This double-review is unique in many ways. First, both the Wii and DS versions of Smackdown Vs. Raw 2008 were sent to us Serious Nerd writers as a part of a marketing campaign by a group called M80. Also unique about this review is how two writers (Josh and Anthony) will be combining their thoughts on the versions they were assigned into this one post. We also received a PS2 SvR 2008, which will be reviewed in the future (once Alek’s done with the other game sent to us :) ). So, let’s get started…

Wii (Josh)

Smackdown Vs. Raw 2008 for the Wii attempts to become the king of the ring in terms of arcade-style fighting games on the Wii. It uses simple gestures of the Wii Remote to execute all the strikes, grapples, and throws. The nunchuk is used for moving your character and Irish Whipping. These controls work well, although furiously waggling the Wii Remote when you’re down can get a bit tiring.

The character roster is huge, featuring current WWE Superstars, Divas, and Legends. Each of the many types of fighters also have their own move set (with character-specific specials and taunts), so there’s a lot for the player to master. Many are unlockable through the single player campaign, called Main Event. The Main Event mode itself is interesting. You choose your character (or create your own) and embark on a career of WWE professional wrestling. At first you can only fight opponents in the division you choose - Smackdown or Raw - but with time you can switch between the two at will. You can even try to win championships (and defend your position). Below is a commercial for the game that shows some of the gameplay that’s identical in all the console versions of the game.

It’s unfortunate that the Wii version of the game got short-changed on a number of things, including the lack of both the General Manager and the 24/7 Career modes (the lesser Main Event replaces the 24/7 Career), a smaller move set for each character, and most glaring of all - an absence of six(!) different match types the Xbox 360 and PS3 players can enjoy. It also sucks that the Wii’s “Hardcore” match type is really nothing more than a normal match with a couple of folding chairs. It could have greatly benefited from more weapons. Still, one can get a certain satisfaction out of brutally hammering your opponent with a steel chair while they cower helplessly on the ground…

The main selling point of Smackdown Vs. Raw 2008 is its arcade-style multiplayer. If you’re looking for a fighting game that will attract the non-gamers in your house, this game is your best bet. I think it would be easier for your dad to learn this than Guilty Gear or Dragon Ball Z. Of course, they might just randomly waggle the Wiimote at first, which works surprisingly well in a fight. However, there’s two sides to that - 1. Your dad or whoever might feel confident that they’re doing well, but 2. It shows how little it takes to dominate a human opponent in this game. I say human because the computers seem to counter such moves often, making them formidable foes. The counter system isn’t as easy to use as the computers make it look though, since it relies a bit too much on random guesswork.

If the player you face in a multiplayer match does in fact understand the grapples and throws as well as the strikes, it can be a fun time. The three-player Triple Threat matches I played with my friends were an absolute blast, mostly because of their intensity and difficulty to win. However, I was a bit annoyed at how Triple Threat really felt more like a normal two-player match with an extra person who happened to show up. If two players are in the middle of some throw, the third can’t do anything about it, no matter how many times they punch and slam the others’ bodies. But like I said, it was still fun.

There is more than striking in the game’s combat system. Quick throws can be executed with a jerk of the Wiimote while holding the A button, while “Interactive” grapples are done while doing the same but holding the B button. They’re called interactive because once started, you have to follow on-screen queues to finish the attacks. Unfortunately, the actions you must take are nothing but swinging the Wiimote in a certain direction. The player’s actions don’t feel even close to the actions being performed on-screen. A quick wrist snap to the left just doesn’t replicate that feeling of twisting your opponent’s head and smashing it into the floor while jumping backwards. But I do remember one thing that did actually feel like it was controlled right - it was a certain move where you sat on a downed opponent and used the Wiimote and Nunchuk like your fists to punch. If you were lucky, your opponent’s face might start bleeding.

The fighting really isn’t only about the limited number of grapples, throws, and strikes, however. The best part of the fighting in Smackdown Vs. Raw 2008 is how many of the attacks you execute are determined by the situation you’re in. For example, if you lift your opponent up over your head, you can walk over to the edge of the ring and throw them out of it onto the cold, hard floor beneath. Then after a simple flick of the Wiimote, your character will jump off the ring onto the downed opponent below. While fighting outside of the ring, if you get your opponent close enough to a table, instead of throwing your opponent when you press a certain button combination, you might just grab their head and smash it repeatedly into the edge of a table.

All in all, no Wii fighting game has gotten the controls perfectly yet, but I have a feeling the next iteration of Smackdown Vs. Raw will fix its simplicity and go for a more deeper approach with the fighting mechanics. I had a good time with this game, but the simple battle system and lack of play modes cuts the fun short. The multiplayer is where this game really shines, however, and that will add to the replay value considerably. Because of its easy to learn fighting system and variety of characters, gamers young and old, experienced or not, can play along and have fun. For 2009, I hope more moves can be added to each character and the Wii version of the game can have all the play modes the other systems do, but for now, I think Yuke’s has done a good job taking the Smackdown Vs. Raw series to the Wii. The controls and fighting system haven’t reached their full potential, but then again, no fighting game on the Wii really has yet. The other consoles may have a better version of the game, but fortunately even a watered-down edition is enough fun to be worth your attention.

78% Great

DS (Anthony)

The DS version of Smackdown Vs. Raw 2008 is played very differently from all of the other platforms. For one, everything is controlled by the touch screen. During gameplay, you have 3 different types of moves you can do: light, medium, or hard. Encounters play out in an almost turn-based fashion as the action pauses for you to choose your next attack. After choosing one of the three types of attacks, you might have to complete some touch-screen activity, such as moving the stylus down an arrow, or spinning it around very fast. I found that this way of fighting was very unique - something that could only have been done on the DS. While this generic three-attacks at a time system does make the game a bit repetitive, the attacks are changed based on your position in the ring. Watch the video below to see what the gameplay is like.

The Campaign is basic - you start off as a star of your choice that has just recovered from a serious injury you received during a championship match with Triple H. You want to get back at him immediately, but your chairman says you have to build up your reputation first.

The game’s graphics look close to WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain. A console game, but one that was released in 2003. Still, it is the DS we’re talking about, so this isn’t bad for the handheld.

The game has none of the special features that the other platforms have for SvR 2008. There are no classes (High Flyer, Brawler, etc), nor is there any music except for one song. I was also disappointed by the absence of my favorite match type, Hell in a Cell, and by how you can’t go outside the ring. The game is a watered down version of SvR 2008 for the other platforms. It’s almost like running a computer game in safe mode - it delivers the basic goods. It satisfies your SvR needs while you’re on the go, but once you’re back home, the console version will deliver an overall better experience.

70% Interesting