WWE WrestleMania employed a simple approach to simulating wrestling moves. It has been likened to the approach to how Fire Pro Wrestling based the actions on timed button pressing and strategy. The combination of a button push and a direction choice when the two wrestlers lock up would result in different wrestling moves and also allowed for moves to be reversed if the timing was right. In addition character could climb ropes, perform running moves and pick up weapons. The gameplay was seen as an improvement over the "button mashing" approach of its predecessor WWE WrestleMania