World Wide Wrestling, by Nathan D. Paoletta, is a perfect marriage of concept and system.

I’m not really a pro wrestling guy, but this game is so ridiculously well done, I can’t wait to play it. Its built with Vincent Baker’s Apocalypse World system, which is based on predetermined Moves and, wouldn’t you know it – wrestling is a form of entertainment based on a predetermined set of moves, both in the ring and in the storytelling.

WWW is the total package wrestling RPG. You’ll craft your character, your gimmick, your storyline, your entrance and more. Sessions play out as Events, with a whole card of matches booked. The game master takes the role of Creative – the behind the scenes writing team and, when you’re not running your wrestler, players take a seat in the announcer’s chair, providing color commentary for the wrestlers who are doing battle in the squared circle. The game is just as much about getting your character over with the audience as it is throwing down in the ring.

Because of the theme and the simplicity of the system, the game is easy to cotton to, making it great for new players and drop in/drop out play. The ease also lets all the meta-concepts of the game get lots of breathing room. The potential here is crazy.

Of particular note are the several essays on professional wrestling, roleplaying and the intersection of the two – sure to be of interest to fans of both, even if they don’t intend to play WWW.