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WWE SmackDown (formerly trademarked as WWE SmackDown! and known as WWF SmackDown!) is a series of professional wrestling video games that is developed by YUKE's Future Media Creators and published by THQ. The first game released was on the PlayStation console in 2000, which prompted the releases of sequels on the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Mobile, Nintendo DS, and the Wii.

The original series (2000-2003) was titled under the SmackDown! name, while the present series (2004-) is titled SmackDown! vs. Raw. In Japan, the series was published by Yuke's and known as Exciting Pro Wrestling up until 2005. Following SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, THQ took over as the Japanese publisher and the series adopted the western name.^[1]

Each game is based on the professional wrestling promotion, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Each game features a roster based on WWE, where they are playable in different professional wrestling match types. Also included since the series introduction is a season mode, an arcade like feature where the player chooses a superstar to work with through a series of storylines that involves challenging for championships and choosing options that affect the superstar's career in the mode.

Contents 1 History 2 Gameplay 2.1 Season mode 2.2 General Manager mode 2.3 Exhibition mode 2.4 Online gameplay 2.5 Roster 2.6 Create mode 3 Development 4 Reception 5 Games 6 References

[edit] History

The series began under the WWF SmackDown! series name, with the release of WWF SmackDown!. After releasing Know Your Role and Just Bring It under the same name, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) was court ordered to change their name to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).^[2] As a result, all WWF products, including unreleased video games, were ordered to avoid using the WWF acronym. Due to the name change, the series was renamed to the WWE SmackDown! series.^[3] After the release of Shut Your Mouth and Here Comes the Pain under the same name, THQ announced the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw, a new installment into the original WWE SmackDown! series.^[4] Since the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw, to date, the WWE SmackDown! games have been released under the WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw name. Games released after WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw, were titled with the year of their release, such as WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006, which was released in November 2006. In 2007, with the release of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, the exclamation mark from the SmackDown logo had been removed, prompting the renaming of the series, to the WWE SmackDown series.^[5]

[edit] Gameplay

From the release of WWF SmackDown! to the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006, game functions and mechanics were kept at basic fundamentals. Fore example, players would press the grapple button and a directional button to perform an attack or throw. As WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 was released, new game mechanics were introduced, where a new control scheme improved the grappling system of the game, called "Ultimate Control moves." Unlike the previous games, where the player would press two buttons to perform a grapple or an attack, with the new control scheme, players were able to place their opponents into a grapple position, where they would choose to perform a move by moving the directional buttons of their system's controller. For example, the player could place their opponent in a suplex grappling position and the player could either perform a normal suplex or a inverted suplex slam.^[6][7] Before the release of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, in order for a player to force a superstar to submit, they had to tap buttons to move a meter (labeled "Submit" and "Escape") towards the end of the meter labeled "Submit", and the only way for the opponent to escape was for them to move the meter towards "escape". Included with the release of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 was a new submission system, where the player would have to move the analog sticks of their system's controller in different directions, to force the opponent to submit, while the opponent could do the same to escape the submission hold.^[8]

In every game, the amount of damage conducted to the player's chosen superstar was measured with a meter on the HUD, where a design of a male figure presented the damage. As a move is done on a superstar, the affected area of the body flashes, the more damage that is done to that specific body part, the more likely it is for the superstar to submit. Colors are used to represent the amount of damage done to a specific body area; Yellow represents minimal damage, orange represents moderate damage, and red represents maximum damage.^[9] As more damage is done to an opponent, the more likely it is for them to lose the match. There are four ways to win a match in every game, by pinfall, submission, knockout, countout, or the match could end in a draw. With the introduction of an on-screen referee in WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It, the ability to win by disqualification was also included. Disqualification, pinfall, submission, and countout are all enabled by default, though they can be altered in an options menu, where they can be enabled or disabled.^[10]

Included with the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw, was the option of fighting as a dirty or a clean. When players selected dirty, the superstar is booed by the audience in the game, oppositely, the clean is cheered by the audience. With the dirty or clean option, comes the inclusion of performing a special maneuver when playing. If the player is a dirty superstar, they must direct their superstar into building up their dirty meter by performing dirty tactics, such as attacking the referee or taking the pad off the ring's turnbuckle. Unlike performing dirty tactics, clean superstars build their meters by performing clean tactics, such as an aerial technique or performing a taunt. When the dirty superstar's meter builds up, they are able to perform a signature low blow or as a clean superstar, they can perform the opponent's signature move.^[11][12]

With the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006, was the inclusion of a stamina system. The stamina system, is literally how much stamina the player's superstar has. The stamina system is measured by a meter on the HUD, the meter decreases when performing a variety of moves. The meter increases however, when the player does nothing with superstar, or holds down a selected button that increases the stamina, depending on the player's system. When the superstar's stamina is low, the wrestler reacts by performing moves, walking, and running slower. If the meter decreases completely, the superstar will fall to the ground, until the meter increases.^[13][14]

[edit] Season mode

In the WWE SmackDown series, the player is able to choose a "superstar" from a roster and complete in an arcade like featured, called season mode. In season mode, the player must direct their superstar through different obstacles in their career, through a year of WWE programming to gain respect with other superstars and popularity among the fans. Like actual superstars from WWE, the superstars in the WWE SmackDown series season mode, are involved in storylines that affect their career in someway. Beginning with the release of WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth, the WWE Brand Extension has been included in season mode, where the player's superstar is exclusive to one brand of WWE. A result of the inclusion of the brand extension, is that the player's superstar may only wrestle superstars and wrestle for championships from the same brand he or she is apart of. In season mode, the player's superstar has the ability to earn and wrestle for a variety of championships based on actual WWE Championships. If a superstar wins a championship, their respect and popularity increase, which also increases their involvement in main event matches. As the superstar's respect and popularity increases through the year of WWE Programming, the more likely it is for the player to achieve the main goal in season mode, which is to earn a World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania, the WWE's flagship pay-per-view event and the final stage in season mode. After the final stage, season modes begins again with the same superstar chosen before, though the player has the option of switching superstars, where the superstar is apart of the WWE Draft Lottery and is assigned to a brand.^[15][16]

[edit] General Manager mode

General Manager mode is a feature that also begun with the release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006, as players are able to play as the general manager of WWE's brands, where they draft superstars onto their brand, set champions for their brand, and set up rivalries for their brand; all to compete with the opposing brand(s).^[17] This mode, unlike the rest of the games, tended to blur the lines between kayfabe and reality. In other modes wrestling is portrayed as real. In General Manager mode, however, the line is split. Starting in SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, you must hire storyline writers to promote rivalries between superstars. However, you cannot determine the outcome of a match yourself, in this way, the mode blurs the lines of kayfabe, a process that World Wrestling Entertainment rarely engages in.

The gameplay of this mode is similar to that in the Extreme Warfare series. In both games, you draft a roster of wrestlers and manage a show. In the SmackDown! series, only WWE is included, whilst in Extreme Warfare, other promotions can be run as well. Extreme Warfare gives you complete control over a show, to the extent determining the exact match outcomes, down to a finishing maneuver, while GM mode is more stylized and graphically superior, and includes an option to watch matches you have booked.

[edit] Exhibition mode

Other than the season mode, every game features an exhibition mode, where different professional wrestling match types are available for gameplay. Basic matches included in every game are one on one matches, where a player chooses one superstar to wrestle another bot operated or human operated superstar, or a Tag team match, where a pair of superstars team together, to face another team. These basic matches may also expand into, six-man tag team matches or non-elimination type matches, which include four or more superstars.^[18] Besides basic matches, hardcore based matches are also included, such as the Steel Cage match, which has been included in every game, the Elimination Chamber, which was incepted with the release of WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain^[19], and ECW Extreme Rules matches, which is basic hardcore wrestling based on the ECW brand of WWE (incepted with the release of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008.^[20] Also included in every game, is the Royal Rumble match, which is based on the actual Royal Rumble match, where a player chooses to compete as one superstar, and must wrestle with twenty-nine other bot operated superstars.^[21]

[edit] Online gameplay

Starting with the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw, online gameplay was made available for players who had a Sony Network Adapter, along with Sony's PlayStation 2. Beginning with WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw, the online gameplay was kept at a minimum, as online players only had two game modes to compete in: one-on-one and a Bra and Panties match, where a player competes as a WWE Diva and strips the opposition of their clothes, until they are left with only their bra and panties.^[22] When WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was released, the online gameplay was improved, where players were able to compete in more match types, were able to defend created championships, and up to four players would now be able to compete in each match.^[23] With the release of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 on the Xbox 360 console, players were able to rip music from their computer's hard disk drive into the video game, where the music can be used in superstar's ring entrance.^[24]

[edit] Roster

Every game in the WWE SmackDown series, includes a roster of "superstars" (which is the name used by the WWE to refer to their male professional wrestlers) based on actual superstars who compete for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Every year, WWE acquires new superstars and releases old superstars. As a result, every year a WWE SmackDown game is released, the new superstars are added into the game and the old released superstars are removed from the game to reflect the changes in the actual WWE. From the release of WWF SmackDown! to the release of WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It, superstars were not divided into brands. In 2002, the WWE split it's entire roster into two brands of wrestling, called RAW and SmackDown!, names to reflect the WWE's television shows.^[25] The WWE Brand Extension was first featured in WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth.^[26] In 2006, WWE launched a new brand, called ECW, a brand to reflect the original promotion.^[27] The new ECW brand was first featured in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008.^[28] The WWE holds an annual draft lottery, where WWE superstars switch brands. The game in production when the draft occurs, includes those draft changes. For example, when WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 was in production, the 2007 WWE Draft took place in June 2007, however, the draft changes were included in the video game. Another brand of wrestling included in the series, is the legends program, which was incepted with the release of WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain.^[29] Popular alumni of WWE or WWE Hall of Famers have been included since then, under the legends program.

[edit] Create mode

The series features a create mode, where players are able to create their own wrestler and move set, or the moves the wrestler is able to perform. The feature was incepted when WWF SmackDown! was released in 2000. As the years progressed, the mode was enhanced; the first enhancement was instated with the release of WWE SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, which featured a create a taunt mode where players were able to create wrestler taunts. This was further enhanced in WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth into a create an animation mode, now featuring walking styles, and other features.^[30] With the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006, the game incepted a create and entrance feature, where players were able to create a custom entrance for their created players and original superstars in the game.^[31] The feature was enhanced with the release of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, as players were able to place pyrotechnics and special effects in any part of the superstar's entrance.^[32]

[edit] Development

Every game in the WWE SmackDown series has been developed by YUKE's Future Media Creators^[33], and published by THQ.^[34] Before the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw, the only communication possible in season mode was through subtitles. Voice over was however, included in season mode with the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw. Actual WWE superstars pre-record a script, which is then included in the game and is assigned to the voice of the actual superstar in the game. With the exception of WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain, pre-recorded commentary by actual WWE commentators have been included in each game since the release of WWE SmackDown! Just Bring It.^[35] YUKE's Future Media Creators studios in Yokohama, Japan worked with WWE storyline writers to write storylines for the season modes of each WWE SmackDown game.^[36] When WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 was released for more than one console, YUKE's Future Media Creators had to port their original game codes that make up each game mode and graphic designs, to a new game engine that supported the new consoles. When new features are upgraded to new WWE SmackDown games, developers had to create new gaming codes for the features. Along with the features, the developers had to trial the game for any errors.^[37] An improvement done yearly by YUKE's Future Media Creators with each release of a WWE SmackDown game, was the polygon count for the 3D models of the superstars in each game. As the polygon count increases, the more enhanced the representation of the graphics appear.^[38]

[edit] Reception

Game	System	Metacritic	Game Rankings
WWF SmackDown!	PlayStation	—	87% (33 Reviews)[39]
WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role	PlayStation	90/100 (15 Reviews)[40]	85% (30 Reviews)[41]
WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It	PlayStation 2	90/100 (15 Reviews)[42]	85% (30 Reviews)[43]
WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth	PlayStation 2	82/100 (27 Reviews)[44]	84% (60 Reviews)[45]
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain	PlayStation 2	85/100 (27 Reviews)[46]	86% (61 Reviews)[47]
WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw	PlayStation 2	80/100 (46 Reviews)[48]	86% (63 Reviews)[49]
WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006	PlayStation 2	84/100 (45 Reviews)[50]	84% (63 Reviews)[51]
	PlayStation Portable	81/100 (31 Reviews)[52]	82% (43 Reviews)[53]
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007	PlayStation 2	80/100 (27 Reviews)[54]	78% (36 Reviews)[55]
	PlayStation Portable	78/100 (13 Reviews)[56]	80% (16 Reviews)[57]
	Xbox 360	81/100 (51 Reviews)[58]	80% (58 Reviews)[59]
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008	PlayStation 2	71/100 (11 Reviews)[60]	71% (20 Reviews)[61]
	PlayStation 3	74/100 (27 Reviews)[62]	72% (36 Reviews)[63]
	PlayStation Portable	68/100 (10 Reviews)[64]	67% (16 Reviews)[65]
	Xbox 360	71/100 (41 Reviews)[66]	70% (50 Reviews)[67]
	Wii	59/100 (12 Reviews)[68]	63% (20 Reviews)[69]
	Mobile	—	55% (4 Reviews)[70]
	Nintendo DS	62/100 (12 Reviews)[71]	62% (20 Reviews)[72]

The original WWF SmackDown! for the PlayStation console, was one of the most popular games for the console in 2000, selling over 975,000 units for the PlayStation,^[73] and selling over one million copies in the United States.^[74] The game loss much appeal due to the failing of a well establish season mode, that was deemed "disappointing." The season mode was criticized for the lack of in-depth storylines and criticism of the way superstars spoke in season mode, through "putrid lines" and "blocked text."^[75] WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role received a better reception than the first WWE SmackDown game, as IGN stated that season mode "actually works properly," though, the audio of the game was lacking, as there was no commentary and only generic music was included in the game.^[76] WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It, according to IGN, did little to improve the audio and the season mode of the game. Audio commentary was added to the game, however, it featured "arguably the worst commentary."^[77]

WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth and WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain received better reviews from IGN, as they featured a more expanded season mode, though flaws were still visible in the mode, it improve from the previous three WWF SmackDown! games, as it was written by actual WWE storyline writers.^[78] Both games also featured generic music, though the quality of the music had improved. Shut Your Mouth featured little improvement to the commentary, and was then removed completely from Here Comes the Pain.^[79][80] WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw received a better review by IGN than previous games, as it had many improvements and stating that "Yukes and THQ are definitely on the track to success."^[81] To date, WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 has received a better review by IGN, being rated a 9.2/10, due to the additions of matches, General Manger mode, and being able to defending championships in exhibition mode.^[82] WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 received lower rating reviews by IGN, due to lack of appealing season mode and little improvement of features, with the exceptions of the "Ultimate Control moves," "Struggle system," and the ECW Extreme Rules matches.^[20][83] The SmackDown! series to date is among best-selling video game franchises with (as of 2008) 37 million copies shipped.^[84]

The SmackDown! series to date is among best-selling video game franchises with (as of 2008) 37 million copies shipped.^[84]

[edit] Games

Main article: List of WWE SmackDown video game titles

To date, there have been ten games released from the WWE SmackDown series, five under the same name, and five under the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw name. The first game released was WWF SmackDown! and the most recent release was WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, with WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 currently in production.

[edit] References