Game Review: WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2009 for PSP

Last year, WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2009 made a play for dominance in the handheld arena, and more ambitiously, made a bid for consideration in the same class as it’s console “Big Brothers.” They have further advanced this cause this year, as the PSP version shares all of the main features of the other console versions. Does it make it’s case for consideration alongside the main console versions? Read on and find out?

The PSP version of WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2009 is a big step up from last year’s version and, given the horrendous DS version, it is easily the best handheld version of the game. This year’s version combines tight controls, great graphics and a huge variety of match types. The game is meant to be a minature version of the main console versions, and in that regard, it succeeds spectacularly.

The character models are incredibly detailed, with each muscle rendered in detail and improved faces and hair animations. There are all new move animations, and more moves than ever before. Arenas look as faithful as they do on TV. The cut scenes in the “Road to WrestleMania” mode are also well animated.

The controls for this game are some of the tightest on a handheld console I have ever played with. Unlike the DS version, which attempts to use the DS’s most prominent feature, the touch screen, to create a frustrating experience which I hope to never have to go through again, the PSP version has chosen to opt for a simpler control scheme and it is all the better for it. The controls utilize the directional pad and different button combinations to perform the various moves. The R trigger assists in performing strong grapples and the L trigger is the run button. The analog nub is largely ignored, used only for taunting and choosing options for Ultimate Control Grapples. Ultimate Control Grapples are grapple moves that require you to pick one of several options to complete the move. The controls and fantastic. They respond extremely well and make it bith fun and satisfying to pull off your favorite moves. As you pull off moves, you build a momentum meter at the top of the screen. When the meter fills, you can pull off special moves, or, if the situation is right, Finishing Moves. Also new this year, is an emphasis on Tag Team wrestling. This is accentuated by the inclusion of spectacular new Double Team Moves and Finishers. These moves look amazing when pulled off corrently and cause a ton of damage to the opponent.The best part is, if you even forget any of the controls, you can pause the game and access the tutorial options, which gives you all of the different controls necessary for all of the different matches.

The main story mode in the game is called “Road to WrestleMania.” There are six separate stories you can play through, each with it’s own uniquely wriiten storyline, complete with angles and feuds. There are six single player stories : John Cena, Chris Jericho, Triple H, C.M. Punk and Undertaker, and one tag team story: Rey Mysterio and Batista. The mode takes your chosen Superstar(s) through the weeks between the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania. The mode features full voice over cutscenes and limited commentary. To enhance the game’s presentation of the WWE experience, each event features an opening pyro display and a short clip of the Announcers talking about your match for the evening. Your have two separate “home bases” during the mode: between shows, your private jet and, during shows, your locker room. Completing specific objectives and making certain choices unlocks hidden characters, new costumes, new Create-a-Wrestler options and more. For those, who don’t want to play through the story mode, but still want to play a season with the wrestler of their choice, or one of their created wrestlers, tehre is the Career Mode. This mode starts your Superstar with basic stats and gives you experience each time youw in a match. You will most likely start on the Intercontinental or United States Championship path and then work your way up. But, if you just want to wrestle a quick, one-off match, then the game has over 70 different match types to choose from, including this year’s new addition: THE INFERNO MATCH. The object is to perform moves to raise the temperature of the fire and then drag your opponent over to the surging flames to set them on fire. This match looks awesome! The flames rise with ever move and the wall of fire really grown when you reach maximum temperature. All of your favorites are also back: Ladder, Steel Cage, Hell-in-a-Cell, TLC and Elimination Chamber.

Create-a-Wrestler is back with more opptions than ever. In additon, the Create-an-Entrance returns from last year. Added this year is the innovative new “Create-a-Finisher” mode. In this mode you string several moves and animations together to create a signature Finishing move, which can then be assigned to any wrestler in the game.

Sound in the game is minimal, but satisfying, with commentary confined solely to the show intros in the “Road to WrestleMania” mode and the only voice acting is in the mode’s cut scenes. The music for the game mostly consists of WWE Entrance Music, with a few rock tracks mixed in.

Online is now a big part of this series and you can now go online and play all of the major matches over a wifi connection. There was no apparent lag when I tried out the online play and it was very satisfying.

Overall, there are a few hiccups with the lag when the system has to access data off the UMD, but otherwise, this is the bar for portable wrestling games. With the same variety of matches and graphics that exceed expectations, this really is the next best thing to playing this game on one of the bigger home consoles.