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WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW 2009
October 17, 2008 | 11:44 AM PST
by: Tim Livingston
In the year 2000, wrestling fans in North America had a venerable cornucopia of games to choose from. While WCW was making sub par efforts after THQ bought the rights to the World Wrestling Federation, there were two games that came out that ended one tradition and started another. WWF No Mercy for the Nintendo 64 has been touted as the best wrestling game to be released in the United States by many, but the other game that came out that year for the PlayStation, WWF SmackDown!, started THQ down a road to success that they have ridden over the course of this decade so far.
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2009, which will be released on six platforms this year, continues THQ's run of being the main source of WWE-related video games, and after a somewhat disappointing showing with last year's version, the ninth game in the series looks like it has made major improvements in many areas to give their fans of the series their money's worth this year. Considering they have moved almost 40 million copies of the SmackDown! games since the first game came out eight years ago, they have done a lot of their best work leading up to this version of the game. THQ invited Kombo to its headquarters in Agoura Hills, CA for a first look at the game, and there is a lot to talk about even before the final product is released on November 9.
Game developers got right into the meat and potatoes of it, and they started with the Wii version of the '09 version of the franchise. Last year was the first time that SmackDown! had been released on the Wii, and it showed. This year, Wii fans will get a much better showing this time around, as the Wii version is almost identical to the versions that will come out for XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3. Yes, that means full season modes, the new Road to WrestleMania mode, and the ability to create characters, entrances and move-sets. That alone should be enough to make Wii wrestling fans want to jump into the ring with Stamford's best, but the Wii boasts a lot of features that will make them even happier. Exclusive to the Wii are a couple of interactive modes for matches: Interactive Entrances and Interactive Post-Match Activities. The entrances for each character have a couple of spots where the player can choose a taunt to perform to enhance their chances of starting off the match strong. You can do everything from throwing John Cena's hat in the crowd to the actual Batista machine-gun entrance, complete with pyro. There's a specific timing used to gain maximum momentum before the match starts, and there's even a few secret taunts that you might recognize if you try out all the different motions with the Wii Remote. The post-match antics range from being a good sport to knocking out the referee to, well, dishing out more punishment. Suffice to say, these really make the Wii version stand out in the early designs. Moves and taunts are still done in the same ways they have been done in the past, but with a few control tweaks that will increase the amount of moves you can do in the game. Also, the Wii features three different special moves that a player can do. While giving a player two finishers seemed kind of mundane, especially with moves considered to be a wrestler's signature attack being done on a regular basis, players now have two signature moves that can be done that can lead up to the finishing move, therefore stressing the importance of the finisher over all others. A timing mechanism has been built into all three moves to stress technical precision to those willing to take the time to master it.
The Nintendo DS version of the game has been tweaked a bit. Gamers last year had complained about how movement was somewhat stunted using the stylus to move around to go along with performing moves. This year, gamers will be able to move with the directional pad and will only have to use the stylus for performing moves. In addition, the DS version also has a story mode that takes you around the backstage area RPG-style. It seems that THQ has done a fine job in making the Nintendo versions of the games unique experiences due to their operating systems, but the final product will be the ultimate bearer of how far THQ has come in those areas.
When THQ unveiled the XBOX 360 and PS3 versions, which are identical, they went right to the feature that has been on the wish list of fans of the game for years and years. For the first time ever, a wrestling game will allow players to create their own finishing moves. Using up to 10 separate segments to create the move, the game will have over 500 different animations that can be used in making your devastating finisher, complete with prebuilt names and the ability to speed up or slow down the move to your desired pace. You can put these finishers on any character on the game, and they can be used in the new Highlight Reel mode, which will be covered later. Right now, it only works on front hold moves, meaning if you wanted to do your own high flying moves or ground submissions, you'll have to perhaps wait for future versions of the game to come up with those templates.
The game itself boasts faster load times between screens, and they have sped up the entrance loading times to get both entrances in before the match loading screen. Developers have also implemented many new abilities into the game, and have made the countering system a bit easier to deal with. You have to be aware of your opponents move just like in the previous games, but this system, along with the evade system from a downed opponent that has been added, will make gamers who remember the finer parts of No Mercy very happy. The game plays well on the PS3 and Xbox 360, with the controls very responsive, and the numerous moves and taunts that can be pulled off are done like they have always been done, with a few new ways to do moves thrown in here and there.
Now, for the Highlight Reel. This mode allows players to take their favorite parts of matches they participate in and actually have the ability to edit them to whatever they desire. Using a replay system that is commonly used in other sports games, segments of the matches can be cut and edited for posting on Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network. This is the first time a wrestling game has ever had this feature, and THQ has gone a long way into making sure you can truly customize the highlight in a number of ways. They have an in-game editing system that allows you to spruce up the video with everything from transitions to sound effects to graphics. One especially funny graphic saw WWE Chairman Vince McMahon's best mug shot face superimposed on a frame over the highlights, along with stickers and other graphics. Even color filters can be used. When finished, fans can post them online and even give their reels a DVD cover, complete with numerous designs to help sell the highlights. This looks to be a welcome addition that will instill a different competitive fire for fans of the game.
The new Road to WrestleMania mode boasts specific custom stories for some of the bigger WWE Superstars, with players being able to choose from six stories as of press time. The story will pick up approximately three months before WrestleMania, and your selected wrestler will have to complete a number of different tasks with a couple of twists and turns here and there to keep the players intrigued. Everything you might see on an episode of RAW, SmackDown! or ECW will show up in this mode, as developers were looking to make this specific mode play out like it was an episode. This differs from the usual season mode; however, season mode is still included in the game in case you wanted to take other wrestlers through a similar single-player mode. It won't be as specific as the Road to WrestleMania stories, but it's the main single-player mode for players who want to build up created wrestlers or unlock some of the game's secrets.
The matches themselves have been overhauled, as there are now upwards of 50 match types to choose from. This year, THQ has introduced the seldom used Inferno Match into the fold. The object of the match is to simply set your opponent on fire, therefore ending the match. A temperature gauge is shown to tell players how hot the fire is, and moves from either player will get the temperature hotter and hotter. When it reaches 500 degrees, you can drag your opponent into the fire, set him aflame and win the match. Also, tag team matches have been tweaked a bit. Teams now share a Momentum Meter and either wrestler can use the meter to their advantages. Teams can use it together for a tag team finisher, as well, which adds a lot of strategy into how you want to use that meter to your advantage.
The game has cut the create-a-belt feature, citing it not being that popular amongst players, and although there is online play for all three major consoles, there is no tag team co-op at this point in time. There will only be single-player online modes for the time being. However, perhaps the biggest news coming out of the entire hands-on preview that THQ hosted was that the game will have downloadable content. While THQ will not offer any specifics, Kombo invites you all to speculate along with us to figure out what tricks THQ might have up their sleeves for this new feature. The game will also be released on PSP and PlayStation 2 but will not have as many features as its next generation counterparts.
With the release of the game only three weeks away, wrestling fans should be anxiously awaiting this year's game with baited breath. Maybe it's because of the Inferno Match mode. Or maybe it's because SmackDown! vs. RAW 2009 might be THQ's best effort yet in this series. Kombo will have more news on the game in the coming weeks, so stay tuned right here for all you'd want to know about THQ's franchise.
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2009, which will be released on six platforms this year, continues THQ's run of being the main source of WWE-related video games, and after a somewhat disappointing showing with last year's version, the ninth game in the series looks like it has made major improvements in many areas to give their fans of the series their money's worth this year. Considering they have moved almost 40 million copies of the SmackDown! games since the first game came out eight years ago, they have done a lot of their best work leading up to this version of the game. THQ invited Kombo to its headquarters in Agoura Hills, CA for a first look at the game, and there is a lot to talk about even before the final product is released on November 9.
Game developers got right into the meat and potatoes of it, and they started with the Wii version of the '09 version of the franchise. Last year was the first time that SmackDown! had been released on the Wii, and it showed. This year, Wii fans will get a much better showing this time around, as the Wii version is almost identical to the versions that will come out for XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3. Yes, that means full season modes, the new Road to WrestleMania mode, and the ability to create characters, entrances and move-sets. That alone should be enough to make Wii wrestling fans want to jump into the ring with Stamford's best, but the Wii boasts a lot of features that will make them even happier. Exclusive to the Wii are a couple of interactive modes for matches: Interactive Entrances and Interactive Post-Match Activities. The entrances for each character have a couple of spots where the player can choose a taunt to perform to enhance their chances of starting off the match strong. You can do everything from throwing John Cena's hat in the crowd to the actual Batista machine-gun entrance, complete with pyro. There's a specific timing used to gain maximum momentum before the match starts, and there's even a few secret taunts that you might recognize if you try out all the different motions with the Wii Remote. The post-match antics range from being a good sport to knocking out the referee to, well, dishing out more punishment. Suffice to say, these really make the Wii version stand out in the early designs. Moves and taunts are still done in the same ways they have been done in the past, but with a few control tweaks that will increase the amount of moves you can do in the game. Also, the Wii features three different special moves that a player can do. While giving a player two finishers seemed kind of mundane, especially with moves considered to be a wrestler's signature attack being done on a regular basis, players now have two signature moves that can be done that can lead up to the finishing move, therefore stressing the importance of the finisher over all others. A timing mechanism has been built into all three moves to stress technical precision to those willing to take the time to master it.
The Nintendo DS version of the game has been tweaked a bit. Gamers last year had complained about how movement was somewhat stunted using the stylus to move around to go along with performing moves. This year, gamers will be able to move with the directional pad and will only have to use the stylus for performing moves. In addition, the DS version also has a story mode that takes you around the backstage area RPG-style. It seems that THQ has done a fine job in making the Nintendo versions of the games unique experiences due to their operating systems, but the final product will be the ultimate bearer of how far THQ has come in those areas.
When THQ unveiled the XBOX 360 and PS3 versions, which are identical, they went right to the feature that has been on the wish list of fans of the game for years and years. For the first time ever, a wrestling game will allow players to create their own finishing moves. Using up to 10 separate segments to create the move, the game will have over 500 different animations that can be used in making your devastating finisher, complete with prebuilt names and the ability to speed up or slow down the move to your desired pace. You can put these finishers on any character on the game, and they can be used in the new Highlight Reel mode, which will be covered later. Right now, it only works on front hold moves, meaning if you wanted to do your own high flying moves or ground submissions, you'll have to perhaps wait for future versions of the game to come up with those templates.
The game itself boasts faster load times between screens, and they have sped up the entrance loading times to get both entrances in before the match loading screen. Developers have also implemented many new abilities into the game, and have made the countering system a bit easier to deal with. You have to be aware of your opponents move just like in the previous games, but this system, along with the evade system from a downed opponent that has been added, will make gamers who remember the finer parts of No Mercy very happy. The game plays well on the PS3 and Xbox 360, with the controls very responsive, and the numerous moves and taunts that can be pulled off are done like they have always been done, with a few new ways to do moves thrown in here and there.
Now, for the Highlight Reel. This mode allows players to take their favorite parts of matches they participate in and actually have the ability to edit them to whatever they desire. Using a replay system that is commonly used in other sports games, segments of the matches can be cut and edited for posting on Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network. This is the first time a wrestling game has ever had this feature, and THQ has gone a long way into making sure you can truly customize the highlight in a number of ways. They have an in-game editing system that allows you to spruce up the video with everything from transitions to sound effects to graphics. One especially funny graphic saw WWE Chairman Vince McMahon's best mug shot face superimposed on a frame over the highlights, along with stickers and other graphics. Even color filters can be used. When finished, fans can post them online and even give their reels a DVD cover, complete with numerous designs to help sell the highlights. This looks to be a welcome addition that will instill a different competitive fire for fans of the game.
The new Road to WrestleMania mode boasts specific custom stories for some of the bigger WWE Superstars, with players being able to choose from six stories as of press time. The story will pick up approximately three months before WrestleMania, and your selected wrestler will have to complete a number of different tasks with a couple of twists and turns here and there to keep the players intrigued. Everything you might see on an episode of RAW, SmackDown! or ECW will show up in this mode, as developers were looking to make this specific mode play out like it was an episode. This differs from the usual season mode; however, season mode is still included in the game in case you wanted to take other wrestlers through a similar single-player mode. It won't be as specific as the Road to WrestleMania stories, but it's the main single-player mode for players who want to build up created wrestlers or unlock some of the game's secrets.
The matches themselves have been overhauled, as there are now upwards of 50 match types to choose from. This year, THQ has introduced the seldom used Inferno Match into the fold. The object of the match is to simply set your opponent on fire, therefore ending the match. A temperature gauge is shown to tell players how hot the fire is, and moves from either player will get the temperature hotter and hotter. When it reaches 500 degrees, you can drag your opponent into the fire, set him aflame and win the match. Also, tag team matches have been tweaked a bit. Teams now share a Momentum Meter and either wrestler can use the meter to their advantages. Teams can use it together for a tag team finisher, as well, which adds a lot of strategy into how you want to use that meter to your advantage.
The game has cut the create-a-belt feature, citing it not being that popular amongst players, and although there is online play for all three major consoles, there is no tag team co-op at this point in time. There will only be single-player online modes for the time being. However, perhaps the biggest news coming out of the entire hands-on preview that THQ hosted was that the game will have downloadable content. While THQ will not offer any specifics, Kombo invites you all to speculate along with us to figure out what tricks THQ might have up their sleeves for this new feature. The game will also be released on PSP and PlayStation 2 but will not have as many features as its next generation counterparts.
With the release of the game only three weeks away, wrestling fans should be anxiously awaiting this year's game with baited breath. Maybe it's because of the Inferno Match mode. Or maybe it's because SmackDown! vs. RAW 2009 might be THQ's best effort yet in this series. Kombo will have more news on the game in the coming weeks, so stay tuned right here for all you'd want to know about THQ's franchise.
November 20, 2009
