Mat Mania the Retro-View and Walk-thru
By, Julian Bongat aka ONGANJU
V1.0 Dated the 14th of September, 2000

**This FAQ and Retroview of the Game is the sole
intellectual property of Julian Bongat and is
not to be reproduced, changed, or redacted from
in any way, shape or form.  If you wish to use
it as a source of information, please remember
to sight the author(ME) as your source.  If you
wish to use this FAQ in it's entirety on a 
website or publication, please contact the
Author first.  Writing this takes lots of work,
and not very many accolades are received from 
it.**

Any requests to use this FAQ or any contributions,
corrections, or feedback can be sent to:
Revong@hotmail.com or DaBongRev@yahoo.com.  

*Game Title:  Mat Mania
*Year Released:  1985
*Publishing Company:  Technos/Taito America
Genre:  Arcade/Wrestling
*Clones:  Exciting Hour(Taito America/1985),
*Mania Challenge(Technos/1986/VS version) 
*Playable Characters:  1(MM and EH)/2(MC)
*Control scheme:  2 Button Joystick.  Buttons
were "Punch" and "Kick" respectably
Rules to Win/Lose:  By Pinfall, Count-out(to
20), or DQ(count hits 5 if you're on the
turnbuckle).  If the timer runs out, the match
goes to a draw and the game is over(match
length is 3 minutes).

*Key to Abbreviations:
P - Punch Button
K - Kick Button
U - Move Joystick in the Up position
D - Move Joystick in the Down position
L - Move Joystick in the Left position
R - Move Joystick in the Right position
MM - Mat Mania
EH - Exciting Hour
MC - Mania Challenge

*Basic Control Commands*
Both Characters Standing:
P - Punch
K - Kick
P + K - Run in direction walking.  If the
buttons are just pressed by themselves, you
will run toward the opponent.
To Grapple, walk towards the opponent.  
U/R or U/L toward Upper-right or Upper-left
Turnbuckle to climb it.
When outside of the ring to climb back in
walk to the front of the ring and press the
joystick Up.

While Grappling:
Bodyslam:  U/D + P
Whip to Ropes:  L/R + P
Brainbuster:  L/R + K
Piledriver:  U/D + K
**Mania Challenge Only**
When being grappled and in a
headlock(dominated position), you can reverse
a hold.
Atomic Drop:  P repeatedly
Belly to Back Suplex:  K repeatedly

After Opponent is Whipped to Ropes:
Back Body Drop:  P
Elbow Pat:  U/D/L/R + P
Rolling Sole Butt(Spinning Heel):  K
Clothesline:  U/D/L/R + K


While Running at Opponent:
Shoulder Tackle:  P
Flying Body Press:  K
**Mania Challenge Only**
Flying Dropkick:  P(must bounce off ropes)
Lariat:  K(must bounce off ropes)

While Opponent is Down:
Pick Opponent Up:  P 
Pin Opponent:  K
Somersault Senton:  Climb Turnbuckle then K
Kneedrop:  Climb Turnbuckle then P
Body Splash Pin:  Run Toward Downed Opponent
and Press K(This can also be done if the
opponent is outside on the left or right side
of the ring--you just won't pin them)

*Play Tips:
Okay, contrary to popular belief this game is
not a total button masher(although it doesn't
hurt if you have fast fingers).  Most of the
times, the games system works on a simple
"Rule of 3."  Basicly, under the Rule of 3,
you are able to execute 3 moves without
difficulty(relatively).  After that the CPU
player will break your string of moves.  

So if you execute a move that knocks the
opponent down, you can pick the opponent up
again twice and execute two more moves with
relative ease.  But if you try for a 4th move,
the opponent is gauranteed to reverse it. 
Same goes with coming off the turnbuckle. 
However, if you've gotten to the point that
you can hit the opponent with 3 moves off the
top consecutively, then just pin the opponent.
They won't kick out.

Also, the game has no visible Health/Energy
gauges at all.  You know only when you're
extremely hurt or close to getting defeated by
the music playing.  When you get into a hurt
condition, the tempo of the music will jump
considerably.  About 3 moves more and you will
not be able to kick out of any sort of pin. 
Pay attention to the music playing in the
background!

To make grappling easier with the opponent,
wear them out with punches and kicks before
you try to grapple.  About 3 punches or kicks
will cause the opponent to tire out and slump
forward.  Now if you grapple with them, you
will automatically take control(if you have
not yet broken the Rule of 3).  Can't seem to
get that Brainbuster off when you want to? 
Pummel the opponent a little, and you'll find
it a lot easier.

Play cheap.  Take advantage of being cheap in
the game.  When you meet the opponent "Coco
Savage" aka "The King of Cheap" you will know
why.  If you are able to knock the opponent
down.  Time a Shoulderblock to catch them as
they get up and repeat the process as much as
you can.  The CPU can(and will) turn the match
around as soon as it is allowed(usually
around the 2:00 mark or the timer), and there
is no limits to its cheapness.  As the saying
goes, "Do unto others...first."

*Character info:
The Main Character:  In the Mat Mania,
Exciting Hour Versions of the game, the main
character is simply known as player 1.  In
Mania Challenge, they finally give the player
character a name, "Dynamite Tommy."  I don't
think it too far a speculation to think they
modeled the character loosely from the
Dynamite Kid.  The second player character was
dubbed "Hurricane Joe."  Unfortunately, I
don't know which wrestler was the archetype
for him(although he is, for all intensive
purposes a clone of player 1).  The only
difference is the color of the tights between
the two, Tommy's being blue w/white boots and
Joe's being red w/black boots.

The Insane Warrior:
I would safely assume that this characcter is
based on Hawk from the Road Warriors.  A big
gaijin brawler with impressive power moves.  
Special(s):
Press Slam
Elbow Drop

The Insane Warrior(or Worrier if you're
playing EH) is a big brawler who likes to
punch.  Now, if you're playing within the Rule
of 3, you should have no problem  grappling
with him.  If you are, you can wear him down
with punches and kicks.  If you are about to
break the rule of 3 and you've already worn
him down, don't grapple  with him, rush him
and hit him with a shoulderblock from close
range.  This will break the rule of 3 around
80% of the time.

When/if you decide to wear him down with
punches and kicks, approach from a different
level on the mat, and let him run into the
punches and kickes as he approaches and
switches levels.  **These techniques will work
with all the opponents.**

He's the standard 1st opponent jobber that
you can take advantage of to get used to the
controls.  His favorite tactic is to grapple,
hit you with forearm smaches to stun you, and
then hit you with a clothesline.  If you're in
a real bad position, he will Press Slam you
instead of clotheslining you.  If that's the
case, you're close to being beaten.  In which
case, I suggest you go into ultra-cheap mode
and try to set him up so you can come off the
turnbuckle and end the fight.

The Karate Fighter:  
I'm at a loss for which wrestler inspired
this character.  He is a heavily martial arts
based character.
Special(s):  
Super Chops
Flying Jump Kick
Jumping Chop(when you're down on the mat)

The Karate Fighter is the second opponent in
the game, and he's pretty standard.  You
should have no trouble beating him if you
decide to wear him down first before
grappling.  If by chance, you get to the point
where he starts with the Super Chops, you can
kiss yourself good bye.  After he knocks you
down with that, it's almost inevitable he will
drop two Jumping Chops on you while you're
down and then gingerly pin you.

Coco Savage:
I believe this powerful(and ultra-cheap)
opponent is modeled after Bobo Brazil,a 
legendary black wrestler who found a little
exposure in the land of the rising sun.  He is
by far the cheapest opponent in the game, and
tougher to beat than the Champion.
Special(s):
Double Handed Face Crush
Giant Swing

This guy is cheap.  He will immediately try
to grapple you, after which he will headlock
you and punch you in the head repeatedly.  But
unlike the other opponents grappling holds,
this one will knock you down, after which he
will walk over to the top of your body to grab
you as soon as you get up and repeat the same
move until he chooses to quit.  The other
thing he does which is annoying is to rush you
from point blank range with a shoulder
tackle.  He will do this over and over just
like the headlock/punch combo.

You have two things to do:  1)Start the
Shoulderblock pattern as soon as possible.  Do
it until he stays down long enough to come
off the turnbuckle.  or 2)Keep moving up and
down and throw out a kick so that Coco runs
into it.  If you get lucky and catch him while
he's trying to rush you, you'll knock him
down and will be able to pick him up and
grapple with him.  If he isn't knocked down
and you do catch him, move up or down a little
more and throw the kick again, and hope you
hit him a few times to wear him down. 
Whatever you do, take every opportunity to pin
him with the Body Splash at every
opportunity(it still damages the opponent when
you do it).

If Coco starts throwing you across the ring
into the ropes, you're in a bad position.  The
only saving grace is that he like to go for
the flying Body Press at almost every occasion
and has some really bad timing.  Even when he
does hit, if you're still healthy enough to
kick out, you can always rush over, pick him
up and grapple with him before he gets up.  If
you do, go for Body Slams and whips to the
ropes.  Most likely he will reverse attempts
for Suplexes and Piledrivers.  He is by far
the cheapest character in the game, but he is
beatable.  If you get past him, all the other
opponents are fairly easy.  If at any time he
hits you with the Giant Swing, just give up
and ante up another quarter or credit...  :(

The Pirahna:
I'm at a loss at who this masked wrestler is
fashioned after.  The character is fashioned
to be a cheating heel who resorts to cheap
tactics to win.  A funner character to
encounter, and an archetypical heel.
Special(s):
Choke
Iron Claw

If you've gotten past Coco Savage, playing
against The Pirahna is actually almost
refreshing.  The game seems to start turning a
bit more cheap when it comes to the running
moves, as it seems he'll reverse your running
attacks with the Iron Claw over and over. 
Stick with the basic tactic of wearing him
down with punches and kicks and pay attention
to the Rule of 3 when you're grappling him,
and you should be fine.

The Champion Blues Bloody(MM) or The Golden
Hulk (EH/MC)
This opponent is a powerful gaijin brawler
fashioned after Bruiser Brody.  After the
event of Hulk Hogans surgance into the
wrestling limelight(a spot he still insists he
deserve's today), the designers of the game
changed the name of the champion to The Golden
Hulk, as the character design pretty much fit
them both.  However, the boots stayed
fur-lined wich was vintage Brody attire.
Special(s):
Running Dropkick
One-Armed Body Slam
Leg Drop

He's your standard opponent, and the basic
tactics work on him to a tee.  However, he
does have a habit of throwing opponents out of
the ring and then following it up with a Body
Splash to the outside.  Work on him and wear
him down, setting him up to eat a few Sentons
and Kneedrops off the turnbuckle.  If by
chance he ever hit's the Leg Drop, it's over. 
Don't expect to get up.

*Other tidbits:
This game originally came out in 1985 and I
remember it clearly.  The first wrestling game
I've ever seen, and I loved it.  Of course my
experience was mostly watching my older
brother play it, but it was a sight to behold,
and when I finally got my chance to play the
game, I wasn't disappointed.

There are lots of details in the game that
make it a worthwhile gem, even in this day in
age of chreate-a-wrestler modes and
deathmatches and what not.  It's a simple game
that's fun.  They paid a lot of attention to
the little things too.  The crowd is an
absolute riot if you can actually take the
time to look at them.  In the crowd you'll be
able to find:
Superman.
ZZ Topp.
Darth Vader.
The Bunkers.
Stevie Wonder.
JJ Walker.
John Travolta. 
One of H.R. Geigers Aliens.
The Jackson 5.
The Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man.
Princess Leia.

I think there are others, as there are faces
in there that I recognize, but just can't put
a name to them.  It's kind of a game in itself
just trying to figure out who they tried to
model the audience members off of.  Who can
you find?