$20 GOTW and Lost Classics Special: Off the Turnbuckle Edition Part 2

As promised, I’m back with part 2 of our special wrestling edition of the $20 Game of the week. In this edition, we’ll take a look at WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008, as well as three other wrestling games that you can find on the cheap. So say your prayers and take your vitamins, because it’s time to walk down the aisle and go one on one with the great one. Remember, to be the man, you gotta beat the man! WOOOOOOO!

Hands On: WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008 (Xbox 30, PS2, PS3, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP)
Last year’s Xbox release of WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2007 saw the series going multiplatform for the first time, and it was also the first time the series debuted on a non-Sony console. This year, Yukes and THQ added Wii and DS versions, bringing Smackdown to Nintendo for the first time. New to this year’s game is the addition of 8 superstar styles, each with its own special abilities and gameplay differences. There is the showman style (these wrestler’s moves assist in getting the crowd on their side by mocking their opponent), brawler (which enhances a wrestler’s strinking moves), submission (self explanatory), high flyer (again, self explanatory), dirty (these wrestlers make use of dirty tricks such as removing the turnbuckle and arguing with the ref), hardcore (these wrestlers become energized by the sight of their own blood and can use special techniques with certain weapons), powerhouse (these wrestlers have powerful moves that dominate their opponents), and technical (these wrestlers have an easier time with counters and reversals). Each wrestler has 2 of these styles which you can select from before a match. These styles add minor gameplay mechanics, but they seek to reward players who play their wrestler ‘in character’.

Also new to this year’s game is the addition of ECW, which adds in a new selection of arenas, match types, and superstars to SVR. Season mode and general manager mode have been combined into the 24/7 mode. Choosing to play as either a superstar or general manager, you manage activities day by day. As a wrestler, you decide when to cut promos, train, and do other activities to increase your stats as you try to become a legend. As a GM, your goal is to make your show number 1. Strangely enough, you can’t play as unlocked legends, ECW superstars, or divas in 24/7 mode. Each system has its own exclusive feature. PS3 owners can walk down the aisle in first person view mode, the Wii features Mii-integration in the menus as well as motion0sensing functions, DS attacks are controlled by the stylus, and the PSP has access to exclusive unlockable legends. Last but not least, Xbox 360 owners can use their custom playlists as entrance music for their create-a-wrestlers.

The Smackdown games tend to suffer from the same issue that plagues many sports releases; the developers simply re-release the same game with an updated roster, minor fixes, and a few new gameplay modes. This isn’t to say that SVR 2008 is a bad game, but many people who have played recent entries in the SVR series will find little new here. Speaking as someone who hasn’t played a Smackdown game since 2000’s Know your Role, I’ve also found fault here, but to a much lesser extent. The storylines in 24/7 mode are disappointedly repetitive, especially compared to No Mercy, and the roster size is smaller than even last year’s game. Thankfully, the sheer amount of unlockables and match types go a long way towards making up for these shortcomings. If you’re a hardcore WWE fan, then you most likely already have this game. Casual wrestling fans who can look past the game’s faults will enjoy this game as well. However, wrestling fans who want something new and different may want to wait for next year’s edition to see any huge changes, or better yet wait for Midway’s TNA: Inpact early next year.

$20 Game of the week: Def Jam Vendetta (PS2, Gamecube)
In 2002, Electronic Arts partnered with hip hop label Def Jam and famed wrestling developer Aki (WWF No Mercy, WCW/NWO Revenge) to produce a game featuring several of the label’s rappers. Many doubted that it would work, but the end result, 2003’s Def Jam Vendetta became a sleeper hit of that year. In this game’s story mode, you are a former street fighter who was ran out of town by D-Mob, an underground fight promoter who is strangely reminiscent of Suge Knight. You are returning to the circuit after a long absence to help out your friend Manny, who has fallen into debt. Taking control of one of four characters (with upgradeable stats and unlockable costumes) you were tasked with entering the fight ring’s different locations and battling with each fighter. The fighters range from all different types such as a Los Angeles gang member and a clown to a Pimp and a good ole boy from the deep south. Throughout the story, you’ll meet up with the lovely ladies pictured here. Def Jam’s rappers serve as bosses. You’ll meet Ludacris, Scarface, Redman, and Method man. There are some notable objections, such as Jay-Z and Cam’ron. Also omitted from Def Jam Vendetta is a create-a-character mode, but the outrageous personalities of the wrestlers make up for it. Besides the story, Tag Team, and vs modes (in which you can play as any of the unlocked wrestlers), there aren’t very many play modes in this game. Thankfully, the gameplay is easy to pick up and play, especially for anyone who has played any of Aki’s other games. There might not have been much to it, but you’ll definitely enjoy the ride. Of course all of Def Jam Vendetta’s problems would be adequately addressed in its sequel, Fight for New York which was more of a fighting game than a wrestler.

$20 GOTW: WWE Raw 2 (Xbox)
To get the most enjoyment out of this game, you need to have friends over. The gameplay is barely above average and the computer AI is so retarded, that most matches against the computer can be won simply by getting a countout. Unless you have friends over, then the season mode is boring and confusing. So why am I even looking at this game? There are two redeeming features. First of all, this game has one of the best wrestler lineups ever seen in the WWE game. You’ll get some of the best from the WWF/WWE, WCW, and ECW. You’ll see Kevin Nash, Brock Lesnar, the Rock, Scott Steiner, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan. The second big reason is that this game has one of the best create-a-wrestlers ever seen. You can edit nearly every aspect of your wrestler, from the size of each body part to his/her costumes. You can even create an entrance for your wrestler, even choosing the pyrotechnics and editing the titantron display. The best part of it all, is that you can use your custom soundtracks as entrance music. It doesn’t stop there. You can create your own three-man stable and edit the costumes of existing superstars. With a little effort, I was able to recreate the outsiders, complete with the NWO theme song. Even though the gameplay has plenty of room for improvement, nothing compares to the sheer amount of creation options.

$20 Game of the Week: Fire Pro Wrestling Returns (PS2)
Fire Pro Wrestling is Japan’s most beloved wrestling series. However, this is only the third time that it has come to America. The first two times FPW came to America were on the Game Boy Advance. While they didn’t exactly sell Halo numbers, Many wrestling fans (including me) agree that the games were so good, you were better off getting Fire Pro Wrestling on Game Boy Advance than most last-gen wrestling games. Fire Pro Wrestling is not as pick up and play friendly as Aki’s wrestling titles. Instead, the gameplay in FPW focuses more on timing, pacing, and breathing, making the game more of a sim in contrast to the arcade-style gameplay of most wrestling games. Now FPW has come to PS2, and those who can look past the 16-bit era character sprites and complicated control schemes will find one of the finest wrestling experiences to date.

Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is an appropriate moniker for this PS2 game. Not only is this the series’s return to America, but the developer, Spike, had previously vowed not to do any more 2D games, but happily they changed their stance, hence the name Fire Pro Wrestling Returns. Like previous Fire Pro Wrestling games, the customization options are immense. You can create a wrestler, pick out each individual attack of his or her moveset and name their finisher, adjusting each of their stats, and even determine the CPU’s logic and behavior. You can even create your own organization (complete with its own sub-factions), ring, logo, referee, and even belt. However, the learning curve is steep. It takes a long time to learn how to use the system, and the instruction book is very little help. As I stated before this game is not pick-up-and-play friendly. You’ll need to have a lot of patience in order to get the most out of it. There is a good variety of match types, from regular matches to steel cage and even exploding barbed wire and landmine deathmatches. There is even a MMA-style caged octagon mode. The options can be tweaked and adjusted to your liking. Weather you want a traditional wrestling match or a hardcore weapons match, you got it. Perhaps the game’s most interesting mode is Match Maker, in which you can set matches. It’s your job to book top talent and put on good matches and stay within your budget. The better you’re matches are, the more money you’ll make and the better the talent you can afford. Sadly, there are no online modes. A game like this begs for online play, downloadable user content, and leader boards. You simply compete for points. As it is, it’s one of those things that you’ll need friends over in order to properly enjoy. Even so, FPW is wrestling nirvana for fans who don’t care for graphics and are willing to overlook its gameplay issues. Wanna know the best part? This game is only $15 at most stores. A sequel that took advantage of current generation hardware and graphics would put any licensed wrestling game to shame.

On a side note, while the other games in the series featured imitations of popular American wrestlers, this game only contains a few familiar faces. While there aren’t as many imitators as there were in past FPW games, you’ll find dead ringers for Kevin Nash, Sting, Terry Funk, Scott Hall, and others. Of course they’re under different names, and you can edit them to closer resemble your favorite wrestlers. Not only that, but template pieces that resemble other popular wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and Stone Cold Steve Austin can be found in the create-a-wrestler modes. In fact, a wrestler that resembles Kamala can be found among the presets. Thus, you can pit your favorite wrestlers against each other, the WWE’s trademarks aren’t infringed upon, the unauthorized images of popular wrestlers aren’t used, and Spike/Agetec doesn’t have to worry about being sued. Everybody wins!

Well that’s it for this special edition. There have been lot of games that have been left out, so as I said before, feel free to post comments of discuss this in our forum. By the way kids, the moves you see are preformed by digital representations of trained professionals. Please do not try these moves at home.