The WWF/WWE craze being so high in India at the time, it made sense to include the titles as showcases along with Tekken in video game parlours. Lo and behold, as generation upon generations of teens grew up, wrasslin’ and reversing the hell out of you, from Dehradun to Delhi. It’s truly an amazing phenomenon to look back on.

However, for the developer Yuke’s, it also kickstarted a market for wrestling game fans. A market that loved new modes, moves, wrestlers, improved graphics and more. It showed the advantage of CD-ROM over the cartridge with the amount of content that could fit, including play-by-play commentary. More than anything, it culminated in a fun series. Games that focussed more on the wrestling – sure, presentation was better, but it wasn’t the best compared to what other franchises were doing at the time. For all intents and purposes, nailing Chris Jericho’s triple power bomb and winning that hardcore match were all that we needed.

In fact, it’s hard to find much difference between the TV show and the games at the time. WWF catered more to an edgy, fast-paced style of entertainment that featured plenty of real-life brutality. The games, for their part, didn’t skimp on the blood, barbed wire or wanton madness. Storylines – though they be strong – be damned. It wasn’t a matter of plot or characters – maybe because it felt more “real” at the time, that we got so involved. Maybe it hit so close to home that we truly felt like the Rock or Stone Cold Steve Austin at times.

This was during the WWE’s most lucrative period, referred to as the “Attitude Era”. However, as the Smackdown games got bigger – along with the WWE – something happened. Suddenly, it wasn’t about just a game. It was about the current events of WWE. The reigning champion and top-billed stars were on the video games covers. Smackdown became Smackdown vs Raw to reflect the “brand split” (since WWE had purchased it’s competitor WCW and was overflowing with wrestlers). The game was now a yearly release because, hey, a hell of a lot changes in a year. Like the new Career and Make-a-Superstar modes. Suddenly, the focus was shifting further away from being a wrestler to controlling one. The message wasn’t to let you feel like Shawn Michaels, but to let you play as him. Reality was slowly but surely bleeding through, as it was hard to tell what was “fixed” and what was “real”.

And lord help us, it was the time the dev teams got lazy and threw in an instant reversal system that relied more on one’s spamming abilities than anything else. Latter attempts were made to rectify this with new systems and transitions into holds and moves, but it still remains a stain on modern wrestling games.

Fast forward to the new age, the dawn of WWE’s PG Era. This is an odd time, with a de-emphasis on technical wrestling, more attention to story telling and “plot-lines”. Because wrestling is just a performance art now. Everyone knows it’s not real, that the results are determined beforehand, and all the action happening before us is just entertainment. How else do you compete with something like MMA or Boxing in that regard, both which offer instant and real gratification mixed with unpredictability for the violence-seekers among us?

The video games now aren’t so much about wrestling (go figure). They’re not about nailing the signature moves for the right characters. One of CM Punk’s running grapples in WWE ’12 is a flying head-scissors into a floatover reverse neck-breaker. Has anyone seen him attempt that on TV?

It’s now more about who’s on the cover of the game, since that represents today’s top dog. Systems are now named after wrestler aliases, instant replays and crowd reactions are flashier and more professional than ever, match categories allow you to set whether you’d like a quick hoss fight or a long, epic battle. Career mode lets you now relive moments from the Attitude Era, in a bizarre time loop where things are real but seen through the looking glass of real-life perception. Rosters and DLC characters aren’t that big a deal now – after all, whoever’s got the highest character ranking wins by default. Matches are now more Undertaker and John Cena than the confrontations of yore. Much like WWE today (well, at least in terms of John Cena being everywhere).

That’s not to say the new games aren’t any good (though they really do pale in comparison to the classics). But the days when you could have a battle of cruiserweights is long gone. The days when run-ins were interesting and you went TKO style if you wanted a long match. It just wasn’t all about recreating the “WWE Universe” feeling. It was about being one of these fake wresting muscular guys while pummeling other fake wrestling muscular guys. The games will always reflect the product however – don’t be surprised to see Touts implemented somehow for the future – but hopefully a day comes when we’ve got the wrestling game we need, rather than the one WWE thinks we want.

The standard fighting engine is surprisingly similar to how I remembered Smackdown being all those years ago, except a little bit slower. It feels all a bit more technical now, this being largely perpetuated by the new control scheme that uses the right analogue stick for grapples. The controls are generally smooth and intuitive, though it can become frustrating when multiple actions are assigned to one button; The A/X button being the worst offender, constantly confused my attempts to grab a weapon from under the ring with a desire to stand on the apron like a lemon. Despite these occasional setbacks and a severe lack of knowledge about the game modes, it was still fairly quick and easy to get into fun multiplayer games with the guys. There are a few uneasy animations and dodgy collision detections, and the move sets can become a little bit repetitive but it is all in all a good laugh. It must be said that WWE was clearly intended to be played in the context of a lad’s night in.

Get a bunch of guys in a room with some beers and smackdown and the high flying moves will be the highlight of your evening

As easy as it was to jump into a quick match, it must be said that to the uninitiated the general interface and menu screen can be a little confusing. The wealth of options to create and customize your content and experience is staggering. This allows for a deeply customizable wrestling experience, but it also can make finding your way around difficult if you’re like me and don’t know the difference between a cage match and hell in a cell.

One of the most entertaining new additions to the gameplay experience is the new WWE universe. When you’re setting up a standard exhibition match you can choose to do so within the WWE universe and as you play games within the universe it will store your match results and create new stories and scenarios around these. Even during multiplayer matches in the universe you’ll get allies coming in to aid you in your fight and random wrestlers entering the fray to forward their own agendas. It certainly adds a depth and random element to the game modes, but it is a shame that it couldn’t have a more structured story counterpart.

The plot threads thrown in by the WWE Universe are noteworthy, but the other single player modes are sadly lacking

I say that there isn’t a structured story mode; there is but it is just really not very good at all. I used to love it on No Mercy on the N64 the way you could create your own characters and have them chase down any of the championship belts, whereas in WWE 2011 the Road to Wrestlemania mode is divided between four of the main WWE superstars who each have their own story. You can also try and break the Undertaker’s streak in Wrestlemania using created characters, but it was such an impersonal story that it felt like a string of really boring exhibition matches rather than a solid single player campaign. The story modes for each of the four superstars try hard to create a feeling of continuity, allowing you to hang out backstage in the WWE arenas and interact with the other wrestlers. They also let you make choices that can determine how the story changes. Unfortunately both of these aspects fell flat and generally I felt like my decisions and actions were having no effect on what happened next on the story. The mode feels like a missed opportunity and the lame story lines and dodgy backstage exploration engine compound the feeling that this mode was severely rushed in comparison to other aspects of the game. It is a shame as were it not for this major gap in the armour, WWE 2011 would have been a far superior package all around.

Speaking of rushed aspects of WWE 2011, it is worth noting the rather hit and miss nature of the game’s visuals. The animations have to be the strongest aspect of the presentation, with smooth and fluid movements that give some of the more daring moves a deliciously visceral nature. Unfortunately some of the textures and the attention to detail just can’t keep up. The crowd are rendered quite poorly, to the point where they just look like they’ve been made using last generation’s hardware. Whenever you fight in any of the backstage arenas though, the excrement really starts to hit the proverbial fan. The arenas just feel dead and empty and really detract from the atmosphere that the game does a good job of creating otherwise. These problems seem even worse on the PS3 version, where the visuals just seemed jagged and lacking in definition when compared to the 360 version of the game. By comparison the sound does a better job, with some pretty solid voice acting and some nice juicy sound effects that add to the satisfying strikes and grapples. My only major criticism rests in the repetitive nature of the narrator voice clips. The narrations is usually done well and matches the on-screen action, but occasionally one clip will get repeated over and over again to the point of much irritation.

The graphics are a mixed bag with some aspects seeming quite rushed. Just try not to stare at the corwd for too long

Overall WWE is a decent sports title, but I get the feeling it will really come into its own if you’re a big fan of the franchise. Regardless of this, the lifespan of WWE 2011 will not let you down should you decide to commit to the purchase. The single player modes, though generally lacking, will last you some time and provide at least some enjoyment. The game really shines in its rock solid multiplayer gameplay and the vast creation tools that will have you making crazy new superstars, stories and special moves. With the added incentive of uploading and downloading your content online, these creation tools become almost too enjoyable and time consuming for their own good. It’s all topped off with a decent achievement/trophy list that, whilst occasionally unbalanced in its point distribution, will get you playing all the different modes and getting the most out of your game. Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 is a reasonable title overall, with a huge lifespan and multiplayer aspect let down by the poor solo play and dodgy graphics. If you love wrestling and have some like minded buddies, then consider this a worthy title. If you aren’t that way inclined, then there are one too many flaws and missed tricks to make the game worth your while.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360.

THQ have released this brand new launch trailer for WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011. Check it out above.

Also stay tuned with GamingBolt for a full review of the game soon.

THQ have revealed new details for it online modes. The new online boasts of a 12 player Royal Rumble event along with 18 bots to enhance the overall the experience. THQ have also promised that unlike previous games, all the games modes like Championship Scramble, Money in the Bank, Elimination Chamber and Royal Rumble will be latency free.

Contuining on the pedigree laid down by the previous WWE games, user created wrestlers will also make a return along with the ability to share Paint Tool Logos and Created Move Sets. They have also included the ability to edit downloaded content so players can edit any content they download from their fellow consumers to make them unique for their own rosters.  Finally, the search tool is also promised to dramatically enhanced so the community can share and find quality created content with greater ease.

The game will also include the ever popular Leader Boards and the online shop will offer cool content like new ring gear and playable arenas.

Check with GamingBolt next week for a full review of the game.

Indian gamers rejoice! Your favorite brawling game WWE Smackdown versus Raw 2011 will hit at retail shelve near you this October 2010.

A multitude of story-driven, spontaneous cinematics will constantly trigger around the action during matches based on the current standing of the WWE Superstars in the Universe.

Remember, WWE Universe is always watching and reacting to the player’s every move, and in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011, the WWE truly revolves around the player!

“John Cena, Undertaker, Randy Orton, Big Show, The Miz and Sheamus are incredibly talented WWE Superstars who took part in some of the biggest moments ever witnessed in WWE,” said Danny Bilson, Executive Vice President, Core Games, THQ. “We look forward to delivering an unparalleled WWE simulation experience with WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011, including best-in-class creative tools and decision-making abilities for players to define their own virtual WWE moments.”