SmackDown vs Raw 2009 on PSP puts a full roster of WWE superstars in the palm of your hand.
The WWE's unique take on sports entertainment is back on PSP with an updated roster, brand new game modes and the explosive Inferno Match, bringing the best grappling package yet to the table, and then setting the table on fire and powerbombing you through it.
In making SmackDown vs Raw 2009, developer Yuke's received close support from World Wrestling Entertainment. The result is a comprehensive package with incredible attention to detail and accuracy.
The headline addition is Road to Wrestlemania mode, where you select one of five superstars - Triple H, CM Punk, The Undertaker, John Cena or Chris Jericho - and guide them through an entire year. Each personality has their own storyline developed by the WWE's writers and featuring hours of voice acting from the wrestlers themselves, which adds authenticity.
Career choices
If your favourite isn't amongst these, then there's also a Career mode, where you take your selected wrestler from the bottom of the ranking list to the World Heavyweight Championship. Standing between you and the belt is a list of wrestlers that you'll need to defeat to earn enough ranking points for a title shot. You're also given a list of matches to choose from before each bout, allowing you to play to your strengths and preferences.
There is an impressive array of match types on offer; if they do it in the WWE, you can bet its in SmackDown vs Raw 2009. There are standard matches for any combination of combatants, be it one-on-one, tag team, a handicap match against two or three opponents, or a six-person free-for-all. Tag team matches in particular have been updated this year. The team member waiting on the outside now has a more active role and can interfere in proceedings by holding an opponent for his partner to pummel, and running into the ring to break a pin. If you're getting bashed in the ring, your partner can build his or her Hot Tag meter, then, when tagged, they will burst in with a flurry of devastating attacks.
For the more hardcore, there are Table Matches, where the aim is to smash your opponent through the furniture set up around the ring; Ladder Matches, where you can use stepladders to dish out punishment and retrieve the belt hanging high above the canvas; Hell in a Cell, in which up to six wrestlers fight inside and on top of a giant cage; and the Royal Rumble, where 30 superstars strive to be the last one standing and are only eliminated when they are thrown over the top rope.
Making a move
The controls are simple, with the Square button dealing out punches and kicks, and the Circle button, along with one of the directional buttons, performing power moves such as slams and submission holds. The reversal system allows you to counter an opponent's attack and adds depth to matches. The L and R buttons reverse strikes and grapples respectively, so the route to a good defence is reading your opponent, correctly predicting which type of move they will go for and hitting the corresponding button at the right time.
Complementing the in-ring action, there are several customisation options that allow you to inject your own personality into the WWE. Create a Superstar lets you build your perfect wrestler from the ground up, whether that's a muscular version of yourself, your favourite star from the 80s or a neon-clad figment of your imagination. You can also create an entrance if you want them to arrive at the ring in style, and their own finishing move, to ensure they leave with similar panache.
Whether you're a fan of the WWE or not, the quality and variety of gameplay available in SmackDown vs Raw 2009 is impressive. With more than 50 playable characters, dozens of match types and two immersive campaign modes, there are hours of gameplay here before you've even touched the fun multiplayer, which allows up to four PSP owners to connect wirelessly for a rumble, whether that's in the jungle or on the bus.
