Fire Pro Wrestling: Iron Slam ’96 (1996) was a PlayStation spin-off that experimented with polygonal graphics, marking the franchise’s first leap into 3D presentation. While gameplay retained Fire Pro’s timing-based grappling, the transition to 3D came with compromises: animations were stiffer, and match pacing lost some of the smoothness fans loved in the 2D titles.

The roster drew on homage versions of stars from Japan and abroad, with movesets faithfully recreated within the new engine’s limitations. Stamina and pacing remained central—matches required escalation and careful timing—but the new camera perspectives and polygonal models shifted the visual identity significantly. Weapons and stipulation matches were also included to highlight 3D possibilities.

Iron Slam is remembered as an experimental branch of Fire Pro. Though less polished than its 2D counterparts, it showed the franchise’s willingness to evolve with new technology and laid groundwork for future 3D innovations in wrestling games.