Every year, 2K Sports (and THQ before them) litters its annual WWE games with legendary wrestlers from the past as a way to bring lapsed wrestling fans into the series, without having to make them control current Superstars they've never heard of.
There is something comforting about stepping into the squared-circle as the Ultimate Warrior or Jake "The Snake" Roberts for people who haven't watched WWE programming since the Rock 'n' Wrestling days. However, because these legends aren't the sole focus of the game, 2K has to make some tough choices along the way as they whittle the roster down to a manageable number.
So, some years, a legendary tag team like Demolition makes the cut but are never to be seen in future installments. This gives the series a fragmented feel, with timeless legends coming and going and classic rivalries coming so close to being playable, only for one key component to be left off the roster from the previous year.
Well, it looks like WWE 2K16 is going to change that around. With a roster of 120 unique characters (no longer does John Cena '04 and John Cena '15 count as two wrestlers), 2K Games is looking to pack this year's installment with Superstars from every era, and you know the legends are going to be front and center.
Obviously, legends the stature of Ric Flair, Bret Hart and The Rock will likely be in (and Stone Cold Steve Austin is already confirmed), but for longtime fans of WWE, there needs to be more than just those marquee names. That's why these eight legends below are absolutely key this year.
Mr. Perfect
Last appeared in: WWE 2K14
While Mr. Perfect has been in plenty of WWE games in recent years, he's never been given the love that he deserves. The last time he appeared was back in WWE 2K14, only as a manager for Ric Flair. His Curt Hennig NWO persona was also a part of the game's DLC, but that was a completely different gimmick, lacking in his trademark chewing gum slap and entrance music. Perfect was a huge part of WWE programming in the '90s, and his feuds with Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair helped bring mat wrestling and technical skills back to WWE. With all of the gameplay improvements 2K has been implementing, especially the new chain-grappling functions, now's the best time to be Perfect.
The Steiner Brothers
Last appeared in: Scott, WWE 2K14; Rick N/A
I'm cheating here by including the Steiner Brothers as one wrestler, but that's just how tag team wrestlers are — they're a unit. The Steiners were one of the most feared units in wrestling during the '80s and '90s in the NWA, WCW and WWE. Scott Steiner's been in the 2K games before, but as his "Big Poppa Pump" persona; not as the singlet-clad suplex machine from his heyday. Rick, however, has never appeared, leaving a hole in the roster as a result. With tag team wrestling on the downturn in current WWE, being able to put the Steiners against classic squads like the Legion of Doom or DX would be gold.
Paul Orndorff
Last appeared in: N/A
It's hard to believe that the man who co-main-evented the inaugural WrestleMania has never been part of a WWE 2K video game, but that just about sums up the career of Paul Orndorff. Always dependable and exciting to watch, Orndorff's legacy hasn't carried over for the new generation like the Ultimate Warrior's or Macho Man's has. Instead, he's the perennial footnote, always on the fringe of WWE history, but never in the spotlight. With Hulk Hogan out of the game after his racial tirade was broadcast for the world to hear and Mr. T being an unlikely addition, a WrestleMania 1 simulation won't be possible, but that doesn't mean one of the biggest heels of the '80s shouldn't get his due.
Rowdy Roddy Piper
Last appeared in: WWE 2K14 (sort of)
With his untimely passing still fresh in everyone's mind, it should be pointed out that Rowdy Roddy Piper has gotten a raw deal in video games over the past few years. Once a staple of the legends roster of these titles, Piper has since been left out of all the major releases, outside of his head being available in the 2K14 creation suite, giving fans the option of creating their own "Hot Rod." Still, Piper had a huge hand in creating Hulkamania and helped WWE break into the mainstream in the mid-'80s. How can these games be a true time capsule of all things WWE without an appearance from the "Rowdy One?"
Bruiser Brody
Last appeared in: N/A
C'mon, who wasn't scared of the mountainous Bruiser Brody as a kid? While he was never a true WWE mainstay, Brody is a legend of the entire wrestling world, not just Vince McMahon's monopoly. Standing at a towering 6'8", wrestling Brody was like trying to grapple with a vending machine. There was no give to the man, and his classic hardcore brawls saw him spill blood on nearly every continent. While playing as Brody against other WWE legends would be a dream, pitting him against modern Superstars, especially his modern successor, Luke Harper, would be a blast.
Jushin "Thunder" Liger
Last appeared in: N/A
So, a few months ago, Jushin "Thunder" Liger would have never appeared on this list, but now that the legendary high-flyer is actually appearing in a WWE/NXT ring this summer, it's impossible to leave him off. For those who don't know, Liger is a Japanese wrestling legend who has competed all over the world, most notably for people in the U.S. in WCW during the early '90s. He helped bring a more acrobatic style of wrestling to the States, which was later adopted by the likes of Brian Pillman, Eddy Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, and the list goes on and on. Liger would be a perfect fit in the 2K series, as the game's springboard and diving mechanics would allow his arsenal to pop off the screen.
Harley Race
Last appeared in: N/A
Most of Ric Flair's major rivals have appeared in WWE games in the past, including Ricky Steamboat, Randy Savage and Dusty Rhodes, but one of the Nature Boy's classic foes has been noticeably absent: Harley Race. Race was one of the biggest draws in wrestling in the '60s, '70s and into the '80s, and he even had a notable stint in WWE as "King" Harley Race in the late '80s. With his signature roughneck style and gruff persona, Race typified the wrestler of the era. He's held countless championships, been involved in dozens of classic matches and is even a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. If the Terminator can make the cut, why not Handsome Harley?
Bob Backlund
Last appeared in: N/A
How can a man who held onto the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for more than 2,100 days not have his legacy encased in digital immortality? Bob Backlund wasn't just WWE champion for nearly six years, he was WWE. You couldn't go to an MSG show during the early to mid '80s without a Backlund match on the card. Sure, his persona is a little dry and his moveset might be a generation or two behind, but from a purely historical perspective, Backlund needs to be on the 2K16 roster, if only so I can lock Bret Hart in the crossface chicken wing for eight-and-a-half minutes and then have ol' Bob run for president again.
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