WWE SMACKDOWN!Once upon a time, the WWE license (known as WWF at the time) was owned by Acclaim, and they made sucky games. WCW vs. NWO (made by THQ for the N64) was a great game, which made the WWE games look like even bigger shits. The first chances WWE got, they jumped ship and signed with THQ, and the jump paid off. Wreslemania 2000 and No Mercy are consider 2 of the greatest games for the N64. Despite how great they were, W2000 was never ported to the PlayStation. Why? Because THQ was working on a PSX exclusive that would be nothing short of awesome: WWF Smackdown.
When Smackdown came out for the PlayStation, it offered something that no other wrestling game has offered before in such depth: backstage brawling. They didn't half-ass it like EA's WCW Mayhem (If you never heard of that game, you're doing alright; keep it up) and just put a couple of boxes and weapons in a empty room. These were fully detailed areas that interconnected with each other. For once there was a good reason to go backstage. THQ also boosted about it's season mode, but that was ho-hum. You basically went from week to week wrestling. That's basically it. The controls were complicated from their time and took a while for me to get, but once I did, I found the move list to be very deep, deeper than Wrestlemania 2000, and at the time that was saying something. THQ boosted about its season mode, but fans came for the backstage ass kicking, so when a second game was announced, it was time to shift focus.
Next best thing to sex (at the time)
When Smackdown came out for the PlayStation, it offered something that no other wrestling game has offered before in such depth: backstage brawling. They didn't half-ass it like EA's WCW Mayhem (If you never heard of that game, you're doing alright; keep it up) and just put a couple of boxes and weapons in a empty room. These were fully detailed areas that interconnected with each other. For once there was a good reason to go backstage. THQ also boosted about it's season mode, but that was ho-hum. You basically went from week to week wrestling. That's basically it. The controls were complicated from their time and took a while for me to get, but once I did, I found the move list to be very deep, deeper than Wrestlemania 2000, and at the time that was saying something. THQ boosted about its season mode, but fans came for the backstage ass kicking, so when a second game was announced, it was time to shift focus.
Next best thing to sex (at the time)Smackdown 2: Know Your Role came out with an even bigger experience than was thought possible on the humble (snicker*) PSX. It had more wrestlers, match types, moves, and weapons, but the main improvement that drove fans nuts were the backstage areas. THQ developer Yukes went crazy with the whole backstage concept and added a crazy amount of content. There were even set pieces you can throw your opponent into. If I remember correctly, you can irish whip your opponent into the stove in the kitchen, and the stove would blow up. To me, it was the coolest thing I have ever played on PlayStation. I honestly can't think of a better game for the system (fuck Metal Gear Solid). The season mode was more of the same, but now it was 2 player, so that made it more interesting. This was the last game to be released for the PSX, for Smackdown was getting ready to make its PS2 debut.
While being developed, THQ decided to drop the '3' in Smackdown 3 and call it Smackdown: Just Bring It, signifying that there would be a steady release of game, provided that the games sell, with they did. One of the big changes in Just Bring It, besides the better graphics on the PS2, was that this is the first wrestling game by THQ with commentary. Michael Cole and Tazz provided some much needed sound to the matches, but to be honest, it was very shitty. I really could have done without the commentary. I couldn't find that voice option fast enough. Season mode got a big overhaul in that it was only 3 mtaches. I wish I was fuckin kidding; it was only 3 mtaches. What the fuck were they thinking? They must have gotten lazy. Shit, they might as well just handed me the belt. And the load times....the less said the better. Just Bring It was the worst game in the series, but it was still fun. Again there were more moves, more wrestlers, different match types, and of course, more backstage areas. You could even go outside the arena and make it to WWF New York in Times Square. Does anybody remember that restaurant? Yea, anyway, increasing the backstage area was nice, but now they needed to do something besides add more areas. The next game, Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth adressed most of the problems in the game before it. Commentary was much better, and Season mode actually had storylines this time which spanned 2 years. Wrestling in the ring felt better as weapons really connected to the head of the opponents instead of just going through them like every other game before it except Wrestlemania 2000 and No Mercy. The backstage area has been slimmed down a bit, but no one really noticed nor cared because the overall package was such a great improvement. The next game, titled The Next Big Thing, pretty much improved on everything Shut Your Mouth did, plus more. It added the Elimination Chamber, Bra and Panties match, and location specific damage. There was an icon on the screen that showed which body parts were hurt (with red being the most damaged). This allowed players to focus on a body part and go for the submission later. It also took weight into consideration too. No longer can women pick up the Big Show, although weight didn't seemed to matter when doing finishers though. Again, the number of backstage areas decreased, but it was a small price to pay. The Smackdown series was soaring, but it was still time for a change.
While being developed, THQ decided to drop the '3' in Smackdown 3 and call it Smackdown: Just Bring It, signifying that there would be a steady release of game, provided that the games sell, with they did. One of the big changes in Just Bring It, besides the better graphics on the PS2, was that this is the first wrestling game by THQ with commentary. Michael Cole and Tazz provided some much needed sound to the matches, but to be honest, it was very shitty. I really could have done without the commentary. I couldn't find that voice option fast enough. Season mode got a big overhaul in that it was only 3 mtaches. I wish I was fuckin kidding; it was only 3 mtaches. What the fuck were they thinking? They must have gotten lazy. Shit, they might as well just handed me the belt. And the load times....the less said the better. Just Bring It was the worst game in the series, but it was still fun. Again there were more moves, more wrestlers, different match types, and of course, more backstage areas. You could even go outside the arena and make it to WWF New York in Times Square. Does anybody remember that restaurant? Yea, anyway, increasing the backstage area was nice, but now they needed to do something besides add more areas. The next game, Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth adressed most of the problems in the game before it. Commentary was much better, and Season mode actually had storylines this time which spanned 2 years. Wrestling in the ring felt better as weapons really connected to the head of the opponents instead of just going through them like every other game before it except Wrestlemania 2000 and No Mercy. The backstage area has been slimmed down a bit, but no one really noticed nor cared because the overall package was such a great improvement. The next game, titled The Next Big Thing, pretty much improved on everything Shut Your Mouth did, plus more. It added the Elimination Chamber, Bra and Panties match, and location specific damage. There was an icon on the screen that showed which body parts were hurt (with red being the most damaged). This allowed players to focus on a body part and go for the submission later. It also took weight into consideration too. No longer can women pick up the Big Show, although weight didn't seemed to matter when doing finishers though. Again, the number of backstage areas decreased, but it was a small price to pay. The Smackdown series was soaring, but it was still time for a change.
I want contacts like those!
Maybe it was just me, but the title alone just signified change in the series. Obviously, this game pandered heavily to the feud between the two brands at the time when they decided that each show would have its own set of superstars, and that feud was made more apparent during the story mode. The 2 biggest (and much needed) additions to the game were online play (which I never used so I can't comment) and voice overs. Yes, besides commentary, you would hear the superstars themselves talk during story mode. As great as it was, it was weird to hear them talk and watch as their lips didn't match what they were saying. Everything was mostly good, but somehow backstage areas were pretty out on its ass. You could no longer go from the ring to various parts of the area. Now backstage was treated like matches, and there were only 2 if I remember correctly (parking lot brawl and bar room brawl). It pissed me off immensely as that was Smackdown's signature feature. How could they get rid of it!? Well, this had more to do with the WWE's culture rather than the developers. Wrestlers stopped dragging each other around the areas, and the game reflected that. Ah well. After Smackdown vs Raw, it was unclear where the developers would go after this. At E3 in 2005, they decided to officially treat the franchise like a sports title, and which that, keep the name. The franchise was no longer Smackdown; it was Smackdown vs Raw. Months later, Smackdown vs Raw 2006 came out for PS2 and for the first time on PSP. It was considered the best wrestling game ever made, and with good reason. The first major change was that you couldn't store 5 finishers. In the previous game, you would beat up your opponent to fill up a meter and earn a finisher. you can earn up to 5 of these, meaning you can do your finisher 5 times in a row. Because they were now going for realism, that was removed for a 2 finisher system. You had 2 options: store a finisher, or do it when the meter is full. The stored finisher did less damage than a full meter one, but it was good for getting out of deep shit. It also added a stamina system. The critics raved about it, but I didn't like it so I turned it off. The 2 most important feature of 2006 were the new story mode and GM mode. Story mode had better writing and the words being said actually matched the lips. GM mode basically let you run the show anyway you wanted (almost). You picked the matches, set up the contracts, manage the wrestlers, etc. Since this is a SvR, you had to compete with the GM from the other show to see who can get higher ratings. Fans have been asking for this mode for years, and when it finally showed, they shitted their pants in excitement. Smackdown vs Raw was a continuing success, but to the dismay of Sony fanboys, PlayStation would no longer be its exclusive home. It was time to hit the Box.
Welcome to the Xbox (I am Morpheus)
Welcome to the Xbox (I am Morpheus)When the news hit that SvR 2007 would appear on the Xbox 360, everybody was stunned. Smackdown has been a PlayStation exclusive for so long, nobody thought it would come out for any other system. What was more surprising was that the PS3 didn't get a version of the game. There was one planned for the PS3 launch, but was delayed to December because the team had trouble programing it. It was delayed again til after the Christmas season until the developers decided to cancel the project altogether. Whatever. I had an Xbox 360 and a PS2 so I wasn't gonna miss out. Following the example of Fight Night (i.e. blatantly copying), SvR2007 changed their controls so now that grappling is done by the right stick. This kinda made things less complicated in terms of controls, and seemed more responsive. If you clicked on the right stick, you'll do what is called an ultimate control move. You move the right stick in the direction needed to do a move. So, to do a powerbomb, you would flick up on the stick to pick them up, and then flick down to slam them. It was a nice addition, but it had one major flaw: it was irreversible. Once it was activated, there was no way out. Players online would spam these moves until they won. Also, there were now environmental attacks. Drag your opponent to a certain spot, and you can use it to your advantage. Slamming a guys head into the steps never gets old. Doing this drained your stamina, so you couldn't do it too much. Season mode had branching storylines, and GM mode was improved. All in all, it was a great debut for the 360.
SvR2008 came out the next year, and it really didn't do much different. Ultimate control moves could now be reversed which was a definite plus. Fighting styles were introduced in this game, but the idea sucked, so they got rid of it in the next game. It did introduced my new favorite match type: ECW extreme rules match. It was essentually a hardcore match but with elements that reminds me of the classic ECW like crowd participation. Also, when you went under the ring, you could select exactly what weapon you wanted. Sweet. Story mode and GM mode was converged into one mode called 24/7 mode. Now you can manage your superstar while going through a story. If you pick a GM, then it's basically GM mode. The problem with this is that after one year, the story repeats itself, and you definitely don't want to hear the same shit over and over again. 24/7 mode sucked balls. SvR2009 thankfully ditched that mode and created 6 character - specific stories for you to play through. This is how it should always be done for now on. There's also a career mode with works like a downgraded 24/7 mode, except more fun to play. Sadly, playing through this mode is the only way to level up your created player. Sucks. The biggest focus for 2009 was the tag team matches. Now tag team have only one bar per team instead of everyone having their own bar. This makes sense since if your partner is getting his ass kicked, you're shouldn't be on the verge of having complete momentum. What you can do, however, is perform a hot tag. Every wrestling fan knows what this is. The guy crawls to his corner and tags the fresh man. He then comes in and clotheslines the first guy, hit the second, and then focus his attention on the first guy again. Do this successfully, and you will earn a special. My favorite improvement above all else is that the AI isn't as retarded as before. Your partner pretty much knows what to do in certain situations. If your getting your ass kicked, he'll started building up the meter for a hot tag. The opponents are a little more aggressive, but still plays chicken when you leave the ring. It's nice to see them finally getting the AI up to snuff. Just like GM mode (which was out on its ass in this game), fans have also been begging for a create a finisher mode, and this game finally brings it to the gamers. It's a little bare-bones, and most moves created looks like you're just putting tarnish on already established moves, but the base is there for them to build on. I can't wait to see what they do with it.
SvR2008 came out the next year, and it really didn't do much different. Ultimate control moves could now be reversed which was a definite plus. Fighting styles were introduced in this game, but the idea sucked, so they got rid of it in the next game. It did introduced my new favorite match type: ECW extreme rules match. It was essentually a hardcore match but with elements that reminds me of the classic ECW like crowd participation. Also, when you went under the ring, you could select exactly what weapon you wanted. Sweet. Story mode and GM mode was converged into one mode called 24/7 mode. Now you can manage your superstar while going through a story. If you pick a GM, then it's basically GM mode. The problem with this is that after one year, the story repeats itself, and you definitely don't want to hear the same shit over and over again. 24/7 mode sucked balls. SvR2009 thankfully ditched that mode and created 6 character - specific stories for you to play through. This is how it should always be done for now on. There's also a career mode with works like a downgraded 24/7 mode, except more fun to play. Sadly, playing through this mode is the only way to level up your created player. Sucks. The biggest focus for 2009 was the tag team matches. Now tag team have only one bar per team instead of everyone having their own bar. This makes sense since if your partner is getting his ass kicked, you're shouldn't be on the verge of having complete momentum. What you can do, however, is perform a hot tag. Every wrestling fan knows what this is. The guy crawls to his corner and tags the fresh man. He then comes in and clotheslines the first guy, hit the second, and then focus his attention on the first guy again. Do this successfully, and you will earn a special. My favorite improvement above all else is that the AI isn't as retarded as before. Your partner pretty much knows what to do in certain situations. If your getting your ass kicked, he'll started building up the meter for a hot tag. The opponents are a little more aggressive, but still plays chicken when you leave the ring. It's nice to see them finally getting the AI up to snuff. Just like GM mode (which was out on its ass in this game), fans have also been begging for a create a finisher mode, and this game finally brings it to the gamers. It's a little bare-bones, and most moves created looks like you're just putting tarnish on already established moves, but the base is there for them to build on. I can't wait to see what they do with it.
Get Jericho's theme right this time!
Ten games is a long time, but Smackdown continues to kick ass. The one thing I like about THQ and Yukes is that unlike most developers who makes a game on a yearly basis, I feel that they are the only ones who try every year. I swear 2K Sports seem to take a year off every once in a while, and Madden is just now getting their shit together. Smackdown tries something every year; sometimes it's a colossal failure, but I appriecate the effort. Anyway, I just wanted to shed some light on one of my favorite franchises in video games, especially since my first spotlight bash the living hell out of another one. Tune in next time. Wait, when is the next time, anyway? Hmmm. Ah well, keep reading til something pops up.
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