Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 (iPhone) Review
Posted by Joshua Richey on 01.26.2010
THQ's stories Smackdown vs. Raw franchise comes to the iPhone. Does it deserve a massive pop or an X-Pac pop?
Title: Smackdown vs. Raw 2010
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Yukes Media
Players: 1+
Genre: Wrestling
Developing a game for a platform that has no physical buttons has got to be challenging; especially when that game is one like Smackdown vs. Raw, a game that has a large fan base with high expectations. However, you would think that an elite developer like THQ would find a way to make this work. But in the case of Smackdown vs. Raw 2010, they have flat on nearly every possible level.
It’s actually quite shocking that THQ would even release a game like this. This franchise is their baby. It’s their money-maker. You would think that someone from THQ would have played this game at some point and been like “Hey, this isn’t good.”
Obviously with this game being an iPhone game, it's not going to look like the Smackdown vs. Raw on the consoles. Heck, the arenas in the game actually look pretty good. But as for the wrestlers themselves...well, they're pretty hideous. Take Mr. Kozlov here for example...
Yeah, it sucks that guys like Jeff Hardy, Shawn Michaels and CM Punk aren't in the game. But don't worry. Kozlov is!
The game has three modes: Quick Match, Exhibition and Career. In Exhibition, you’ll choose your difficulty, your wrestler, match-type and venue. Quick Match is essentially the same thing, except the computer will select your wrestler and opponent. Career is a very bare bones mode where you’ll select a generic wrestler, give him a generic appearance, and then attempt to work him up the WWE ladder, or until he pisses off HHH, in which case you’ll be wished the best on your future endeavors.
Despite a decent tutorial, the games controls are what make this game so awful. The game attempts to use the No Mercy/Smackdown vs. Raw control scheme that we’re all accustomed to. But with no buttons to press, these mechanics make the game virtually impossible to play.
Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 on the iPhone is a very poor first attempt on THQ’s part. I cannot recommend to anyone, not even the most diehard wrestling fan.
Graphics
2.0
Even for a mobile game, the graphics are doing this game no favors. Every character's face looks like Mickey Rourke's character in The Wrestler, which I don't think was their intended purpose.
Gameplay
2.0
These controls are to wrestling games what Jackie Gayda was to female wrestling.
Sound
4.0
The slams and punches are as you would expect, but the games sound doesn't leaves a lot to be desired.
Lasting Appeal
2.0
You'll likely play it once and then delete it from your iPhone. Yeah, it's that bad.
Fun Factor
2.0
The only fun that this game offers up is that you can mock how the characters look in the selection screen.
