WWE’s SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 helped the franchise reach the momentous 50 million unit mark with sales. With SmackDown vs. Raw 2011, THQ and Yuke’s hoped to continue the sucessful tradition of the annual franchise by taking the franchise’s stalwart features like the godlike level of character customization and great in ring action and adding some new ones, most notably WWE Universe Mode, an expanded backstage arena during the Road to WrestleMania mode and the upgraded physics system.

Gameplay:

As we talked about in our review of last year’s SmackDown vs. Raw 2010,  the biggest strength of SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 is how fun it makes the matches available to players. The control scheme proves itself to be easy to learn but a challenge to master allowing players of all levels of skill to enjoy bouts against the computer. This quickly changes however in player versus player combat where a novice has next to no hope against an opponent with more experience with the franchise.

New to this year’s in ring gameplay comes an improved physics engine. The physics in WWE games has varied over the years to the Gamecube days where contact with a ladder could take out a ring full to competitors to even last year’s SmackDown vs. Raw where instead of colliding with a ladder on a big fall, superstars would hit the ground and have the ladder gingerly slide over. Now, items like tables, ladders and chairs are interactive set pieces. Instead of moving aside when a competitor is aimed at it, tables shatter on contact and pieces will remain in the ring as the action goes on around it.

Wrestlers now react to being tossed on top of chairs and a kick to a ladder can send both it and the superstar climbing it to the floor. This feels like a step towards more added realism for the game’s in ring product. (And yes, we understand the irony of talking about realism in reference to professional wrestling… er, sports

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With its release date under a week away, THQ has revealed a new trailer for SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 featuring all of the biggest moves in the WWE, the finishers. Much like the real WWE, in SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 a match can be ended in an instant if a player is able to hit their big finish out of nowhere.

In the trailer below, you will see just how good SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 looks in action and how much effort was put into making the finishers look as realistic as possible.

Some of the highlights below include classic’s like the Undertaker’s Tombstone, Shawn Michael’s Sweet Chin Music, Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter and Jake “The Snake” Robert’s DDT. In addition, SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 is doing a great job of highlighting some of WWE’s newer and younger talent with the likes of Santino Marella’s Cobra, Zack Ryder’s Zack Attack and Kofi Kingston’s Trouble In Paradise.

Make sure to take a peek below and stick to The Flickcast for more on WWE’s SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 including a review once the game is released.

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Back in November, we gave you our review of WWE’s latest Smackdown vs. Raw 2010. Now, SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 is on the horizon and WWE has just announced the superstars for the game’s cover as well as some of its key features.

In the US, John Cena, the Big Show and the Miz, the latest addition to the Money in the Bank club, will be gracing SmackDown vs. Raw’s cover art (seen above). If you scan down to the gallery below, you will also see the European cover art featuring the Undertaker, Randy Orton and Sheamus.

“WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 is on track to deliver the most incredible WWE simulation experience to date in our storied franchise,” said Danny Bilson, Executive Vice President, Core Games, THQ. “This year’s game will offer players a variety of intuitive new gameplay features, impactful upgrades, industry-leading creation and customization tools, as well as unparalleled freedom to experience their own virtual WWE moments in line with those seen weekly in WWE.”

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XBox 360 – THQ – $59.99
Score: 7.5

THQ brings back its yearly moneymaker WWE SmackDown vs. Raw with a revised visual look to the game and brand new Create-A-Story mode. Since its inception on the Playstation in 2000, SmackDown has been an annual franchise that has continuously worked to improve itself with updated graphics, gameplay, new match types and, most importantly, user customization.

Taking pages from some real life WWE programming in its story mode while keeping as up to date a roster as possible with each iteration, there is an instant appeal for sports entertainment fans to pick up this game and play out the role of their favorite superstar or their own custom creation.

Gameplay:

The gameplay of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 is very similar to the previous years. Players move their wrestler with the left analog stick, use the right stick to lock up in to a grapple and use various combinations to perform specific moves. This isn’t like a standard fighting game where complicated button presses are needed to pull off “special” moves like the complete circle on the DPad needed for Zangief’s piledriver in Street Fighter.

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