DO NOT BUY OR SELL REPRODUCTION COPIES OF THIS HACK.

Introduction

Virtual Pro-Wrestling 2 freem Edition is a hack of AKI Corporation's Virtual Pro-Wrestling 2 on the Nintendo 64. The hack replaces various default VPW2 wrestlers with other wrestlers, most of whom have been in other AKI wrestling games. Unlike most other AKI wrestling game modding projects, the changes in VPW2 freem Edition are made by editing the ROM, meaning the resulting hack can be played on real hardware.

If you want to chat about the hack, there is a Discord server available.

Downloads

Current Version

VPW2 freem Edition 2024/06/15

Previous Versions

News

Older news is available on a separate page.

Indefinite Suspension of AKI hacking-related activities [May 19, 2026]

(this is a repost from the main site)

Mentally, I've reached a point where I really don't want to do any of this for at least two to three years. It's hard for me to believe I would feel the same way about AKI hacking that I did when StepMania pushed me to a burnout breaking point in 2016. I know I told RagDas that I didn't want to keep doing this when I reached 40, but I never actually expected that to be the case; it was supposed to be an offhand joke.

I know it can be argued that I've already taken some of that time off since the 2024 VPW2 freem Edition release, despite all the stuff going on in the background.

I hate saying this because it sounds like defeat, but at the same time I have to recognize it for what it is. I don't want to quit forever, but I also don't want to give people false hope that certain things will be finished. I've also come to feel like I am simultaneously indispensable to the community and the main person holding everything back.

Realistically, I don't think I am the person that is going to finish the VPW2 decompilation project. It's stalled too long under my watch, and every other N64 game manages to get decompiled in just under a month. Maybe we'll all be better off now that I'm not holding everyone back?

VIRTUAL PRO-WRESTLING 2 FREEM EDITION 2024/06/15 Version ("The 90% Release") Released! – Posted July 30th, 2023

A new version of VPW2 freem Edition is now available. This version brings the hack to 90% completion, but will be the last version that uses my current hacking methods (i.e. VPW Studio and a hex editor). For information on what's changed in this release, check the changelog.

This is the last version that supports regular Virtual Pro-Wrestling 2 Controller Pak save data.

Documentation

While the Manual is in a usable state, the Character Guide is being put off until all changes are considered "final".

Screenshots

Wow! These screenshots are way out of date! You should check the Manual for more up-to-date screenshots.

All screenshots are of development builds. Content has already changed, etc.

Awards and Such

VPW2 freem Edition got 2nd place in the NextWave 64 2019 Beginning of the Year awards for Favorite Project: