Interview by: Michael Barnes

Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes del Ring is the first video game to be based on the long standing tradition of Mexican-style professional wrestling. Most people outside of Latin America have only a vague idea of what Lucha is, possibly aside from the emphasis on masked wrestlers. Do you feel as if the game is something of a cultural ambassador, bringing lucha libre to new audiences? Will this game help to make names like Abismo Negro and Pimpinela Escarlata as widely recognized as crossover stars like Eddy Guerrero and Rey Mysterio, Jr.?

Miguel Posada: One of the main goals was to create a game that featured the sport of Lucha Libre as well as the Hispanic culture. We have translated those elements as well as the one from the question above into a seriously fun game. The game includes intense, aerial action with humor and addictive gameplay. The gameplay incorporates features that fight fans will recognize and some that we be completely new. So yes, we are confident that the game will appeal to the Hispanic audience as well as the non-Hispanic audience. Everybody loves a fun game. So I can say we really did our best to imprint all the folklore, the amusement, the color and the spectacle of the luchas in this game. As for the characters and the legends of the lucha libre, we didn’t include all of the legends. However, there are plenty of really interesting and different characters, and we also made sure to create a character editor in which fans could recreate their favorite all time legends of lucha libre!

Edgar Diaz: While the game does attempt to bring all the AAA flavor to new audiences, it’s only the tip of the iceberg of what Lucha Libre’s culture is about. We feel the game is the first step on a long road to introduce this fascinating franchise to markets outside Mexico. Once players get a glimpse of the incredible shows that the AAA puts on the road, with fighters risking life and limb in every match, hopefully they will try to dive into the actual league and check out some of the crazy action they do in real life.

One of the game’s taglines is “it’s not wrestling, it’s Lucha Libre.” With that statement in mind, what are some of the chief differences beyond the faster, more acrobatic style and the hexagonal ring that gamers can expect that separate Lucha Libre AAA from a typical wrestling game?

Miguel Posada: It’s not wrestling. It is not mixed martial arts either. It´s Lucha Libre! So yes, as in reality, the game will have its own characteristics, and will earn its own place in the fighting genre. The genre has been stale for some time. We are bringing our own perspective to the genre. That means competition. Competition breeds innovation which means that fans can expect this genre to get better. Though there are many significant differences, I think the main one between American wrestling and Lucha Libre is that the spectacle of the fight. The fight inside the ring is based on the human factor. American wrestling, as I see it, usually revolves around the raw force or power that wrestling both the wrestlers and the show itself can demonstrate.

In the case of the wrestlers, it´s all about powerful and slow moves that show to the crowd who is the toughest guy - the moves are slow. The wrestlers are mainly focusing on showing their strength, and not their agility. The show is about how powerful the lights, music and fireworks can be. There is nothing wrong with that. Lucha Libre also has that, but we offer a lot more. In Lucha Libre, to the contrary, luchadores are constantly trying to be innovative inside the ring. They too try to show who is the toughest, but luchadores also try to show variety. Fight free you have a lot of different styles. Not only do they display strength, but they fly around the ring. It is very aerial. They take advantage of their own unique skills (kind of like Superman!). They also feed off the crowd. Without support, you cannot win the crowd in. Lucha Libre does not rely so much on the lights, music and fireworks show (although this elements are also part of the struggles), but on the noise from the crowd. Luchadores feed on crowd response. You see, in the fights, the most important thing is the people who go to see the spectacle, who favor their favorite wrestlers and create banners to support them. You have to win the respect and admiration of the crowd before you can win. We have implemented the crowd factor into our game as well.

Edgar Diaz: As you said, the main difference is in the acrobatic style. Luchadores are generally leaner and smaller than Pro Wrestlers in the US, and they fully capitalize on their superior agility. Lucha Libre is characterized by high-flying moves you won’t see anywhere else, and these moves are all present in the game. Also, yes, the lucha libre culture is a lot more audience-oriented and the crowds are more involved into the action instead of being mere spectators. From old ladies whistling at the more handsome fighters to battles changing their outcome in relation to the crowd’s reaction, the audience is a key part of lucha libre and we tried to capture that in the game. That’s why Heroes del Ring features a dynamic system where pride and popularity are as important as health. Players can “use” the crowd to turn the tide of a very tough battle by throwing a couple of risky moves together with a few taunts and gaining the audience’s support, which in turn will make a submission victory easier.

The game features campaigns for both Tecnicos (the good guys) and Rudos (the bad guys). How will each campaign and the stories they tell differ? How do Tecnico and Rudo wrestling styles differ in terms of gameplay?

Miguel Posada: In Lucha Libre AAA: Héroes del Ring, players will discover that crowd, as mentioned before, is a crucial part of the matches. Basically, it will be really difficult for you to win if you don’t have the support of the crowd. That being said, let’s just say that if you have to earn the crowd’s love, you will not behave the same way in the ring if you play as a rudo as you would if you played as a técnico! There are recognizable differences in their style of fighting. As for the story mode, we created a new story for each alignment in which players could not only feel what it is like to play as a técnico or as a rudo, but the story mode teaches fans about the sport of Lucha Libre as well as the key rivalries and relationships of the actual AAA heroes and villains.

Edgar Diaz: The difference between both Tecnicos and Rudos is related to the way they interact with the audience. Tecnicos are like the “Faces”, they are the good guys who don’t cheat but are also very skilled and can perform incredible high-flying moves that the audience goes crazy for. On the other hand, the Rudos are somewhat like the “Heels” in that they antagonize the Tecnicos, and sometimes even the audience, with a lot of foul tactics and brute force. Tecnicos are more audience oriented so they regain way more honor when taunting for the audience. Rudos instead tend to use different illegal strategies to win a lucha so they have easier ways to access the various objects available in the game. If you are using a Rudo and the audience is on your side, you will be able to get different stuff from the audience to break over your opponent’s head.