Official Website
Official WWE Website

Platform: Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Xbox 360

Genre: Sports Entertainment

Number of Players: 1 - 4

I was no real surprise when Yuke’s and THQ announced their latest entry into the WWE video game franchise for every current console under the face of the sun. Televisions venerable and dominating force in the world of sports entertainment has legions of fans across the world, and there’s no reason to limit the fans to just one or two consoles. While the games seen on the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 as well as even the PSP and PlayStation 2 have that classic mode of gameplay that has been a huge part of the series for quite a few years now, the offerings that have found their way onto the Nintendo platforms to me feel a bit too gimmick-ridden.

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 presents the first officially licensed game to appear on the Nintendo Wii, and I’m certain that it won’t be the last either. This year’s entry into the ongoing series brings together a majority of the superstars seen as a part of the Raw, SmackDown brands as well as a few personalities that are present on ECW. I think everyone really understands by now exactly what this game entails and it’s simply to bring the action and excitement that only the WWE can offer into your living room and into the palm of your hands. The Wii version also allows players to identify their games by the usage of their Mii, but you won’t be intergrading that into the matches. It’s merely so in households where there’s more than one player, you’ll know which game is which. You’ll also find most of your favorite superstars such as The Undertaker, CM Punk, Triple H, and John Cena, though there are a few, such as the McMahon’s and legends like The Rock and Mick Foley, that you will have to unlock.

The highlight on the other next generation platforms was the new 24/7 mode which allowed for a number of different options in career mode outside of simply having matching, but that is gone with the Wii mode and has been replaced with the Main Event. This is a stripped down version of the 24/7 Mode where you’ll select the superstar you’d like to play as, or use one of your creation, choose your brand (either Raw and SmackDown) and begin your career path to superstardom. Initially you’ll start out on the bottom rung, but as you win matches, your popularity will grow and other opponents will become available. There are two ways to get matches; either you will be challenged by someone from the back locker room or you can issue challenges yourself. You can also enlist a tag partner if you’d like or chat with a Diva, and this is all done via a cellphone. The locker room is also where you can save your game or take a look at who is the most popular in each respective brand as well as who currently holds which title. After matches you can go in for some training and boost your skills or take some time to get a relaxing massage to help build back that stamina.

The overall method of gamplay is a bit of a mixed bag in my opinion, and as you might have already suspected, the Wii version of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 relies heavily on the usage of the Wiimote and Nunchuck. To hit your opponent, you merely need to swing the remote portion, and this is fairly easy, and the same method is used with grapples, though once an opponent is in your grasp, you will then get a selection of directions you can move into in order to perform the move. There is also an option to use your favorite move which is done by using A and B together and, you guessed it, swinging the remote. If you want to use an Irish Whip on the other hand, you’ll be using the Nunchuck portion and this is also used for the taunts in the game.

The good news about this control scheme is that there are moves I found much easier to perform using this method. The Undertaker’s “old school” rope walk is accomplished easily with the favorite moves option and some of those impressive running take downs can be done simply by swinging the remote. The problem though is that there is too much swinging in my opinion. If you’re on the mat, you need to swing the remote rapidly to get up, you’ll use it to break grapples, and unlike some of the other games in the franchise, the Wii version of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 doesn’t offer you any training before hand. You could read the instructions I suppose, but what fun would that be? The overall list of available moves however is much smaller than what is offered with the others games.

There are also only five different match types, quite a difference in comparison to the other next generation platforms. You’ll get your regular singles match, a tag team bout, a KO Match, Triple Threat, and Hardcore. If you don’t feel up to taking the WWE superstar challenge with the Main Event, you can go for a single match in the Play Now option which will give you a better chance to get to know the moves and the feel of the game. There is also a King of the Ring tournament available to play. Finally, the game will also let you create a superstar. It’s not nearly as in-depth as what the other games are which feature this option, though the templates which are pre-created is a nice touch. The create-a-wrestler mode lacks quite a few elements, though the advancement the feature has seen over time has lead to a point where you may find yourself spending a great deal of time creating your perfect wrestler.

The Wii, being Nintendo’s much-hyped “next generation” of gaming show limitations once again in the graphics department. While the look of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 doesn’t look horrible, the game lacks the smoothness that you might find with the competing consoles. Instead, the title looks more along the lines of a PlayStation 2 game. There are a few rough edges seen on occasion and the game really has a tendency at times to lurch forward with the frame rate while performing certain moves, not to mention that the commentary will often cut off while going from one move to another in order to try and keep up with the action. There is also a real lack when it comes to the crowd, something that is far better detailed on other systems, and while some may think that’s not essential, it does add a great deal to the overall feeling of the game in my opinion. Although this title is by no means horrible to look at, once again it is apparent that the Wii does have its limitations in the visual department, and that seems to be something that is inherent in the system.

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 is a much better title than what was seen on the Nintendo DS, but again I think that Nintendo and developers are relying too much on the gimmick aspect of the system and not enough on good, solid gameplay. The gimmicks will only get you so far and there will come a time when the fans and gamers are going to grow tired of them. It seems that for right now, everyone is in love with Nintendo’s little darling system because of the “innovation” that it has supposedly brought with it, but that will slowly begin to change. If you only own a Wii and you’re a fan of the WWE brands, I’m certain that you’ll find hours of enjoyment with this game, but if you do own another next generation consoles, they offer quite a bit more and the Wii version should be left, face down on the canvas, in favor of one of the other games.

-mike-