Fire Pro Wrestling: Combination Tag (1989) launched the storied Fire Pro lineage on the PC Engine, introducing the signature timing-based grappling that would define the series. Instead of frantic button presses, players engage on lock-up and execute moves with precise timing windows, turning each exchange into a battle of skill and nerves. That single design choice made matches feel tactical, readable, and rewarding.

Combination Tag emphasized authentic movesets inspired by Japanese puroresu—backdrop drivers, rolling Germans, top-rope dives—mapped to a roster of thinly veiled homages. Tag-team psychology mattered: hot tags, double-teams, and ring-cutting strategies could swing momentum dramatically. The isometric presentation and crisp animations lent weight to slams and submissions, while refereeing and rope breaks added sporting credibility.

Though modest by modern standards, it laid core pillars: stamina management, logical escalation, and clean match narratives. Players learned to pace bouts, build to finishers, and protect their gas tanks—habits that Fire Pro would reward for decades. Combination Tag didn’t just start a franchise; it set a philosophical template for “wrestling as chess,” influencing how countless games approach grappling and match flow today.