Official WWE Website

Platform: PSP

Genre: Wrestling/Sports Entertainment

Number of Players: 1 + online

The biggest spectacle in sports entertainment has just gotten a little bit smaller. No, WWE isn't releasing more of their talent, at least not this week, but THQ and Yukes and taken the popular franchise and now made it available on the PSP. I was only a matter of time before professional wrestling made its way onto the portable, and now SmackDown! Vs. RAW 2006 can be taken from your living room to anywhere you want to go.

If you've already grabbed the PlayStation 2 version of this title, you already know the game. There really aren't many changes between the two aside from a few minor things, but I'll cover those a bit later in the review. Now, I love the game on the PS2, and quite honestly, I have the same amount readily available for the PSP version. The game is a blast to play on the console, but I can't take that on the road with me, so having a handheld version is perfect.

This game really is a spectacular triumph. At first, I was a bit disappointed to discover that I had already played the game on the PS2, but then I came to a revelation. For the most part, EVERYTHING is in this smaller version, and that's a great deal of data to contain. Every wrestler is included here. The Undertaker, Triple H, Kane, The Hurricane, John Cena, and just about any wrestler you could want to play as can be found here. Even classic superstars are available for play, though you will have to purchase them in the Shop Zone in most cases. You want to play as classic Hulk Hogan? No problem, he's here and so are Andre the Giant and the late Junkyard Dog.

As always, you can play in exhibition mode and make your own match, even right down to selecting what arena you want to fight in, or you can go for season mode. The storylines are vastly improved in this mode. There are a number of different storylines depending on which character you select. These will also features different branches, so the story isn't necessarily going to be the same every time. Surprisingly, all of the spoken dialog has been retained in this mode, and this came as quite a shock. The UMD's are quite a bit smaller, so I really didn't think it was be possible. However, not every piece of dialog could be included. In the PS2 version of the game, you have commentary running through the match from J.R. and the King or Michael Cole and Tazz. It is sadly absent and has been replaced with music.

The PSP version of the game features an arcade mode, but this isn't necessarily what you might think it is. There are three different games included here. There is a WWE Game Show, which is trivia that relates to the WWE itself as well as the game. This is similar to what has been seen on wwe.com in the past. Texas Hold'em is extremely popular these days, and you'll find it is here as well as the Eugene Airplane Race. Here, you simply need to get Eugene to the ring and keep him from falling over while he imitates an airplane. It isn't necessarily the most entertaining thing in the world, but good to kill some time I suppose.

The GM Mode has been left in so that you can make your own wrestling program and try and win the GM of the Year award, something essential for unlocking hidden features in the game. The Create-a-Character mode also is still present as is the Create-an-Entrance mode. You can also link your PSP up with your PS2 to unlock other hidden characters in the PS2 version of the game. The game allows you to create your own belt, create a stable (this is a collection of wrestlers under one banner for those that don't know the lingo. Think Evolution and you get the idea) and you can even create moves sets.

The gameplay really is close to the PS2 version. You might be missing two shoulder buttons, but that's really a minor thing. Pins, grabbles, and everything else are still easy to perform. You can still do cool things like put your opponent in the sleep hold, complain to the ref about slow counts, pull of double teams, and the popular finishing moves. These looks just as flashy on the PSP as they do on the console, so no one should be disappointed. You also have stamina to be concerned with, so make sure to use the Select button when you appear winded, otherwise you may find yourself on the losing end.

The graphics really are unchanged in the two versions. The wrestlers look nearly identical to their real world counterparts. All of their mannerisms are present as well, both in and out of the ring. The difference however is the crowd, and your fans don't look nearly as impressive as they do in the home console version. This really becomes a minor issue however and most of the action is in the ring. The smaller screen does lead to some problems though. I found matches like Hell in the Cell and handicap matches to be a little more difficult to play due to small characters onscreen. There were a few times that I accidentally hit the ref instead of my opponents (seriously, it was an accident) and found myself disqualified. But, other than this small complaint, the game plays perfectly.

The PSP's Wi-Fi capabilities have given rise to a number of titles that will let you play with other games. SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2006 is no different. You have the option to play with up to three other players in just about any match. The one thing I don't like however isn't the mode itself, but that the game doesn't allow you to import any of your created wrestlers from the PS2 version of the game over. I suppose this would all come down to a difference in the way the data is created and saved, but it still would be great to have that interchangeability. But, having the game with you on the road or at the mall and being able to take on gamers is a beautiful thing indeed.

If you don't already own the console version, I would advise reading the review that we have for it rather than rehashing every aspect here. The games again are very much the same, but that shouldn't be a reason to just skip this title. I've been having a blast playing SmackDown! Vs. RAW 2006 on the PSP and finally . . . . the WWE has come back to the PSP . . . . errr . . . . makes it's debut rather. If ya smell what THQ and Yukes and cookin', you know it's good and you won't want to miss it.
 

-mike-