WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009
Encyclopedia
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 is a professional wrestling
video game developed
by Yuke's and published
by THQ
for the PlayStation 3
, PlayStation 2
, PlayStation Portable
, Nintendo DS
, Wii
, and Xbox 360
video game console
s. It is the tenth video game in the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw (later renamed to simply WWE) series, and is the sequel
to its 2007's predecessor, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008
and is succeeded by 2009's WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010
. TOSE
oversaw development for the Nintendo DS version. The game was released on November 9, 2008 in North America.
The video game is based on the professional wrestling promotion
, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and is named after the promotion's two brands
, Raw
and SmackDown. The game introduced a few key new features including the Inferno match, a revamped tag team match, and four new game modes: Create-a-Finisher, Road to WrestleMania
, Career and multiplayer season.
SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 is the first WWE video game to include the Inferno match, a match where the player has to set their opponent on fire. It is similar the real life match which takes place with the ring surrounded by fire coming from gas fed pipes. To win the player must increase the temperature of the ring by performing more devastating moves. As soon as the temperature reaches 500°F
(or in the EU version 300°C
), the player can then begin to set their opponent on fire. To set a person on fire, you (as previously stated) raise the temperature to max temp. and drag the person towards the ropes provided that the opponent is badly injured. However this match type is not available for the Nintendo DS or Wii.
Several matches absent in previous games also returned to the series. The backstage brawl, where players can battle in either the locker room or the backstage "Gorilla position" with a variety of weapons at their disposal, returned and replaced the parking lot brawl match featured in the last game. The Gauntlet match also is a newly featured match selection in the Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 series where one superstar takes on three others one immediately after the other. Unlike the other WWE SmackDown! vs RAW games General Manager mode, Create-A-Championship, and Create-A-PPV were removed from the SmackDown! vs RAW 2009 version.
Both the Wii and DS versions now include new match types, such as the Steel Cage and Ladder match
, with the DS version in addition also featuring tables and TLC matches
.
Fighting styles, a major feature from the previous version, were removed. However, the fighting abilities used there were kept and enhanced with each wrestler possessing six out of twenty different abilities that would aid the player in specific areas. New to the game is the inclusion of signature moves, moves secondary in importance next to their finishing moves. When in full momentum, the players can choose to store a signature move instead of performing a finishing move which they can perform later.
A new semi-auto targeting system was implemented into the game, which will generally automatically target a particular wrestler the player wants to attack but can also be controlled in-game by the player.
Japan
ese company TOSE
took over from Amaze Entertainment
in development for the Nintendo DS version. Unlike the previous year's game whose gameplay was focused exclusively on the handheld's stylus
, this year's edition instead uses by default the D-pad
for movement and the left shoulder button for finishing moves. The DS version's gameplay is now similar to that from the other consoles with full movement control around the ring for the wrestler and a stamina meter to build up for a finishing move. Grappling, attacks and submissions will still be controlled by the stylus.
In this new mode, players can choose from five superstars to play as in single-player storylines:
Triple H
, CM Punk
, The Undertaker, John Cena
, or Chris Jericho
. The storylines featured in the mode are tailor made to fit the chosen wrestler's character with each cutscene
made exclusively for the wrestler.
Career Mode:
Unlike the Road to WrestleMania mode, all superstars and divas featured in the game
are eligible to play including wrestlers created by the player in Create-A-Superstar mode.
The main aim of this mode is for the player to fight their way up the rankings for a particular title of their choice,
in match types that they can also choose.
After each match, the player's character is awarded attribute points based on the style of wrestling the player used.
Nintendo DS:
Fully inspired by the TOSE-developed game, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
,
the Nintendo DS version has an RPG
element to their season mode. Players will be able to roam around the arena,
improve their characters through the training room or WWE Shop and interact with superstars to start feuds.
The player is given missions to complete in order to become a champion. Created wrestlers will be eligible to use this career mode.
The series features a new Create Mode: The Create-A-Finisher feature. In it, the player has the ability to chain a selection of up to 10 out of over 500 animations to make unique finishing moves along with the choice to speed up or slow down the animations. Created finishers are limited to moves starting with both wrestlers standing face-to-face, with THQ suggesting future games will develop on more starting positions. The Create-A-Finisher feature is not available on the Wii version of the game.
The other major new addition to the game's create modes is the addition of the Highlight Reel, where players can record the last 30 seconds of an ongoing match, and edit the clips together afterwards with custom camera angles and added visual and sound effects. Players can save up to 20 files and can upload them for online users to see. The mode is featured on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Both Create-A-Finisher and Highlight Reel have replaced the Create-A-Belt feature, which was taken out due to its lack of support from fans.
The Create-A-Superstar mode is in the major consoles, but now features physics-based clothing items that will sway around realistically such as loose clothing and necklaces. About 70% of the parts in the mode are now 3D with about 25 to 30% of the mode featuring new content. For the first time, the Nintendo DS version features a limited version of the Create-A-Superstar mode.
A roster editor has also been introduced to change the wrestler's brand, face/heel disposition and titles for exhibition matches. The game's Create-A-Stable mode has also been incorporated into the editor under the Team Management name.
The Create-An-Entrance mode has now been extended to feature created entrances for tag teams. The Wii version will feature a Create-An-Entrance mode like the other versions except a limited created entrance for tag teams. Instead, utilizing the Wii Remote
and nunchuk, it will feature interactive entrances and victory celebrations, such as posing or beating down an opponent post-match. Successful poses during the player's entrance will give them more momentum and bonuses at the start of the match.
functionality for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were confirmed. Also note that if a tattoo is used on your created superstar, he/she will be prohibited from playing online. However, online play is not available for the PlayStation 2 version.
After complaints about outdated rosters in the previous games, THQ stated that the game will provide downloadable content
to keep the game as up to date as possible with new wrestlers and alternate attires.
used by the wrestlers (many of which are composed by WWE's music director Jim Johnston
) and the following licensed songs.
Also, some wrestlers' entrance theme songs can be played in the game's menus. You can also give any wrestler their own entrance music from any audio file saved on your console's hard drive.
P.O.D.
contributed with two of their songs, "Addicted" and "Booyaka 619", featured in the game's soundtrack.
, Triple H
, Kane
, Matt Hardy
, Randy Orton
, John Cena
, Batista and Rey Mysterio are included in the game. The game features new additions on the roster including Evan Bourne, Kofi Kingston
, Beth Phoenix
, Layla
, The Miz, Santino Marella, Ted DiBiase
and Brian Kendrick
as well as the first appearance of John Hennigan as John Morrison (he appeared as Johnny Nitro in the previous games). This is also Maria Kanellis
' first appearance as a playable superstar. This game also features the first appearance of Chris Jericho
since the 2006 installment
and Big Show since the 2007 installment. The game marks the last appearance of Ric Flair
, Elijah Burke
, Charlie Haas
, Super Crazy
, Snitsky
, The Boogeyman
, Paul London
, Ashley
, Jillian Hall
and Big Daddy V
(he has appeared as Viscera in the 2007 installment).
Evan Bourne, Ted DiBiase, Charlie Haas and Super Crazy appear in the game as downloadable content
on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. It is the first and only WWE SmackDown game not to feature The Rock.
and THQ. IGN released their first video game trailer and screenshot
s for SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. The trailer featured The Hardys
(Matt
and Jeff
) in a tag team match against Randy Orton
and Mr. Kennedy at the SummerSlam
pay-per-view
and the new tag team match features were explained. A commercial for the game was released in October, starring Triple H
along with John Cena
, Batista, Big Show
, Hornswoggle, Lilian Garcia
and Kelly Kelly.
A demo for the game was released in October for the PlayStation 3 console, featuring the singles and tag team matches with Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Shawn Michaels and Triple H as playable characters.
As with the previous game, a special collector's edition of SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 for the PlayStation 3 was released, which includes the game, special steel cage packaging, and a Blu-ray Disc
featuring matches from Raw
and SmackDown shows as well as a behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the game. This release was exclusive to the North American region.
A similar collector's edition was released in European regions, which features a special plastic ring, which has the same dimensions as a Blu-ray case. It also has the same Blu-ray disc as the North American release included in this package.
In September 2008, the British wrestling and MMA
magazine Fighting Spirit
published a private memo sent by the WWE to the members of the gaming press that were covering the game's release. The memo instructed the press not to publish screenshots of any characters bleeding or using weapons. Specifically, the memo declared that no Triple H screenshots could be used that showed his character "in a defenseless or vulnerable position." In a blurb titled "Digital Politics," the magazine defied the WWE's demand and published a screenshot of Triple H being dominated by Kane. The magazine Power Slam
later corroborated the memo.
On August 4, 2009, THQ re-released SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 as a part of PS3's Greatest Hits collection.
The game has received generally mixed to positive reviews from gaming critics. Critics generally praised the Road to WrestleMania. IGN
were however more critical of the game, calling the gameplay "noticeably stale" from previous games and citing the Highlight Reel and Create-A-Finisher modes as limited.
GameSpot
gave the console versions a 7.5 out of 10, lauding the game's graphics and the large number of moves, match types, single player modes and improved AI. Some aspects of the game's presentation were criticized, particularly movement animations, clipping issues and weak sound effects.
While the reception for the Nintendo DS version was varied between critics, both IGN and GamesMaster
criticized its touch-screen control scheme, suggesting that button-based control would have been more ideal.
G4
's X-Play
scored the game a 4-out-of-5.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
video game developed
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Yuke's and published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
s. It is the tenth video game in the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw (later renamed to simply WWE) series, and is the sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to its 2007's predecessor, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS video game consoles by THQ in November 2007. Amaze Entertainment oversaw development for the Nintendo DS...
and is succeeded by 2009's WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 , is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's, and published by THQ for the PlayStation 2 , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation Portable , Wii, Nintendo DS, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the eleventh video game in the WWE SmackDown vs...
. TOSE
TOSE
is a video game development company based in Kyoto, Japan. It is most known for developing Nintendo's Game & Watch Gallery series, various Dragon Ball games, as well as other Nintendo products...
oversaw development for the Nintendo DS version. The game was released on November 9, 2008 in North America.
The video game is based on the professional wrestling promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and is named after the promotion's two brands
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
, Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
and SmackDown. The game introduced a few key new features including the Inferno match, a revamped tag team match, and four new game modes: Create-a-Finisher, Road to WrestleMania
WrestleMania
WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in late March or early April by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut...
, Career and multiplayer season.
Match gameplay
One of the game's most prominent features is the enhanced tag team match. Additions in the match include new ways of tagging the player's tag team partner such as the hot tag, which can help save the player in the match if they are in trouble, and the forced blind tag, where the illegal partner can tag his or herself into the ring. The legal player's tag team partner has more of a part to play in this match and will aid the player by holding an opponent on the ropes while on the apron (pictured), and pulling down the ropes for an opponent who is dashing towards them, sending them out of the ring. Teams will now share their own momentum meter, attributes and double team finishers.Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit is the temperature scale proposed in 1724 by, and named after, the German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit . Within this scale, the freezing of water into ice is defined at 32 degrees, while the boiling point of water is defined to be 212 degrees...
(or in the EU version 300°C
Celsius
Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
), the player can then begin to set their opponent on fire. To set a person on fire, you (as previously stated) raise the temperature to max temp. and drag the person towards the ropes provided that the opponent is badly injured. However this match type is not available for the Nintendo DS or Wii.
Several matches absent in previous games also returned to the series. The backstage brawl, where players can battle in either the locker room or the backstage "Gorilla position" with a variety of weapons at their disposal, returned and replaced the parking lot brawl match featured in the last game. The Gauntlet match also is a newly featured match selection in the Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 series where one superstar takes on three others one immediately after the other. Unlike the other WWE SmackDown! vs RAW games General Manager mode, Create-A-Championship, and Create-A-PPV were removed from the SmackDown! vs RAW 2009 version.
Both the Wii and DS versions now include new match types, such as the Steel Cage and Ladder match
Ladder match
A ladder match is a type of match in professional wrestling that is most commonly used to describe a match where an item is hung above the ring, and the winner is the contestant who climbs a ladder and retrieves the item...
, with the DS version in addition also featuring tables and TLC matches
Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match
A Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match, often abbreviated as a TLC, is a type of professional wrestling match originated within WWE, but can be seen under different variations in other wrestling promotions....
.
Fighting styles, a major feature from the previous version, were removed. However, the fighting abilities used there were kept and enhanced with each wrestler possessing six out of twenty different abilities that would aid the player in specific areas. New to the game is the inclusion of signature moves, moves secondary in importance next to their finishing moves. When in full momentum, the players can choose to store a signature move instead of performing a finishing move which they can perform later.
A new semi-auto targeting system was implemented into the game, which will generally automatically target a particular wrestler the player wants to attack but can also be controlled in-game by the player.
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese company TOSE
TOSE
is a video game development company based in Kyoto, Japan. It is most known for developing Nintendo's Game & Watch Gallery series, various Dragon Ball games, as well as other Nintendo products...
took over from Amaze Entertainment
Amaze Entertainment
Amaze Entertainment was a video game developer from the United States that sold over 100 games in its ten-year history , for several video game platforms, with headquarters located in Kirkland, Washington. Amaze’s primary focus was licensed games based on movie franchises, comic series, and...
in development for the Nintendo DS version. Unlike the previous year's game whose gameplay was focused exclusively on the handheld's stylus
Stylus (computing)
In computing, a stylus is a small pen-shaped instrument that is used to input commands to a computer screen, mobile device or graphics tablet...
, this year's edition instead uses by default the D-pad
D-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
for movement and the left shoulder button for finishing moves. The DS version's gameplay is now similar to that from the other consoles with full movement control around the ring for the wrestler and a stamina meter to build up for a finishing move. Grappling, attacks and submissions will still be controlled by the stylus.
Game modes
Road To Wrestlemania:In this new mode, players can choose from five superstars to play as in single-player storylines:
Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
, CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
, The Undertaker, John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
, or Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
. The storylines featured in the mode are tailor made to fit the chosen wrestler's character with each cutscene
Cutscene
A cutscene is a sequence in a video game over which the player has no or only limited control, breaking up the gameplay and used to advance the plot, strengthen the main character's development, introduces enemy characters, and provide background information, atmosphere, dialogue, and clues...
made exclusively for the wrestler.
- As part of the game's new emphasis on tag teams, a co-operative storyline was also included in the mode, in which players can take the parts of Rey Mysterio or Dave Batista. For the first time. the Wii version will also include the Road to WrestleMania mode, replacing their equivalent Main Event mode in the previous edition.
Career Mode:
Unlike the Road to WrestleMania mode, all superstars and divas featured in the game
are eligible to play including wrestlers created by the player in Create-A-Superstar mode.
The main aim of this mode is for the player to fight their way up the rankings for a particular title of their choice,
in match types that they can also choose.
After each match, the player's character is awarded attribute points based on the style of wrestling the player used.
Nintendo DS:
Fully inspired by the TOSE-developed game, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
is an action-adventure video game developed by TOSE and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It is the sequel to Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest: Shōgeki no Shippo Dan for the Game Boy Advance. It was first released in Japan, and later in North America...
,
the Nintendo DS version has an RPG
Role-playing game (video games)
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
element to their season mode. Players will be able to roam around the arena,
improve their characters through the training room or WWE Shop and interact with superstars to start feuds.
The player is given missions to complete in order to become a champion. Created wrestlers will be eligible to use this career mode.
Create modes
The other major new addition to the game's create modes is the addition of the Highlight Reel, where players can record the last 30 seconds of an ongoing match, and edit the clips together afterwards with custom camera angles and added visual and sound effects. Players can save up to 20 files and can upload them for online users to see. The mode is featured on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Both Create-A-Finisher and Highlight Reel have replaced the Create-A-Belt feature, which was taken out due to its lack of support from fans.
The Create-A-Superstar mode is in the major consoles, but now features physics-based clothing items that will sway around realistically such as loose clothing and necklaces. About 70% of the parts in the mode are now 3D with about 25 to 30% of the mode featuring new content. For the first time, the Nintendo DS version features a limited version of the Create-A-Superstar mode.
A roster editor has also been introduced to change the wrestler's brand, face/heel disposition and titles for exhibition matches. The game's Create-A-Stable mode has also been incorporated into the editor under the Team Management name.
The Create-An-Entrance mode has now been extended to feature created entrances for tag teams. The Wii version will feature a Create-An-Entrance mode like the other versions except a limited created entrance for tag teams. Instead, utilizing the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
and nunchuk, it will feature interactive entrances and victory celebrations, such as posing or beating down an opponent post-match. Successful poses during the player's entrance will give them more momentum and bonuses at the start of the match.
Online features
The Wii version now includes online gameplay as well as rankings. Voice chatVoice chat
Voice chat is a modern form of communication used on the Internet. The means of communicating with voice chat is through any of the messengers, mainly Skype, Yahoo! Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger, inSpeak Communicator or Windows Live Messenger...
functionality for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were confirmed. Also note that if a tattoo is used on your created superstar, he/she will be prohibited from playing online. However, online play is not available for the PlayStation 2 version.
After complaints about outdated rosters in the previous games, THQ stated that the game will provide downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
to keep the game as up to date as possible with new wrestlers and alternate attires.
Development
The in-game commentary in the major console versions feature three announcing teams like the previous version but is considered to have a more play-by-play aspect this time. According to THQ, loading times for the game have been reduced by 50%, affecting such areas as wrestler entrances.Soundtrack
Like the previous games in the series, the soundtrack consists of a mixture of entrance theme songsMusic in professional wrestling
Music in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
used by the wrestlers (many of which are composed by WWE's music director Jim Johnston
Jim Johnston (composer)
James Alan "Jim" Johnston is an American music composer who has been working for WWE since 1985. His work is often accredited to the names Jim Johnston, James A...
) and the following licensed songs.
| Artist | Song |
|---|---|
| Bloodsimple Bloodsimple Bloodsimple is an American heavy metal band from New York City that formed in 2002. They were signed to Warner Bros. Records.The band's name, Bloodsimple, comes from a term coined by detective novelist Dashiell Hammett. The term apparently describes the addled, fearful mindset people are in after... |
"Dead Man Walking" |
| Burn Halo Burn Halo Burn Halo is a hard rock band, originating from Orange County, California and Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was formed by James Hart, former lead singer of Orange County metalcore band Eighteen Visions.-Formation and self-titled debut album :... |
"Save Me" |
| Disturbed | "Perfect Insanity Perfect Insanity "Perfect Insanity" is a song by American rock band Disturbed released as a promotional single from their fourth album Indestructible. The song was originally written by the band prior to their debut album, The Sickness... " |
| Egypt Central Egypt Central Egypt Central is an American rock band from Memphis, Tennessee.-Formation and debut album :Egypt Central was formed on October 2, 2002. They wrote and recorded for one year until generating a buzz in their hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. After eight shows, they caught the attention of former Lava... |
"Taking You Down" |
| Egypt Central | "You Make Me Sick" |
| The Exies The Exies The Exies are an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1997. Their name, "The Exies", is short for "The Existentialists". Their two Virgin Records releases, Inertia and Head for the Door , have sold over 400,000 copies combined.-History:The Exies formed in 1997 when singer and... |
"Lay Your Money Down A Modern Way of Living with the Truth A Modern Way of Living with the Truth is the fourth studio album by The Exies. It was released on May 15, 2007 by Eleven Seven Music.-Track listing:# "Leaving Song" – 1:52# "Lay Your Money Down" – 3:24# "A Fear of Being Alone" – 3:57... " |
| Murs Murs Murs may refer to:*Murs , American rapper*Multi-Use Radio ServiceFrench communes*Murs, Indre*Murs, Vaucluse*Murs-et-Gélignieux, Ain département*Mûrs-Erigné, Maine-et-Loire département... |
"SWC" |
| P.O.D. P.O.D. Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and... |
"Addicted Addicted (P.O.D. song) "Addicted" is the lead single off P.O.D.'s album, When Angels & Serpents Dance. The song was officially released on iTunes on February 19, 2008 and to radio on March 10. It was one of the most added songs on Active Rock radio during its first week. It peaked at number 30 on Billboard's Mainstream... " |
| Six | "Better Than Mine" |
| Steriogram Steriogram Steriogram is a rock band that formed in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1999. Their 2004 song "Walkie Talkie Man" was used in an advertisement for the iPod and a number of films and video games.-Formation and first album, 1999–2005:... |
"Get Up This Is Not the Target Market This Is Not the Target Market is the second album by New Zealand punk band Steriogram. It was their first independent release after leaving major label Capitol Records.-Track listing:# "Get Up" – 2:45# "Talk About It" – 2:32# "Own Way Home" – 2:42... " |
Also, some wrestlers' entrance theme songs can be played in the game's menus. You can also give any wrestler their own entrance music from any audio file saved on your console's hard drive.
P.O.D.
P.O.D.
Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
contributed with two of their songs, "Addicted" and "Booyaka 619", featured in the game's soundtrack.
Roster
Prominent wrestlers of the series like The Undertaker, Edge, Shawn MichaelsShawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
, Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
, Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
, Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
, John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
, Batista and Rey Mysterio are included in the game. The game features new additions on the roster including Evan Bourne, Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston
Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah , is a Ghanaian American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Kofi Kingston. He is currently signed to WWE and works on its Raw brand where he is one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions with Evan Bourne as Air Boom...
, Beth Phoenix
Beth Phoenix
Elizabeth Kocianski is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE where she wrestles on the Raw brand under the ring name Beth Phoenix, where she is the reigning WWE Divas Champion....
, Layla
Layla El
Layla El is an English dancer, model and professional wrestler of Moroccan and Spanish descent. She is employed by WWE as a WWE Diva and appears on the SmackDown brand as Layla...
, The Miz, Santino Marella, Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase, Jr.
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor signed with WWE, where he appears on its SmackDown brand...
and Brian Kendrick
Brian Kendrick
Brian David Kendrick is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under his real name. Before joining TNA he spent several years wrestling for World Wrestling Entertainment, where he wrestled under his name, as Spanky, and finally as "The" Brian Kendrick...
as well as the first appearance of John Hennigan as John Morrison (he appeared as Johnny Nitro in the previous games). This is also Maria Kanellis
Maria Kanellis
Maria Louise Kanellis, , or simply Maria, is a singer-songwriter, actress, model, and professional wrestler, best known for her time with World Wrestling Entertainment. Kanellis's career began as a contestant on the reality show Outback Jack in 2004...
' first appearance as a playable superstar. This game also features the first appearance of Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
since the 2006 installment
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006
WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 , is a professional wrestling video game released on the PlayStation 2 console and the PlayStation Portable handheld console by THQ and developed by Yuke's. It is part of the WWE SmackDown vs...
and Big Show since the 2007 installment. The game marks the last appearance of Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
, Elijah Burke
Elijah Burke
Elijah Samuel Burke is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the name of "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero; a gimmick in which he portrays a Harlem street preacher...
, Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas
Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin...
, Super Crazy
Super Crazy
Francisco Islas Rueda is a Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador, best known by his ring name Super Crazy. Islas is most known for his three year run in the original ECW...
, Snitsky
Gene Snitsky
Eugene Alan "Gene" Snisky is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Snitsky, who is best known for his time spent with World Wrestling Entertainment. He had played college football at the University of Missouri and was on the pre-season roster in 1995 for the Birmingham Barracudas...
, The Boogeyman
Marty Wright
Martin "Marty" Wright is an American professional wrestler and actor best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name The Boogeyman.-Tough Enough:...
, Paul London
Paul London
Paul Michael London is an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment ....
, Ashley
Ashley Massaro
Ashley Marie Massaro is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to World Independent Ladies Division Wrestling. She is best known for her work with World Wrestling Entertainment and her appearance on Survivor: China....
, Jillian Hall
Jillian Hall
Jillian Faye Fletcher is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Women Superstars Uncensored. She is also known for her tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Jillian Hall or simply Jillian...
and Big Daddy V
Nelson Frazier, Jr.
Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
(he has appeared as Viscera in the 2007 installment).
Evan Bourne, Ted DiBiase, Charlie Haas and Super Crazy appear in the game as downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. It is the first and only WWE SmackDown game not to feature The Rock.
Current champions
- SmackDown:
- Triple HTriple HPaul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
–WWE ChampionWWE ChampionshipThe WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963... - John Morrison and The MizJohn Morrison and The MizJohn Morrison and The Miz were a professional wrestling tag team and former WWE Tough Enough contestants. The team worked for World Wrestling Entertainment on its ECW brand, but also appeared on the SmackDown and Raw brands due to ECW's talent exchanges with those brands during their tenure as a team...
–WWE Tag Team ChampionsWWE Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWE Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in WWE. It was established as a second title for tag teams in WWE in 2002 to complement the original World Tag Team Championship... - Shelton BenjaminShelton BenjaminShelton James Benjamin is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. Benjamin has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling in high school and at the University of Minnesota. In addition, Benjamin has acted...
–WWE United States ChampionWWE United States ChampionshipThe WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
- Triple H
- RawWWE RAWWWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
:- CM PunkCM PunkPhillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
–World Heavyweight ChampionWorld Heavyweight Championship (WWE)The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand... - Hardcore HollyBob HollyRobert "Bob" Howard better known by his ring name Bob "Hardcore" Holly, is a American professional wrestler. He is best known for his 15-year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment ....
and Cody Rhodes–World Tag Team Champions - Kofi KingstonKofi KingstonKofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah , is a Ghanaian American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Kofi Kingston. He is currently signed to WWE and works on its Raw brand where he is one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions with Evan Bourne as Air Boom...
–WWE Intercontinental ChampionWWE Intercontinental ChampionshipThe WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand... - Mickie JamesMickie JamesMickie Laree James , better known simply as Mickie James, is an American professional wrestler and singer of mixed Native American-Caucasian descent, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she is a former two-time TNA Women's Knockout Champion.James began her professional...
–WWE Women's ChampionWWE Women's ChampionshipThe WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
- CM Punk
- ECW:
- Mark HenryMark HenryMark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He is a 1992 Olympian, and winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic...
–ECW ChampionECW World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
- Mark Henry
- LegendsWWE Hall of FameThe WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
:- Ric FlairRic FlairRichard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
–WCW Classic World ChampionWCW World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling... - Chavo GuerreroChavo Guerrero, Jr.Salvador "Chavo" Guerrero IV also known as Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero, Jr., is a third generation Mexican-American professional wrestler and member of the famed Guerrero wrestling family who was well known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling...
–WWE Cruiserweight ChampionWWE Cruiserweight ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and was originally a World Championship Wrestling title. It was challenged by cruiserweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs... - Tommy DreamerTommy DreamerThomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
–WWE Hardcore Champion
- Ric Flair
Marketing and release
Production of the game was officially announced on March 27, 2008 by IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
and THQ. IGN released their first video game trailer and screenshot
Screenshot
A screenshot , screen capture , screen dump, screengrab , or print screen is an image taken by a computer to record the visible items displayed on the monitor, television, or another visual output device...
s for SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. The trailer featured The Hardys
Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
(Matt
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Jeff
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
) in a tag team match against Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
and Mr. Kennedy at the SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2007)
SummerSlam was the twentieth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on August 26, 2007 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey and featured talent from each of WWE's three brands: Raw,...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
and the new tag team match features were explained. A commercial for the game was released in October, starring Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
along with John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
, Batista, Big Show
Paul Wight
Paul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand....
, Hornswoggle, Lilian Garcia
Lilian Garcia
Lilian Annette García , is a Spanish-American singer. She is best known as the former ring announcer for WWE's Raw brand. During her time in WWE, she became the first Diva to remain with the promotion for ten years.-Early life and career:...
and Kelly Kelly.
A demo for the game was released in October for the PlayStation 3 console, featuring the singles and tag team matches with Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Shawn Michaels and Triple H as playable characters.
As with the previous game, a special collector's edition of SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 for the PlayStation 3 was released, which includes the game, special steel cage packaging, and a Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
featuring matches from Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
and SmackDown shows as well as a behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the game. This release was exclusive to the North American region.
A similar collector's edition was released in European regions, which features a special plastic ring, which has the same dimensions as a Blu-ray case. It also has the same Blu-ray disc as the North American release included in this package.
In September 2008, the British wrestling and MMA
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
magazine Fighting Spirit
Fighting Spirit magazine
FSM is a monthly professional wrestling and mixed martial arts magazine published in the United Kingdom by Uncooked Media...
published a private memo sent by the WWE to the members of the gaming press that were covering the game's release. The memo instructed the press not to publish screenshots of any characters bleeding or using weapons. Specifically, the memo declared that no Triple H screenshots could be used that showed his character "in a defenseless or vulnerable position." In a blurb titled "Digital Politics," the magazine defied the WWE's demand and published a screenshot of Triple H being dominated by Kane. The magazine Power Slam
Power Slam
Power Slam is an independent monthly non-kayfabe wrestling magazine published in the United Kingdom by SW Publishing, with co-publishers Findlay Martin and Colin Bowman. It began life as Superstars of Wrestling before altering to its current name after 30 issues in 1994. The magazine's UK-wide...
later corroborated the memo.
On August 4, 2009, THQ re-released SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 as a part of PS3's Greatest Hits collection.
Reception
| System | Metacritic Metacritic Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,... |
GameRankings |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo DS Nintendo DS The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP... |
58/100 (12 reviews) | 55.56% (1 review) |
| PlayStation 2 PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan... |
78/100 (9 reviews) | 77.44% (1 review) |
| PlayStation 3 PlayStation 3 The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles... |
78/100 (33 reviews) | 77.89% (1 review) |
| PlayStation Portable PlayStation Portable The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004... |
72/100 (7 reviews) | 72.90% (6 reviews) |
| Wii Wii The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others... |
79/100 (15 reviews) | 78.18% (17 reviews) |
| Xbox 360 Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles... |
79/100 (43 reviews) | 79.02% (30 reviews) |
The game has received generally mixed to positive reviews from gaming critics. Critics generally praised the Road to WrestleMania. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
were however more critical of the game, calling the gameplay "noticeably stale" from previous games and citing the Highlight Reel and Create-A-Finisher modes as limited.
GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave the console versions a 7.5 out of 10, lauding the game's graphics and the large number of moves, match types, single player modes and improved AI. Some aspects of the game's presentation were criticized, particularly movement animations, clipping issues and weak sound effects.
While the reception for the Nintendo DS version was varied between critics, both IGN and GamesMaster
GamesMaster (magazine)
GamesMaster is a monthly multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom.GamesMaster is the biggest selling multi-format video games magazine in the United Kingdom, outselling its sister publication Edge.-History:The magazine was launched in...
criticized its touch-screen control scheme, suggesting that button-based control would have been more ideal.
G4
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
's X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
scored the game a 4-out-of-5.
External links
- WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2009 at US.PlayStation.Com