Hulking Up: Hogan’s history of mobile gaming

• Hulk Hogan recently passed away after the better part of four decades in wrestling
• The iconic superstar also made his way onto mobile more than a few times
• While a controversial figure, he was undoubtedly a prominent one, so let's take a look at his history

With the passing of Terry Bolea, better known as Hulk Hogan, his legacy has been the talk of the wrestling world and beyond. Was he a flawed human being but a fantastic wrestler? Or was his complicated legacy overstated and embellished? Whichever perspective you may have, it's undeniable that Hulk Hogan changed the face of wrestling forever.

To wit, the Hulkster was a near-omnipresent part of the wrestling world for the better part of four decades. And his place in the world of mobile gaming was no different. Always on the lookout for a new way to promote himself, Bolea has popped up in numerous releases over the years.

So, in our own small way, we’ve decided to mark the Hulkster’s passing by looking back at the many times he graced the handhelds of wrestling fans!

Hulkamania Wrestling

In the late 2000s, Hulk Hogan was in a strange place. Having peaked in his career during the 90s as part of the NWO at the then-upstart WCW, a move which revitalised his fading career, he was now more focused on reality television than wrestling.

So it was somewhat surprising to see the Hulkster partner up with Gameloft (yes, that Gameloft) for Hulkamania Wrestling. This isometric beat-em-up saw Hogan facing down a suite of opponents modelled after wrestlers like Rey Mysterio and The Undertaker.

While it may have been on-brand for the Hulkster to pit himself against the up-and-coming stars as he cleaned house, Gameloft produced a surprisingly engaging take on the wrestling format. And given the much more limited nature of the Java mobile platform, it’s fair to say that Hulkamania Wrestling had its charms.

TNA Wrestling iMPACT!

In the aftermath of WCW’s dissolution in 2001, wrestling was left without a credible mainstream alternative to the WWE (then WWF). Many tried, but none could match Vince McMahon’s potent cocktail of star power and huge production values. But TNA certainly tried, hoo boy did they try.

In 2011, Hogan was two years into his stint with TNA. While backstage, there was jockeying for power, Hogan was undeniably one of, if not the biggest name, at the company. So it’s little surprise that he ended up headlining TNA’s own efforts to make their mark in mobile.

A slightly lower-poly version of the console TNA Impact for PlayStation and Xbox, iMPACT still boasted a roster of top talent such as Samoa Joe and Jeff Hardy. As for how Hogan was received? Well, with his backstage politicking and the ever-more unbelievable victories over younger talent, it’s no surprise he wasn’t a favourite:

“-this isn't The Hulkster in his '80s WWE pomp: this is a bald man with terrible facial hair.”

As one of our writers put it back in the day, and for the record, ouch. But nonetheless, TNA Wrestling iMPACT! was surprisingly good. Another win for Hogan, if only because of TNA’s underrated roster helping to prop up the ailing titan.

Crazy Taxi: City Rush

In 2014, Hogan was mellowing out somewhat. And having settled into the role of elder statesman of wrestling, the time was right to get his name out there beyond mere guest spots. So, Hogan’s familiar red-and-yellow duds graced Crazy Taxi: City Rush.

Hogan would appear as a playable character, driving his own souped-up car to weave through traffic. He even had his own Hulkamania-themed takeover event to help promote the crossover, including real-world competitions for signed paraphernalia!

WWE Immortals

It’s often said that wrestlers are our modern-day gladiators. So, how better to juice up their presentation than make them literal demigods? WWE Immortals gave your favourite superstars a mythical makeover.

WWE Immortals, in our opinion, was considered something of a diamond in the rough. What with being made by Mortal Kombat developers NetherRealm and all. Sadly, it never got a wider release or updated graphics to really sell that pseudo-superhero fantasy.

From what I’ve seen, it looked as if Hogan was to join Macho Man as a playable character. Sadly, most of you will already know by now that the next year, Hulk Hogan ended up embroiled in controversy. One that saw him pushed out into the wilderness for more than a few years. But like Teflon, nothing sticks to the Hulkster for long…

WWE Champions & WWE Mayhem

By 2018, the Hulkster was back in the WWE’s good graces. Having made (some) efforts to apologise for the actions that drove him out in the first place. While Hogan was no longer headlining shows, he would make frequent appearances to commentate, present and promote.

With Hogan’s name now as clear as it could be, it was time to bring the superstar back into the limelight. And since then, Hulk has been a mainstay in top mobile releases such as WWE Champions and WWE Mayhem (even starring in the trailer), alternatively donning either the trademark red-and-yellow ‘babyface’ outfit, or his edgier black-and-white NWO duds.

 Whatever you can say about Terry Bolea, how he cultivated his personal brand and made himself a star outside of wrestling (with mixed results) arguably laid the foundation for the modern superstar. Ric Flair may have been the better wrestler, Stone Cold may have been the bigger draw, and John Cena the hero to even more children, but Hogan made his mark both good and bad as a pivotal figure in wrestling history.