Tecmo World Wrestling contains more than 20 moves per wrestler, by virtue of not having a dedicated grapple button. Instead, a grapple is initiated whenever the wrestlers walk into each other, and from there, combinations of the joypad and buttons can be used to perform a variety of holds and slams. There are also many situational moves (such as ground attacks, high-risk top-rope aerial attacks, and running attacks) to perform.
In addition, the game was perhaps the first to feature action replays: when certain signature moves are performed on a weakened wrestler, the game introduces a quick cut-scene, showing the move being performed, as if in a close-up television replay.