much the perfect specimen of luchador. This is the guy you’d expect to see entering a ring. He's usually one of the strongest characters in the game thanks to his arsenal of over 200 moves, and his style pays tribute not only to Lucha Libre, but to some WWE wrestlers like Stone Cold Steve Austin as well. Not only that, but he takes care of orphans and they love him to the point where, when the original king died, one of these orphans took his place. That’s how much of an impact he made on their lives.

2. Eddie "Killbane" Pryor

In Saints Row: The Third, there's a gang called the Luchadores who deal in steroids and gambling, led by the narcissistic Eddie “Killbane” Pryor. He’s violent, egotistical and has a short fuse, and out of all the gangs the luchadores make the biggest show out of trying to exterminate the player.  A lot of his lines are written like they came right out of a script for a Lucha Libre wrestling match, with Killbane as the “villain”, except in this he actually is the villain rather than just playing the part like many wrestlers do. His overly extravagant fight with his former friend and partner Angel is something to behold.

It’s every part as over the top as you can get, emulating the style of fighting and the game’s style overall. Strangely enough, despite his actions in the game, Killbane does have a certain amount of honor to him, not murdering the character Matt when he leaves the Syndicate, and even offering himself as a reference. He seems to value those who get close to him, and while he lashes out at the underlings, he seems to genuinely care about Matt. Killbane plays the part of the villainous luchador very well, and while he might be the “Heel” of this story, he’s certainly a Luchador we can all love and remember.

1. Juan Aguacate

Guacamelee! Is a game that is unique in the sense that it celebrates and affectionately parodies the things it loves, which in this case is Mexican culture, Lucha Libre and video games. Juan is just an agave farmer who is desperately in love with El Presidente’s daughter. When she is kidnapped, Juan is given an ancient mask that gives him the powers to become a luchador. Juan himself wanted to become a luchador before all of this, so seeing him become the hero he wanted to be is heartwarming to say the least. He goes through the world of both the living and the dead, and fights in various wrestling rings against all sorts of creatures, all for the woman he loves.

He’s so over the top and flashy, despite being a silent protagonist, and the game perfectly emulates the feelings of the ‘luchador‘ lifestyle. Juan is the best luchador in video games because not only does he fit the exact heroic type that most luchadores go for, but his story is inspirational. Showing the player that one day they can eventually become what they want to be. It may just take a little while.

Angelina Bonilla, NoobFeed (@Twitter)