WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2010 features revealed
THQ has been running a countdown clock on its official WWE SmackDown vs. RAW universe web site for quite some time with the promise of new information on the series to be released today. That new information, about WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2010, has been revealed and we have it for you now.
WWE SvR is the Madden of wrestling games at this point, having a complete lockdown on the wrestling game business now that Midway’s TNA license is in limbo and developer YUKE’S habit of only offering incremental updates to the tried and true formula that has been established in the last two or three games.
This year’s iteration may offer a bit more change than is usually expected from a WWE SvR game, but a large percentage of it is improvements to existing features - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Get all the details after the jump.
The newest and probably most interesting feature being introduced is the new WWE Story Designer. With this new mode, players will be able to create their own storylines using cut scenes, character talent, scene locations, their own dialogue, adjustable camera angles, over 100 scene animations, the ability to adjust talent emotions and much more. Players will also be able to make matches with unique match stipulations, add interference events and lots of other story twists and turns. The game’s Create-a-Finisher Mode has been improved to let players create acrobatic and diving attacks from the top turnbuckle, as well as giving them the ability ti adjusting the trajectory of high flying moves. In addition, new moves from the front grapple position have been added for more variety.
WWE SvR 2010 will also add a vastly improved Create-a-Superstar Mode, including new 3D parts and improved graphical quality, allowing players to create characters of similar quality to the in-game WWE stars. These new features will be enhanced by new tools like the new Paint Tool which will enable detailed creation of tattoos, logos and other unique designs, and a new apparel designer called Superstar Threads feature that will let players create alternate ring gear by customizing the colors of shirts, pants, face paint, elbow pads, boots and more.
All of these new creation features will allow for user generated content, but the new online sharing feature will help users to extend the gameplay. A new WWE Community Creations interface will enable players to upload their creations online, including created Superstars and Divas, story designs, finishing moves, entrance movies and highlight reels, and share them with others around the world. Players may also download created content via keyword search engine from other users for use both online and offline. In addition, players will be able to tag their creations with search terms, as well as leave ratings. Will this content be cross-platform compatible? We do not know, nor do we know how this new system will work on specific platforms like Xbox Live or PlayStation Network.
In addition to those features, WWE SvR 2010 will include a number of updates including the new WWE Training Facility (a training mode) an improved Road to WrestleMania story-based mode with new cutscenes and six brand new storylines - including a Create-a-Superstar storyline and a Divas storyline, an updated roster with more than 60 playable Superstars and Divas, and a soundtrack that includes such artists as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Skillet, Sick Puppies, Adelita’s Way and Trivium.
Finally, WWE SvR 2010 will offer specific experiences on the DS and Wii. The Wii version of the game will offer support the Wii Remote and Nunchuk and Classic Controller (as well as the GameCube controller), a broader list of features over last year’s game including a more robust move set, more match types, Create-a-Superstar, Create-a-Finisher, WWE Story Designer, Road to WrestleMania and more.
The Nintendo DS game will offer a more simulation-based experience, use streamlined controls that take advantage of the DS directional pad and eliminate use of the stylus. Throughout gameplay, players will earn a variety of collectible cards to gain power-ups and unlock content, including arenas, backstage areas and Superstar profiles. In Story Mode, players will take their created Superstars through all WWE brands, participating in training mini-games and interactive cut scenes while earning new moves and customization parts along the way. Rounding out the Nintendo DS experience, a franchise-first Ambulance Match.
And that’s all that THQ revealed today. It sounds like the Wii version of the game, while similar in content to its next-gen counterparts, is still slightly watered down. Details on the PS2 and PSP versions of the game were not detailed at press time, though I suspect both games will offer a decent, albeit toned down, feature set found in the PS3 version of the game.
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 is currently in development for the Xbox 360, PS3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii and Nintendo DS, with a scheduled release date of October 20, 2009.
