E3 '10: Lucha Libre: Heroes Del Ring

Wrestling games are a dime a dozen, but Slang and Konami are bringing you something a little new with Lucha Libre: Heroes del Ring. Based on the popular Mexican sport of Lucha Libre wrestling, and featuring all of the most popular luchadores, Lucha Libre is a slightly different animal. In this sport, it's not all about simply winning the match, but also winning over the crowd through your theatrical performance. So a new popularity meter is key to success. The more popular your wrestler becomes, the more unique moves he'll unlock. You don't have to play as one of the actual wrestlers if you're more interested in making your own. A very deep customization process allows you to create your own unique character, designing everything from his body, face and hair down to his costume and the most important element: The mask. You can also customize your move set including your entrance and taunt, and my favorite was the one used by the wrestler wearing the little black trunks with the bat on the ass. He does a sexy dance and shakes his butt in the camera (which zooms in for the best view).

Up to four players can battle it out in the ring at one time, and up to eight can play in local or online multiplayer. And online, you can even take part in a Mask Vs. Hair match where the loser will forfeit either their precious mask or have their head shaved. At least in the game, retrieving your mask only requires winning a few more matches as opposed to reality, where apparently you have to wait years before reclaiming your honor. (Which is why luchadores are always changing their names and appearances so they don't have to wait...) Oh, and while the announcers are the authentic Mexican talent, the cut scene dialogue is presented in English. Luckily, if you're looking for a truly authentic experience, Spanish language with English subtitles is an available option. I'm not a big fan of wrestling games, but I've always loved luchadores, so this one piqued my curiosity. It has a very unique character that I enjoy, and who doesn't love a muscular guy shaking his ass in the camera to wow the crowd? Lucha Libre is due out on August 10 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and PSP. A trailer is after the jump!