It's that time once again. The annual SVR thread is here again. This year's game is mainly focused on certain types of wrestlers (i.e. high-flyer, powerhouse, dirty, hardcore, submission, etc.). Here's the roster for the game and what show they are on now. Note: they might not be on the same show in the game b/c of deadlines.

Superstars:
Ashley (SD)
Johnny Nitro (ECW)
Ric Flair (SD)
Batista (SD)
JTG (RAW, released this week)
Sabu (ECW, I think he's released)
Bobby Lashley (RAW)
Kane (SD)
Sandman (RAW)
Booker T (RAW, he's King Booker, not Booker T)
Kelly Kelly (ECW)
SHAD (RAW, released this week)
Candice Michelle (RAW)
Ken Kennedy (RAW)
Shawn Michaels (RAW)
Carlito (RAW)
Kenny Dykstra (SD)
Snitsky (RAW)
Chavo Guerrero (SD)
Marcus Cor Von (ECW)
The Great Khali (SD)
Chris Masters (SD)
Mark Henry (SD)
Tommy Dreamer (ECW)
CM Punk (ECW)
Matt Hardy (SD)
Torrie Wilson (SD)
Edge (SD)
Melina (RAW)
Triple H (RAW)
Elijah Burke (ECW)
Michelle McCool (SD)
Umaga (RAW)
Finlay (SD)
Mickie James (RAW)
Undertaker (SD)
Gregory Helms (SD)
MVP (SD)
William Regal (RAW)
Jeff Hardy (RAW)
Randy Orton (RAW)
John Cena (RAW)
Rey Mysterio (SD)

WWE Legends:
Bret Hart
Roddy Piper
The Rock
Mick Foley
Steve Austin
Rick Rude
Terry Funk

Non-playable:
Armando Alejandro Estrada (ECW, probably will be Umaga's manager)
Lillian Garcia (RAW ring announcer)
Stephanie McMahon (Story Mode)
JBL (SD color commentator)
Maria (RAW backstage reporter)
Tazz (ECW color commentator)
Jerry Lawler (RAW color commentator)
Michael Cole (SD play-by-play)
Theodore Long (SD GM)
Jim Ross (RAW play-by-play)
Mickie Henson (Ref)
Tony Chimmel (SD ring announcer)
Joey Styles (ECW play-by-play)
Mike Chioda (Ref)
Triple H in a suit (Story Mode)
Jonathan Coachman (RAW GM, even though Regal is the new GM)
Nick Patrick (Ref)
Vince McMahon (Story Mode)
Justin Roberts (ECW ring announcer)
Shane McMahon (Story Mode)

Omissions:

RAW: No Cade and Murdoch? They are the tag champs. No Shelton Benjamin.

SD: No Deuce or Domino. My big gripe.

ECW: I would have liked to see Kevin Thorn, but I'm just glad they are in the game this year.

Divas: I think the ones chosen are OK. I think they should have added Queen Sharmell as a non-playable to come to the ring with King Booker. Maybe they could have put either Jillian in again or Victoria, but it's ok.

Legends: I'm good with them. I'm glad they added Rude and Funk in there. I just wish they could add the "Macho Man" Randy Savage. I mean, he was one of the WWE's biggest draws... ever. Also, they'll never add the Honky Tonk Man or Demolition.

Biggest (and probably best to all): Chris Benoit. I figured I'd get that out of the way.

Coming out for most systems: PS3, PS2, PSP, XBOX 360, Wii, Nintendo DS

9/4/2007 10:00:42 AM

i haven't gotten a wrestling game since ps2 simply because the rosters are always so outdated cause WWE changes shit around so much. Is it impossible to offer downloadable rosters/let you download created wrestlers from an in-game marketplace for FREE. Hell maybe a small fee if it includes the music/video/speech all that shit from THQ

that and i haven't watched wrestling in forever

9/4/2007 10:29:44 AM

^I don't think it's impossible at all. I think they should have like roster updates like any sports game and some downloadable content for alternate outfits. It's not farfetched, it's just a matter of if Yukes will go through the trouble of making it.

Oh yeah, this game is coming out on November 13, so we got some time.

[Edited on September 4, 2007 at 10:33 AM. Reason : CM Punk is the ECW Champ? There's a God after all.]

9/4/2007 10:32:05 AM

how does psp have more legends

Eddie Guerrero
Jim Neidhart
Sgt. Slaughter

its only 3 but these 3 are kinda dope

9/4/2007 1:06:04 PM

Haha, The Anvil and Mr. Cobra-Clutch himself, haha.

9/4/2007 1:11:35 PM

^^I think they have those guys b/c the current and next-gen consoles was trying to make room for the gameplay tweaks and other things. Also, they need ppl to have a reason to buy those versions.

9/4/2007 1:24:27 PM

I just can't believe I really read "I would have liked to see Kevin Thorn."

9/4/2007 7:42:10 PM

Rey Mysterio Pics (93 overall rating):







[Edited on September 5, 2007 at 9:10 AM. Reason : added rating]

9/5/2007 8:55:18 AM

dudes


in


tights

9/5/2007 9:33:14 AM

^Don't forget the ladies or "divas" as what the WWE calls them...

Kelly Kelly Pics (58 overall, damn that's pretty high for a Diva rating considering that she has only wrestled like 3-4 matches ever):

9/6/2007 9:00:51 AM

Box Art (not sure if it's the final):

Quote :

"E3 '07: WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 Hands-On THQ is bringing its wrestling series back for another tour around the squared circle and we've got a hands-on look. By Brian Ekberg, GameSpot Posted Jul 13, 2007 3:33 pm PT Everyone knows that the WWE superstars The Big Show and Rey Mysterio Jr. are polar opposites when it comes to their in-ring style. Whereas Show is the ultimate powerhouse, lumbering around the ring in the hopes of grabbing his opponent and pummeling with a handful of blows, Mysterio is the ultimate high-flyer, able to easily evade attacks and launch his body from practically any point in the ring. THQ's SmackDown! vs. Raw series has made attempts to differentiate these disparate styles in the past, but they're taking it to an entirely new level in the upcoming WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 08 for the Xbox 360, an updated build of which we got to see at E3 2007. When it comes to gameplay, SVR 08 will break down wrestlers along eight different styles: powerhouse, dirty, hardcore, technical, showman, submission, high flyer, and brawler. Every wrestler on the roster will have two of these attributes: one will be a primary attribute and the other, perhaps obviously, will be a secondary ability. For example, John Cena is primarily a brawler, yet his secondary ability is as a showman, while Jeff Hardy is primarily a high flyer, and a hardcore wrestler second. You'll be able to switch a wrestler's abilities as you see fit, but only within reason--you won't be able to change The Big Show into a high flyer, for example, because of his size. A wrestler's abilities determine the kind of moves he will have access to, and the primary ability will give the wrestler a special move of sorts that can be used either to get out of tight situations or truly brutalize an opponent, depending on the ability. These special ability moves are in addition to a particular wrestler's finisher, and like that finishing move, you earn the ability to execute the move by building up momentum in the ring. Let's take Jeff Hardy as an example. As a high flyer, Jeff Hardy's basic move set will include moves that no other wrestler ability will have, such as rope-leaping tricks, high-flying stunts off the turnbuckles, and the ability to quickly evade attacks by rolling out of the way. His high-flying "special move" is the ability to wrap up into a small package any wrestlers who come near him with an attack, effectively getting himself out of trouble in a tight spot. A powerhouse like The Big Show can use his own smash-and-bash moves to wear an opponent down, and his special move is known as rampage, which will temporarily make him immune to any attack. A technical wrestler using a special move will be able reverse any hold or move put on him automatically, while a brawler will be able to strike opponents at will, making it effectively impossible for them to avoid his blows. So if the primary ability is so important in the ring, why even have a secondary ability at all? Here's where the next bit of depth comes into the new gameplay of SVR 08: you can flip your primary and secondary abilities at any point in the match. Currently, you have to pause the game and access a menu to do so, which is a bit awkward--it would be nice if you could flip abilities with a press of a button. Once your new ability is moved into the primary position, you'll have that ability's special move at your disposal. And, as in previous SVR games, you can store your momentum once it's maximized so that you can use either your special ability move or finisher whenever you like. The Yuke's development team is always looking to give the player more control over a wrestler's moves in the ring, and that is coming through in SVR 08 as well. Much of that interactivity involves creative uses of the right analog stick in the game. While playing as the Undertaker vs. Bobby Lashley, we were able to crouch over Lashley and proceed to bash him in the face by moving the right stick left or right, and even deliver a punishing head-butt by moving the stick first up, then down. A new submission system is a big improvement over the timing and button-based systems in the past. This time, when you get an opponent in a submission move, you simply move the right stick to apply pressure on your opponent. The more pressure you put on them, the more it will wear them down; conversely, your grip on your opponent will loosen as you go. In order to maintain your hold, you'll need to let off the pressure slightly, which will give your opponent a chance to escape during the brief respite. If you are caught in a hold, a smart camera will zoom in and out to let you know when your opponent is putting the screws to you, or backing off a bit. One other move we really liked in SVR 08 wasn't actually new at all: the triple strike was actually in last year's game but seems like it works better this time around. By holding the right bumper and pressing the X button, we had the Undertaker execute a vicious-looking trio of punches on Lashley. The move can be countered if the first blow is blocked, but if your opponent fails to do so, he'll fall victim to all three of your strikes. And, thanks to a deep move editor, you'll be able to design exactly how you wish those three punches (or kicks, or elbows) to execute. Among all the other new additions to SVR 08, one of the coolest additions is ECW brand, including a bunch of ECW wrestlers in the game (such as Sandman, who was playable in the E3 build). In the ECW Extreme Rules match, as it's known in the game, you'll be able to pick which weapons you want to bring to the ring beforehand and, once the bell rings, you'll be able to take advantage of a host of new interactive crowds that are meant to recreate the rowdier nature of ECW audiences. As the combat moves outside the ring, audience members will hand you weapons to use and even hold down opponents so you can get a good bead on them. Whether the crowds will match the insane atmosphere of the old Philadelphia ECW house shows has yet to be determined, but we're hopeful. Though we don't know the full details of the SVR 08's new career mode, dubbed 24/7 mode, we do know that it will be a more detailed look at the life of your wrestler of choice (be he created or one from the current WWE stable). In addition to wrestling matches, you'll need to keep your grappler in shape by participating in gym workouts, or do promotional events where you sign autographs for your adoring public. There's so much more to learn about SVR 08, including online options, updates to the various creation features, other modes in the game, and, of course, the full roster of wrestlers. We'll be keeping a close eye on the game as it develops over the coming months, and we'll be bringing you all the latest up to its release date in the fall."

9/6/2007 9:44:56 AM

Matt Hardy (90 overall, damn, that's really generous for him as far as ratings go):

9/7/2007 9:02:49 AM

i got the hardy boyz autograph back in southern pines when they were popular

*fun fact

why is ign using ps2 screenshots for its feature

fucking dumb

9/7/2007 11:00:49 AM

^It's IGN.

9/7/2007 11:13:40 AM

The Undertaker (95 overall, the "Phenom" stays dominant):

9/8/2007 4:51:16 PM

C.M. Punk (92 overall, the ECW champ's addiction is competition):

9/10/2007 11:00:14 PM

Melina (71 overall, this Latin goddess graces us for her second term on the SD! series):

9/12/2007 9:31:15 AM

MVP (85 overall, Montel Vontavious Porter makes his SD! game debut as U.S. Champ):

9/13/2007 8:42:06 AM

Mickie James (70 overall, she's not crazy anymore, but she's still hot):






[Edited on September 14, 2007 at 12:05 AM. Reason : hmmm Mickie James]

9/13/2007 11:59:39 PM

Overall Recap:

RAW
------
Melina (71)
Mickie James (70)

Smackdown!
-------------
Matt Hardy (90)
M.V.P. (85)
Rey Mysterio (93)
Undertaker (95)

ECW
-------
CM Punk (92)
Kelly Kelly (58)

9/14/2007 8:12:33 AM

Batista (94 overall, "The Animal" is now unleashed):

9/15/2007 9:47:39 AM

Quote :

"WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 Progress Report Get the all the info on ECW, flaming tables and exclusive features! by Greg Miller September 17, 2007 - It began with a few seconds buried in a WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 trailer. In between talk of fighting styles and random clips, Sandman dropped a match on a folding table and the thing burst into flames. THQ cut to some other action, but the image lingered in the minds of SmackDown fanboys worldwide -- did we just see what we think we saw? Was that for real? Would this be the year flaming tables finally get introduced into the premier professional wrestling game? Yes. Yes it is, but THQ and Yuke's aren't stopping there. This year will also see the inclusion of flaming, barbed wire two-by-fours, more audience interaction than ever and barricade moves that'll make you think twice about what's possible on the black behemoth -- and it's all thanks to ECW. Say what you want about old school ECW -- it was more brawling than wrestling, the talent was never as good as other organizations, some other statement that shows you're a lame ass, etc. -- but after a morning of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008's ECW Extreme Rules Matches, we can tell you everything that made the organization special has made it into this year's game. As you're about to see below -- we've uploaded lots of video and images for you to peruse -- we went nuts and threw caution to the wind for this feature. Sure, we could've stuck with who has debuted on our daily Countdown, but Rey Mysterio and Batista in an ECW Extreme Rules Match just didn't sound right -- but the Innovator of Violence Tommy Dreamer and new blood Elijah Burke? Now, this is extreme. When the match type was announced, some of the more jaded among the SmackDown brethren rolled their eyes and wondered how this would be any different from a hardcore match. The answer is that this is the embodiment of what it must be like to wrestle in the ECW arena in Philly. Our Dreamer/Burke match started with the ECW icons in the ring and weaponless. There weren't any cheesy items sprawled out in or around the ring -- it looked just like a regular ECW bout. Lucky for us, the match also plays like a normal ECW fight as well. There's no count out and no disqualification, but unlike a hardcore match, pinfalls and submissions can only take place in the ring. Just like in the old days when Paul couldn't afford a Titantron, you can't wander into the backstage labyrinth like you can in a traditional WWE hardcore match -- you have to keep the action in front of the live fans. Think that sounds weak? It isn't. In fact, the fan interaction is what makes this mode feel like it's torn from the glory days of the Dudleys, Mikey Whipwreck and Francine. As Tommy wailed on Elijah outside the ring and around the barricade, fans would present weapons to the ECW Legend who could either take the tool from the blood-thirsty fanboy and bludgeon Eljiah with it or -- using an environmental grapple -- have the fan hold the object out while Tommy hurled Elijah into it. Guitars, championship belts and even beverages make their way from the front row fans -- sadly, no one's decked out in a neon windbreaker or the long hair/shades combo -- and into the faces of the fallen. At one point Tommy, while performing an Ultimate Control grapple, carried Elijah over to the barricade and we were prompted to press up on the right joystick. When we did, Tommy lifted Burke. When we pressed the stick down, Tommy let the heel go and Elijah's face met the barricade. Later, a fan held out a crutch, Tommy laid Elijah over the barricade and the right joystick commands popped up for us to decide how long we wanted to wait before we jerked the stick down and slammed the rehabilitation tool on Elijah's back. When Burke had been beaten on enough, Tommy rested against the barricade and celebrated with his fans. For those who loved ECW enough to suffer through ECW: Hardcore Revolution and ECW: Anarchy Rulz!, your prayers have been answered. But you didn't come here to read about all that jazz, did you? You want to know about the tables. Well, when a wrestler reaches underneath the ring in an ECW Extreme Rules Match, what he pulls out is no longer left up to chance. Instead, a pinwheel of weapon choices -- a mop, chair, guitar, etc. -- appears in the lower left corner of the screen and allows you to pick your implement of destruction. Even better? You won't be attacked while you decide. Anyway, let's say you pick the table, push it into the ring and set it up. The easy part's done. Now you need to go back to wailing on your opponent to get your special up. Once your momentum meter is flashing, you can walk to the table, hit your finisher button -- triangle on the PS3/PS2 and Y on the 360 -- and your wrestler will pull a match from his boot, strike it on the sole and let the wood go up in flames. Awesome. Once it's lit, the table won't go out until someone is thrown through it. Just like the barricade moves, getting your least favorite heel or face to feel the heat isn't that tough. You can scoop him up in an Ultimate Control grapple and toss him through the fire via your favorite suplex, fireman's carry or what have you. Of course, the cooler thing to do is to stack two tables, light the top one on fire and superplex your foe through the flaming monstrosity. The act of setting up tables and pulling off moves might be too much for the lazy pyromaniac, THQ dropped in the flaming barbed wire two-by-four. For this nifty, double damage-inflicting object, you'll need to pull the unlit weapon from beneath the ring and unleash your special in a similar boot-match-woosh scenario. Now, you can wail on your opponent until the board breaks and the fire goes out. A given character's Fighting Style -- powerhouse, technical, high-flyer, brawler, submission, dirty, showman and hardcore -- plays heavily into a match as well. Each character has two styles assigned to them, which can be changed to whatever you like in one of the create modes, but will only have one active in any given match. The style activated provides wrestlers with a number of advantages and specialties. For instance, in the ECW Extreme Rules Match, Tommy had his hardcore fighting style activated. When he was holding the guitar, he had access to a number of weapon grapples a showman or technical superstar wouldn't. When he slammed the instrument into Elijah's midsection and hauled off and nailed him in the face, he was performing a move specific to the hardcore personality. Same thing when Tommy tossed the chair to Elijah and punched it back into Burke's face. High-flyers such as Rey and Carlito can perform quick, evasive rolls and a number of springboard attacks; technical superstars such as Shawn Michaels and Mickie James have a beefed up defense; and the list goes on with some of SmackDown's previous features now being tied into a specific style. Remember how anyone could steal someone's finisher in past games? That ability has been made exclusive to showmen. That might sound disappointing, but the benefits that come with the move are pretty impressive. Now, when a player is pulling off a stolen finisher, the action will freeze, the arena will darken, and as the camera spins around the move, flashbulbs will erupt. It's not a move for the humble mat technician to crank out. The ECW Extreme Rules Match isn't the only mode making waves on this year's game. For a ref to begin his ten count in a Last Man Standing match, you'll have to hit your finisher; although the official Title Match option is missing from the list of game modes, that's only because you can now defend a belt or challenge for a title with the click of the start button as you select your superstar; and in Ironman Matches -- of which there are only 10-, 15- and 20-minute lengths -- a wrestler who loses a fall will get all of his health back while the winner struggles on with the previous round's damage. Still, are you ready for the big news? The PS3 and the Xbox 360 are getting exclusive features in their individual builds of the game. On the PlayStation 3, you'll be able to press R2 during your character's entrance and switch to a first-person mode. Taking advantage of the Sixaxis, you'll move your controller in whatever direction you want and the on-screen view will follow. You can toggle the view on and off with a click of R2, but don't you want to read all of the signs? As for the 360 -- drum roll, please -- WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 will allow you to take the music off your Xbox 360 hard drive and put it into the game. Want your own soundtrack? It's there. Want Undertaker to come out to Flock of Seagulls? Have at it. Want your created character to come out to your friend's Garage Band track? It's go time. WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 is still close to two months from hitting store shelves, but the coverage blowout will continue on IGN with our daily Countdown, videos, screens, THQ Q&As and Friday Fights -- events where you choose who is fighting, the match type and the arena. Keep it here for the most in-depth WWE coverage around and stop in on the SmackDown message board to suggest questions for THQ and vote for matches."

9/18/2007 3:49:17 PM

Chavo Guerrero (85 overall, lying, cheating, stealing...)




Shawn Michaels (94 overall, the Heartbreak Kid is ready to deliver more digital Sweet Chin Music):

9/19/2007 9:27:47 AM

these pictures are killing my browser everytime i view this thread, s when we get to page to, can we not post huge pictures anymore?

9/19/2007 12:03:04 PM

^OK, I won't post the huge pictures anymore.

I understand if it's an eye-sore. Um, besides not posting pics, what do you think I should do in order to make the thread better?

9/19/2007 12:05:20 PM

make me understand how Batista is a "good wrestler"

9/19/2007 12:49:31 PM

^That's the thing, he's really not a good wrestler. He's just a huge muscular guy with like five moves: punches, spinebuster, spear, clothesline, and a sit-out powerbomb. That's it. I know AxlBonBach can either add to that or disagree, but yeah, it's all about charisma nowadays.

9/19/2007 1:52:38 PM

Quote :

"WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 Updated Hands-On By Brian Ekberg, GameSpot Posted Sep 17, 2007 6:00 pm PT OK, let's be honest. The WWE has seen better days. Between the Chris Benoit tragedy, the suspension of various WWE roster members because of alleged substance abuse, and the whole Hornswoggle/Mr. McMahon debacle, the biggest wrestling brand in the land is struggling. It's a good thing, then, that the WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW series continues to hum right along with a series of quality games that have highlighted what's fun about pro wrestling--namely, great characters getting into the ring and mixing things up. Producers for THQ's latest grappling effort--WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008--recently visited GameSpot HQ to give us a hands-on look at how this year's game is shaping up. During our hands-on session, we saw three distinct versions of SmackDown! 2008, one each for the Xbox 360, Wii, and DS. All three versions of the game have their similarities, but producers were quick to point out that each will offer an experience unlike the other. That's certainly true from a control standpoint; as you might imagine, the Wii and DS versions both have their own unique control mechanics. We started with the Xbox 360 version. THQ had talked about the ECW presence in the game when showing the game previously but, beyond some generalities, we didn't know exactly how the hardcore brand of the WWE would be portrayed in the game. With the newly introduced ECW extreme rules match, now we know. These matches differ from your standard hardcore matches both in the number and availability of weapons in a match, as well as the interaction with the ringside crowd. Before beginning an extreme rules match, you'll be able to choose from a number of weapons you want to have available to you. Examples include chairs, sledgehammers, crutches, guitars, championship belts... and the always-lethal mops. You can choose up to four of these weapons for your wrestler before the match begins. At any time during an extreme rules match, you can guide your wrestler to the floor and then, with a press of the A button (or X on the PlayStation 3 version), you can reach under the ring apron to grab a weapon. A radial menu will appear, and you can choose from any weapon available to bring into the ring. In a nod to the game's new superstar abilities feature--whereby everyone on the roster has a primary and secondary ability--wrestlers with the "hardcore" primary ability will have extra options when using a weapon against an opponent, such as using weapons as part of grapple moves. Inevitably in an extreme rules match, the fight will move from the ring down onto the floor. Here, you'll find much more interaction with the crowd than in a typical match. The crowd will taunt and interact with your wrestler, and will even occasionally hand you weapons to wail on your opponent with. Unlike in last year's game, which featured only one area where you could interact with the crowd, the entire ringside crowd in SmackDown! 2008 will be more interactive than ever before. During one match we saw, someone offered Tommy Dreamer a can of soda, which he proceeded to dump on a down-and-out CM Punk lying defenseless on the ground. In keeping with the ECW's hardcore style, there will also much more blood in these matches, plenty of cool hardcore bumps, and fire. Oh yes, there will be fire, as in flaming 2x4s, flaming tables, even flaming tables stacked on flaming tables. Add to this mixture ECW legends such as Terry Funk and Sabu, and you've got a recipe for some entertaining bloodletting. Another new control tweak worthy of mention in SmackDown! 2008 is the ability to punch your way out of both normal and ultimate-control grapples. If you find your wrestler caught in an ultimate-control hold, you first soften your opponent up with a few blows to the head or gut, which will momentarily stun the would-be grappler and give you an opportunity to wiggle your way out of the hold by moving the right stick back and forth. Of the different primary abilities available to both the WWE superstars and your created wrestler, the submission style seems like it's going to be a lot of fun. A new interface will give you an idea of both when to apply pressure on a hold by wrenching with the analog stick, as well as when to give it a rest by returning the hold to a neutral position (and thus giving the opponent an opportunity to break the hold). Handy onscreen icons will help out here, but submission specialists will have a special ability that will let them apply unfettered pressure for a certain amount of time without having to worry about their opponent breaking the hold. In fact, each primary ability will include special moves like this, and THQ and Yuke's development team have been working hard to ensure that all wrestler abilities are as balanced as possible. If you think of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of SmackDown! 2008 as the "sim" wrestlers, then the Wii version is certainly the arcade version. And that is by no means a bad thing. Unlike the slightly slower-paced and more methodical versions on the other consoles, SmackDown! 2008 on the Wii is a nonstop, punchin', kickin', slobberknocker of a wrestling game. The gameplay has been intentionally sped up to keep the action moving and, as a result, the in-ring action rarely (at least in our experience) lasts more than a few minutes. It's "get in the ring, slap your opponent around, get the pin, and get out." The controls for the Wii version are a breeze. Your basic strikes are done by simply waving the Wii Remote in any direction. Basic grapples are controlled by pressing the A button and then moving the Wii Remote. To do interactive grapples, you press the B button and then move the Wii Remote in the directions given onscreen. Countering the moves of your opponent is a guessing game, which requires you to guess the kind of move your opponent will try on you and then execute it before he or she does. It's definitely not the easiest countering system we've seen, but considering the pure, manic pace of the matches in the first place, it probably fits. So far, the Nintendo DS version of SmackDown! 2008 has been the biggest enigma of all. We saw an extremely early version of the game at E3 2007 that looked, well, extremely early. That said, having played an updated version of the game, we're happy to report that the DS version has made some strides. It still uses the touch screen and stylus combo as the main method of interacting with the wrestlers; in fact, as producers pointed out, you rarely have to lift your stylus off the touch screen to pull off moves. During a match, hot spots pop up on screen indicating different moves you can try on your opponent, but only if you correctly draw figures with the stylus based on an onscreen prompt. The updated version was much more responsive to stylus input than the E3 build, which is promising. All things considered, the graphics hold their own for a handheld system. The DS version will include a full 50-week season mode with separate storylines for ECW, SmackDown!, and RAW, as well as backstage environments and locker rooms, where you'll be able to train your wrestler on a number of different touch-screen-based minigames. The game will also let you collect items you can use for attribute improvement, form allies that you can call for assistance in matches, and feature 21 playable characters, as well as four WWE Divas who will be part of the action (but not playable). We'll be bringing you more on all versions of SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. "

9/19/2007 2:04:23 PM

Overall Recap:

RAW
------
Melina (71)
Mickie James (70)
Shawn Michaels (94)

Smackdown!
-------------
Batista (94)
Chavo Guerrero (85)
Matt Hardy (90)
M.V.P. (85)
Rey Mysterio (93)
Undertaker (95)

ECW
-------
CM Punk (92)
Kelly Kelly (58)

I'm so sorry with the lack of using the "Edit Post" button, but I'm really trying to bump this thread to page two, so you won't have to deal with all the big pics.

9/19/2007 2:08:13 PM

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/23011.html

Trailer for the game...sorry, just trying to bump this to #2.

9/19/2007 2:13:15 PM

Yea, i'm not that fond of Batista's in ring skills, or lack thereof, but I really dig his personality and charisma. he has that "everyman" look to him, where he's just the guy around the corner who blasts metal and works on his motorcycle all night.

with batista, it's not the substance, but the intangibles. he makes a great heel and a great face, so I understand why he's so popular right now.

That said, 94 is a big jump for him. I'd put him at about a 91, but that's my personal opinion.

9/19/2007 5:08:56 PM

^Well said.

With that, I wonder how long it'll take before we get to the second page?

9/19/2007 6:24:56 PM

as soon as possible. i'm turning images off on firefox to view this page, so it loads quick now.


WWE released Marcus Cor Von today. DAMMIT, hopefully monty will be back in TNA

9/19/2007 7:28:14 PM

^Yeah, it's a shame. They never really gave him anything to really build off of.


Anyway, I forgot, who are your top three divas again? I know Mickie James was your fav, and Victoria was second, who was third?

9/19/2007 9:22:04 PM

right now its beth phoenix. i'm a fan of the Glamazon.

9/19/2007 10:28:39 PM

^Nice. Anyway, the current women's champ Candice Michelle has an overall rating of 66. I think it's a good rating for her. I wouldn't put her up in ratings in the caliber of a Mickie James or Melina, but a 66 is still good for a Diva.

9/20/2007 1:20:25 AM

Overall Recap:

RAW
------
Candice Michelle (66)
Melina (71)
Mickie James (70)
Shawn Michaels (94)

Smackdown!
-------------
Batista (94)
Chavo Guerrero (85)
Matt Hardy (90)
M.V.P. (85)
Rey Mysterio (93)
Undertaker (95)

ECW
-------
CM Punk (92)
Kelly Kelly (58)

9/20/2007 8:53:19 AM

so whats the actual release date for this game?

and, are there any news about the Create-A-Wrestler this year? there's alot of legends missing, so they better have a good one...

9/20/2007 9:01:12 AM

The release date for this game is November 13th.

As far as Create-A-Wrestler, I have absolutely no info regarding it. I'm guessing within the next few weeks, they'll have more info.

Man, I've been watching clips of the Extreme Rules match. That's going to be incredible.

9/20/2007 11:32:23 AM

i received "The Rise and Fall of ECW" the other day from netflix and watched that

i must say, it's not a bad documentary. The matches get old after awhile, but if the game is anything like some of those matches, then holy crap, it's going to be awesome.

Best match on the disc: Sabu v. 2 Cold Scorpio. If you've never seen that match, then I recommend it FULLY.

9/20/2007 2:07:40 PM

^I have that DVD too. Probably one of, if not, the best wrestling DVD I own.

I am just worried about the new rating system. It's been pretty odd.

Chavo and MVP are equal in rating? Matt Hardy is a 90? Maybe the different styles have something to do with the ratings, but I just hope they don't underrate Mr. Kennedy. Odds are they will, but hey, if you're good, then it won't really matter who you play with.

9/20/2007 2:21:25 PM

JTG of Cryme Tyme is next on the countdown and his 84 rating is beyond me.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/821/821346p1.html

9/20/2007 10:07:17 PM

Overall Recap:

RAW
------
Candice Michelle (66)
JTG (of Cryme Tyme) (84)
Melina (71)
Mickie James (70)
Shawn Michaels (94)

Smackdown!
-------------
Batista (94)
Chavo Guerrero (85)
Matt Hardy (90)
M.V.P. (85)
Rey Mysterio (93)
Undertaker (95)

ECW
-------
CM Punk (92)
Kelly Kelly (58)

9/21/2007 9:49:16 AM

CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio in an Extreme Rules match...

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/822/822312p1.html

(obligatory Joey Styles comment: "OH MY GOD!!!")

9/22/2007 8:43:01 AM

Overall Recap:

RAW
------
Candice Michelle (66) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/821/821149p1.html
JTG (of Cryme Tyme) (84) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/821/821337p1.html
Melina (71) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/819/819298p1.html
Mickie James (70) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/820/820015p1.html
Shawn Michaels (94) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/820/820469p1.html
Umaga (88) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/822/822535p1.html

Smackdown!
-------------
Batista (94) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/820/820137p1.html
Chavo Guerrero (85) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/820/820748p1.html
Matt Hardy (90) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/818/818165p1.html
Mark Henry (83) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/821/821360p1.html
M.V.P. (85) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/819/819601p1.html
Rey Mysterio (93) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/817/817818p1.html
Undertaker (95) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/818/818534p1.html

ECW
-------
CM Punk (92) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/818/818568p1.html
Kelly Kelly (58) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/818/818117p1.html

9/25/2007 8:49:09 AM

Overall Recap:

RAW
------
Bobby Lashley (93) http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/822/822818p1.html
Candice Michelle (66) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/821/821149p1.html
JTG (of Cryme Tyme) (84) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/821/821337p1.html
Melina (71) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/819/819298p1.html
Mickie James (70) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/820/820015p1.html
Shawn Michaels (94) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/820/820469p1.html
Umaga (88) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/822/822535p1.html

Smackdown!
-------------
Batista (94) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/820/820137p1.html
Chavo Guerrero (85) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/820/820748p1.html
Matt Hardy (90) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/818/818165p1.html
Mark Henry (83) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/821/821360p1.html
M.V.P. (85) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/819/819601p1.html
Rey Mysterio (93) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/817/817818p1.html
Undertaker (95) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/818/818534p1.html

ECW
-------
CM Punk (92) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/818/818568p1.html
Kelly Kelly (58) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/818/818117p1.html

9/26/2007 8:13:30 AM

Sandman (86 overall).

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/823/823135p1.html

Too bad he was released a week or two ago.

9/27/2007 8:23:28 AM

Torrie Wilson (64 overall)

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/823/823433p1.html

9/28/2007 9:08:39 AM

The Great Khali (83 overall)

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/823/823608p1.html

10/1/2007 8:46:30 AM

John Cena (97 overall)

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/823/823954p1.html

10/2/2007 9:27:26 AM