WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2010

    WCW/NWO Revenge, Wrestlemania 2000, and WWF No Mercy; if these titles create a warm feeling in your heart, then WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 could be the game for you, as long as you're able to take a few leaps backwards in quality for some portable nostalgia. When THQ created their wrestling line on N64, they effectively created a new genre within fighting games. They offer ed deep customization absent in arcade-style button-mashers, and the spirit/attitude meter changed health into momentum , a more accurate depiction of who’s winning in a wrestling match. Those games serve as the litmus test (in my mind) for quality wrestling action. Now, I'll be honest, I haven't really touched a wrestling game since the N64, and those games, went to the wayside. So when I read the same grappling-style combat that made those first few THQ titles classic would return to Nintendo's handheld, I couldn't resist.

    First, I ignored the bottom screen prompt to ‘Press START’ (because I'm a rebel) and waited for an awesome cinematic showing wicked-sweet match styles and my favorite WWE Superstars performing their finishers at pay-per-view venues. Unfortunately, those compelling two minutes from the N64 THQ titles didn’t make the cross over to NDS.  So, I pressed start and went to work creating the first wrestler I ever made on Wrestlemania 2000. I n the process, I discovered a pretty satisfying hair, tattoo, and wardrobe set to boot. The character models look very good, and in fact, the WWE superstars all faithfully resemble themselves (those that I recognize). The last step in character creation is picking each of your fighter's moves. SvR has a deep move set especially when considering the grappling tree is a simpler one than the N64 games I mentioned. After pressing the grapple button, you'll only have three moves you can perform from the grapple, but it doesn't slow down gameplay.

    I  really appreciate the simple attribute system in SvR 2010 . It's the set of physical stats for all of the wrestlers in the game. Even better than their simplicity, is their affect on your character’s move sets. For instance, when I was picking moves for my created player, I put more points into speed than power. This unlocked some serious ariel maneuvers for him; hurricanranas, frankensteiners, and moonsaults, but strength-requisite moves like powerbombs and chokeslams stayed locked out. It helped me specialize my character almost forcing me to pick submission artist, high-flyer, or mega beast. Keep in mind though, that if you want to make a balanced character, you'll have a dirth of powerful moves at your disposal as some of the best in the game need eight's and up in at least one attribute.

            As I mentioned, I haven’t checked out previous titles in the SvR series, and I haven’t kept up on WWE programming, so I only recognize a few of the wrestlers in the game. I cannot comment on the roster quality, other than that Fin Finlay was irrelevant when I watched wrestling years ago. That little matters though, because the actual WWE Superstars are non-playable in story mode. I can see some players wanting to take their favorite real life wrestler through a season, but sadly that option does not exist . Regardless, the story mode seriously entertains, and it's a good thing too, because while the game packs some nice match types, ambulance, cage, ladder, etc., it doesn't have any tag team action! Without Nintendo WFC support, and the necessity of two game cartridges to play locally with a friend, this is a huge letdown for such a social game system.

            You're forced to mostly play alone with SvR 2010, and that leaves only the story mode if you want to have fun. It's menu options appear as locations on a map, and selecting different options leads you to sub-destinations within each menu feature. The local es include corporate headquarters, a main area, and the brand venues. At headquarters, your superstar can speak with each brand manager, although they aren’t always around. At the main area, you can check out your home to sleep and advance the day , review your card collection (more on that later) , view your earned championships, and catch up on gossip. Other options in the main area include the gym, where you’ll perform mini-games to increase your superstar’s attributes , a shop featuring purchasable moves, costumes, and cards, and the hospital where you’ll restore health after severe beat downs.

            The gym can easily get your superstar in great fighting shape, but beware it will take time. Luckily, you don’t ever lose progress, so once you get where you want with the fun rhythm and reaction games, you don’t have to worry about maintaining those attributes. It takes more than a few visits to raise each individual attribute by one point, and the closer the attribute is to ten, then the more mini-games you'll have to complete to increase your level. The mini-games are a blast at first, but get old after you do each one for a couple attribute raises. The best part of this feature is that you can use it to open up moves that were unavailable in creation. Unfortunately, those new moves stay stuck in story mode, because you cannot export your updated superstar to quick play matches.

           The most appealing element of story mode though is speaking with the other superstars. At most sub-destinations , which include back stages, locker rooms (to update moves and your costume) , and parking lots, you’ll see the name of a real WWE wrestler of Diva. You can engage them in well-written (by professional wrestling standards) dialogue to earn cash, get extra matches, create feuds, or unlock bonus cards. You can win bonus cards after matches also. They offer your character unlockables that would otherwise require cash to purchase or buffs to use during a fight. The buffs can do anything from temporarily increase your player's damage dealt, escape from a pin or submission, or even steal your opponent's finisher or taunt. They add a fun, softly strategic element to your matches. You pick three buffs to use before stepping into the ring, and you can tap them on the touch screen when you think they'll come in handy. The cards appear in quick play as well, though the deck you've won in story mode is also not exportable.

             The interactions with WWE superstars doesn't just give you cards and cash. Your smallest decision s in conversations can have the most profound consequences on your character’s career. It’s not always evident how something you say will affect you down the line, but that’s a large portion of the fun. You can provoke characters to set up different matches at pay-per-views or even choose the match type in which you compete. This has ramifications outside of story mode too , because the match type you choose becomes available in quick play, and the other stays locked until you choose it some other time. One of my favorite moments so far involved Stephanie McMahon, manager of Raw, trying to recruit my wrestler away from ECW. She sent a Raw Superstar to my character's home to persuade him. I smarted off, and we proceeded to brawl in the house, which afterwards unlocked as an arena in quick play. Another great moment involved me purchasing a soda for Umaga, who has difficulty expressing himself in English. I had to guess, based on his grunts, what kind of soda he wanted. Luckily, I got it right and earned some unlockable tattoos. But if I had gotten it wrong... Who knows? That's the beauty of the dialogue. The story mode is driven by more than just winning or losing matches. It really tells a story about your superstar.

            Everything in the story mode works towards getting you into fun wrestling situations and moving you through the WWE pay-per-view schedule en route to a Wrestlemania main event. It’s a great season-long way to introduce new match types and earn cash for unlockables . The matches don’t last long, but I think that’s okay for a handheld. The move animations look smooth but occasionally turn into brief cinematics, and the character models look good for the NDS. The important part of the matches is the return to the grappling-engine that drove the gameplay of the N64 THQ titles. While this game doesn’t restore the former glory of THQ’s line, it gets about sixty percent of the way there, which excites me for the future.

             SvR 2010 has many enticing features, the best of which are its return to grappling move-trees rather than button combos and an enveloping season-mode which paints a great picture of a WWE Superstar’s rise to the top. But I can’t judge the game based on where it’s going. Inevitably, it leaves me wanting more. Unfortunately, a week after launch, I already want the next installment. It upsets me that I cannot export my updated superstar from the story mode to exhibition play. Also, the game lacks tag team matches and Nintendo WFC play, which seriously damage it's re-play value. Ultimately, this iteration needs that extra polish to make it a must-own. I see the game design trying to draw obvious comparisons to those classic N64 games, but it falls short. It's a passable title if you want that nostalgic experience on the go but avoidable if you can hold out until next year with the hopes of a better offering.

Dan Pratt of