THQ enters the ring for the very first time on Nintendo Wii with WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008. How does THQ’s flagship grappler fare on Nintendo’s newest system? Read on and find out.

WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008 for the Wii marks the series’ debut on a Nintendo home console. It’s not a perfect debut, but it is a step in the right direction and does feature a few options that are unavailable in other versions.

The game features the same Superstars and unlockables as the other console versions. However, it does not feature ANY of the specialty match modes available in the PS3 and X-Box 360 versions. NO LADDER MATCH, NO ELIMINATION CHAMBER, NO STEEL CAGE OR HELL IN THE CELL! It goes without saying that this is a HUGE detriment for this game. This also obviously makes the career mode a bit boring. Due to the limitations of the Wii, the developers decided to create an entirely new career mode, rather than port the WWE 24/7 mode from the other versions. The only redeeming feature of this new career mode is the ability to choose which show you are on. This is the only version of the game this feature is available on. The Career Mode works differently in the Wii version. You choose your Superstar, what Brand you want to be with, and whether you will be Clean or Dirty. Then, using the cell phone in your locker room, you interact with other Superstars and begin your rise up the ranks. You begin as a rookie. As you win matches and gain popularity, you rise up the ranks with the eventual goal being to attain the rank of Main Eventer. As you move up the ranks, you unlock title shots, new Brands, Superstars and Legends to use in the Play Now mode.

Controls are pretty easy to master, as is to be expected. You move your character with      the analog stick on the Nunchuk. Strikes are performed by shaking the Wiimote. Grapples are performed by following on screen prompts to perform the various holds. Each wrestler has a life bar that changes color as you take damage. It starts off blue, changes to yellow and, finally, ends up red. When your opponent’s life bar is yellow,  holding the A and B buttons and shaking the Wiimote makes your character perform a favorite move, usually a very devastating grapple, such as the Undertaker’s Chokeslam. These moves almost always turns your opponent’s life bar red, which sets them up for a Finishing Move. These moves, performed using the same motions as previously described will almost always finish your opponents off, allowing you to pin them for the win. Is this control scheme simplistic? Oh Hell Yeah, but that is what makes it work. The ease with which you can pull off the moves makes this a wrestling game anyone can play and have fun with. The game has a face paced arcade-like feel to it and it is actually a lot of fun to play with other people. I am sure future installments in the series will add depth to the controls.

The sound is also a mixed bag. All of the Superstars’ Entrance Music is here, along with some generic rock tunes. For the first time, there is commentary int he game, but liek all the other versions, it is not terribly diverse and repeats often. The announcers do not call actual moves, but make generic observations about the match and the Superstars. Still, it’s nice to see commentary finally make into the series on a Nintendo System.

Finally, let’s talk about the graphics. Wrestler models are incredibly detailed, given the technological limitations of the Wii. Arena and crowds are well detailed and animated and entrances, complete with pyro and effects, look awesome. Moves are well animated and look very close to the real thing. The graphics on this game are actually one of it’s stronger points.

The buzzword for WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008 across the board this year is potential. The series broke new ground on several platforms this year with mixed results. One of these new platforms is the Nintendo Wii. The Wii version, in the end, feels somewhat unfinished. The graphics and gameplay are solid, but the options are limited. It is clear that the developers had problems working around the Wii’s limitations as the huge variety of match types that is one of the hallmarks of the series is absent in this version. However, this is the version you are most likely to be able to perform your favorite Superstar’s moves in, due to the ease of the control scheme. I have high hopes for the future Wii installments of this franchise. This is a good first step. You can see the potential, you just can’t play it, yet.

WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008 for the Nintendo Wii Scores a 3 out of 5.