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E3 '07: WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008

By Alex Navarro, GameSpotPosted Jul 11, 2007 7:01 pm PT

We go hands-on with the Wii version of THQ's latest wrestler.

This year will mark the debut of THQ's long-standing WWE series, SmackDown! vs. RAW, on the Ninendo Wii. One might be wondering how, precisely, a wrestling game might translate to the Wii's motion controls. We certainly were when we first picked up the game at THQ's E3 2007 booth. The bad news is that we weren't able to try more than a single match. The good news is that we got a significant look at how well the new control scheme functions.

And it happens to work pretty well. The basic attacks are all handled through motions of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. Punch a guy by punching forward with the remote, kick a guy in the gut by moving the remote downward in a quick and violent fashion, and so on and so forth. Grapples are handled by pressing one of the main controller buttons while simultaneously flicking the controller. The A button does weak grapples, and the B button does strong grapples. Think No Mercy, but with waggle. Also, the ultimate control moves, introduced last year, are still in this version. You now replace the analog sticks with controller movements that are similar to the stick movements found in the game last year. Pressing both the A and B buttons at the opportune time performs finishers.

Click to enlarge!

With our limited time to play, we didn't get to try everything out. However, the stuff we tried felt nicely responsive. Grapples and strikes all worked instantaneously, and reversals worked well too. You can even pull off some signature taunts with movements of the controllers, like John Cena's "you can't see me" motion, and the DX crotch chop. Silly stuff, but fun all the same.

One thing of note is that the gameplay has been simplified in order to keep the motion controls from becoming confusing, and as a result, the game is very easy to pick up and play. Hardcore wrestling game enthusiasts might be a bit put off at just how simple it is, but even so, the gameplay struck us as fun despite its relative simplicity. It just remains to be seen how well it holds up over multiple play sessions.

The big mystery about the Wii version of SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 is exactly what kind of feature set it will include. THQ has gone on record saying that the game will be a bit stripped compared to the 360 and PS3 versions. We do know there will be a career mode, though how different it will be from the other versions of the game isn't known yet.

In terms of graphics, the Wii version of SmackDown! actually looks really solid. The SmackDown! vs. RAW games were always some of the best-looking games on the PlayStation 2, and the Wii version looks even a bit sharper than those previous titles did. Character models are exceptionally detailed, and the animations look as smooth as they ever did on the PS2. Again, we only had the chance to check out a couple of wrestlers (Randy Orton and John Cena), but the match we played looked and flowed nicely.

We'll be sure to bring you more info on WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 as it becomes available. Stay tuned.

34 Comments

  • Edman1

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 4:26 am PT

    That is true but thats out of the question. Whenever he murdered his wife or not doesn't make a difference of his wrestling skills while he was still in WWE. Even though he DID commit suicide and killed his wife, that doesn't mean in WWE 2008 hes not going to be in it. I have a feeling that the WWE will give this more than a look over

  • CLeRKSfan4life

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 12:27 pm PT

    fudger2 I wonder what they will do about Benoit. Remember Eddie died and they still put him on the game but he wasnt a murdered. What do yall think.

    They're takin' Benoit out of the game, causing the game to be pushed back. The reason Guerrero was left in previous games was because there wasn't a huge controversy around his death. Benoit, on the other hand murdered his wife and child then killed himself. WWE doesn't want anything to do with Benoit, which makes sense.

  • wwegamer101

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 4:41 pm PT

    This game looks great but i am also buying the ps2 version.

  • RONEEL7

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 10:54 pm PT

    this game is going to have over 50 characters with flaming tables

  • fudger2

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 7:53 pm PT

    I wonder what they will do about Benoit. Remember Eddie died and they still put him on the game but he wasnt a murdered. What do yall think.

  • CLeRKSfan4life

    Posted Jul 27, 2007 2:51 am PT

    This is looking really good. I just hope the controls work out. And I hope they make up for some of the stuff being taken out from the PS3/360 versions.

  • ralphocop

    Posted Jul 26, 2007 4:14 pm PT

    I CANT WAIT TO PLAY THIS GAME. BUT, IF IT HAS THE SAME COMMENTARY AS THE LAST 2 SMACK DOWN! GAMES I WILL BE REALLY MAD

  • and21

    Posted Jul 16, 2007 7:47 am PT

    Where is the 16:9 Progressive scan though?! If it doesn't feature them I won't be buying it!! All wii games should be made with widescreen T.V users in mind!

  • msudude211

    Posted Jul 14, 2007 5:00 pm PT

    I don't really like wrestling games.

  • Zartan026

    Posted Jul 14, 2007 3:33 pm PT

    How can the graphics be "solid" on Wii if the only look slightly sharper than on PS2...isnt the Wii like 3-4 times more powerful than the PS2...?

  • Twisted14

    Posted Jul 14, 2007 2:01 am PT

    Who cares if it's a tiny bit more simple than the others and the graphis may not be as nice, as long as it's fun.

  • SM2099

    Posted Jul 13, 2007 10:46 am PT

    The Wii version looks like fun. Alot of gestures, cause that Wii need more intuite gesture based games.

  • mini0455087

    Posted Jul 12, 2007 6:53 pm PT

    I'm just happy that their will be a wii version because it's the only console I have. I' a wrestler fan and i was really happy that they were releasing it. If the controllers are good and the graphics too, I'm the happiest guy.

  • DouglasBuffone

    Posted Jul 12, 2007 12:45 pm PT

    This game looks cool onthe Wii, but the others don't really interest me

  • DouglasBuffone

    Posted Jul 12, 2007 12:43 pm PT

    The Wii version looks very interesting, but the rest don't really catch my eye

  • BulletProof007

    Posted Jul 12, 2007 11:40 am PT

    The Wii version looks like a ton of fun.

  • fresh2deafbill

    Posted Jul 12, 2007 10:37 am PT

    i will buy this if they improve the graphics

  • Thorpe89 Site moderator

    Posted Jul 12, 2007 2:47 am PT

    bigreese: Unlikely but I would like to see online.

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wwe   e3   e3 2007   e3 07   thq   wii   yukes   hands-on   . raw   07
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