They built it, then stepped back. The game said their name; they didn't have to.
Monster Pro Wrestling came out in 1992, a PC Engine exclusive made by a company called Lenar. The founder, Junichi Mizutari, was described as a shy person — and the company carried that into their work. Lenar rarely put developer credits in their games. No names, no faces. Just the game itself. Monster Pro Wrestling is what they left behind: turn-based wrestling with exploding monsters, smooth animations, and a cartoon sensibility. The people who made it are mostly unknown. But the work they did is still here. You don't need your name on something for it to last. Sometimes stepping back is how you let the work speak.
— inspired by Junichi Mizutari
About this game
Monster Pro Wrestling (1992) is a turn-based wrestling game exclusive to the PC Engine featuring muscle-bound mutant creatures. Developed by Lenar — a small Japanese studio whose founder, Junichi Mizutari, rarely put credits in the company's games — Monster Pro Wrestling pits zombies, werewolves, mummies, and other creatures against each other in the ring. The gameplay unfolds through dice rolls and button-mashing gauges that determine the outcome of each exchange, followed by smoothly animated cutscenes showing the result. When a wrestler's health reaches zero, they literally explode, their dismembered limbs scattering in all directions — though presented in a cartoon style with no blood or gore.
Key Features
Turn-based wrestling system using dice rolls and button-mashing gauges to determine attack outcomes, smoothly animated cinema-style cutscenes showing match results, playable monster roster including zombies, werewolves, and mummies, stat distribution between matches to boost wrestler performance, and explosive finishing sequences when wrestlers are defeated.
Gallery
The Story Behind
Monster Pro Wrestling was developed by Lenar, a Japanese game developer founded in 1986 by Junichi Mizutari, a former Namco employee. Lenar typically worked as a contract developer for publishers like Irem and their sister company Tamtex, creating games across the NES, SNES, Game Boy, and PC Engine. The company was known for a peculiar trait: Mizutari was described as a shy person, and as a result, Lenar rarely included developer credits in their games. The company changed its name to Astroll in 1997. Monster Pro Wrestling's turn-based approach to wrestling — unusual for the era when most wrestling games favored real-time action — allowed the team to dedicate resources to detailed animation sequences.
Tricks & Tales
The game's story involves monster wrestlers summoned by a demon to conquer the Earth, and a human scientist who creates his own mutant wrestler to combat them in the ring. The attack animations take up more than half the screen and are notably smooth for the era. Despite the seemingly grotesque premise — wrestlers exploding into scattered limbs when defeated — the visual presentation is cartoonish and bloodless, keeping the tone closer to slapstick than horror. Lenar's habit of omitting credits means the individual developers behind Monster Pro Wrestling remain largely unknown.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The PC Engine (Japan) and TurboGrafx-16 (North America) share the same physical HuCard slot shape but are not compatible with each other's software. NEC deliberately reversed the data bus wiring between the two regions: data pin D0 on the PC Engine corresponds to D7 on the TurboGrafx-16, and so on through all eight lines. Beyond the hardware wiring difference, most North American HuCards contain region-checking code that detects a Japanese console and immediately crashes. Converters that electrically flip the data bus do exist and allow cross-region play. CD-ROM² discs themselves carry no region protection and play freely on both systems—however, the System Cards required to boot CD software are region-locked in the same way as HuCards, so a Japanese System Card cannot be used in a TurboGrafx-16 and vice versa.
Maintenance Tips
HuCard contacts are the most common maintenance point on the PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16. The card's edge connector oxidizes over decades of storage, causing failure-to-read and graphical glitches. Cleaning with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab—gently wiping the gold contacts on the card itself—resolves most contact issues; stubborn oxidation responds to dedicated contact cleaners such as DeoxIT. Never blow into the card slot with your mouth, as moisture accelerates the very corrosion you are trying to remove. On systems equipped with the CD-ROM² or Super CD-ROM² add-on, the optical drive is subject to the same age-related laser and sled degradation seen in any CD system of that era; the laser assembly uses a KSS-220a-type unit on the Super CD-ROM² and replacement parts remain available.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Monster Pro Wrestling copies regularly.
Can I play a Japanese PC Engine HuCard game on my North American TurboGrafx-16?
Not directly. The data bus wiring is physically reversed between the two regions, making HuCards mutually incompatible without a converter adapter. Additionally, most North American games include software region checks that will crash on a Japanese console even with an adapter. A dedicated HuCard converter or a region-modded console is required for reliable cross-region play.
Are PC Engine CD-ROM games region-locked?
The CD discs themselves are not region-locked and will physically play on either a PC Engine or TurboGrafx-16 CD system. However, the System Card inserted into the console to run CD software is region-locked in the same way as a HuCard. You need a System Card that matches your console's region. The US Super System Card 3.0 is rare; many North American collectors use a Japanese card through a converter instead.
My PC Engine HuCard is not loading—is the console broken?
In most cases, no. Oxidized contacts on the HuCard edge connector are the most common cause of read failure on these systems. Clean the gold contacts on the card with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab before assuming console failure. The console's slot contacts can also oxidize and may need the same treatment.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Monster Pro Wrestling
A short checklist for buying used PC Engine software wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Make sure it fits your console
Japanese PC Engine HuCards and CDs are not compatible with the North American TurboGrafx-16 — the formats differ. Use a Japanese PC Engine system.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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HuCard or CD-ROM² — know which you're buying
PC Engine games come on HuCard chips or on CD-ROM². CD titles also require the right CD system and a working System Card.
Confirm the format in the listing, and for CDs check the disc surface and that saves are supported.
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Check that the contacts are clean
Dirty edge contacts are the most common cause of startup and sound trouble in cartridges of this age.
Choose a seller who cleans the contacts before shipping. A note that it was tested and cleaned means the basics were handled.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
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