Best for: Classic wrestling (1970s–1990s) This save strips away modern wrestlers to focus on Bruno Sammartino, Harley Race, Ric Flair (in four different eras), Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and every NWA champion up to 1995. The move sets are slower and more methodical, reflecting the technical style of the era.
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns (FPWR), released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 (and later on the PlayStation 3 as a PS2 Classic), is widely considered the pinnacle of the legendary Fire Pro series. Its deep logic system, massive roster of over 300 fictionalized characters, and intricate edit mode have fostered a cult following for nearly two decades.
However, the true power of Returns lies not just in creating wrestlers, but in sharing and downloading saves. Because editing a single wrestler’s moveset, parameters, and AI logic can take hours, the community has thrived on distributing complete memory card saves that contain fully realized rosters of real-world wrestlers. Fire Pro Wrestling Returns Saves
You need:
Steps:
Without mods – Use a commercial memory card manager like Code Breaker or AR Max Evolution (copy
.maxfiles from USB)
| Save Name | Editor(s) | Focus | Wrestler Count | |-----------|-----------|-------|----------------| | "The Complete" Save | Plague, Kung Fu, various | 2000s WWE, ROH, TNA, NJPW, AJPW, NOAH | 500+ | | "1980s Territories" | SavageStallion | NWA, WWF, AWA, WCCW, Mid-South | 400+ | | "All Japan Golden Age" | Ghrimm | 1990s King’s Road (Misawa, Kobashi, Kawada, Taue) | 200+ | | "Modern 2023-24" | Community Project | AEW, WWE, NJPW, Stardom | 600+ | Best for: Classic wrestling (1970s–1990s) This save strips
For players diving deep into this feature, understanding the save limitations is crucial.