WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain

Last updated
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain
WWESmackDownHereComesThePain.jpg
North American cover art featuring Brock Lesnar [lower-alpha 1]
Developer(s) Yuke's
Publisher(s)
Series SmackDown!
Platform(s) PlayStation 2
Release
  • NA: October 27, 2003
  • EU: November 7, 2003
  • JP: January 29, 2004
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain (known as Exciting Pro Wrestling 5 in Japan) is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ for PlayStation 2 in North America on October 27, 2003. It is the sequel to WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth , the fifth and last game in the WWE SmackDown! series based on World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

Contents

Here Comes the Pain received positive reviews. [1] The game would be succeeded by WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw in 2004.

Gameplay

The games introduced a more advanced and extensive grappling system, while still retaining the series' fast gameplay.

Alongside a new grappling system, body damage displays and submission meters (for both the person applying the move and the person breaking out of the move), as well as the ability to break the submission hold when grabbing the ropes, and individual character attributes that consisted of statistics (such as strength, endurance, and speed) were all introduced to the series for the first time. Here Comes the Pain also marks the first time the Elimination Chamber and the Bra and Panties Match would be featured in a wrestling game.

Alongside a playable roster of over 50 Superstars who were active members of the WWE roster at the time of the game's release, legends were introduced for the first time in the series, which included wrestlers such as Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, as well as former iterations of current wrestlers, such as The Undertaker with his original "Deadman" gimmick. It also marks the final time that The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin would appear in a WWE game as non-legends, and is the first WWE game to feature future mainstays John Cena, "The Animal" Batista, and Rey Mysterio as playable characters. It is also the first game to depict Kane without his mask.

Additional updates were also made to Season Mode, with decisions being made on a new menu screen in the locker room, while players could enter the General Manager's room to ask for title shots and brand switches, as well as having the opportunity to talk to various wrestlers appear backstage. There are multiple titles to go after depending on if the players go to SmackDown! or Raw .

Development

Early beta versions of the game featured Jeff Hardy, Hulk Hogan (along with his alter-ego Mr. America and his 1980s appearance) and The Ultimate Warrior. However, Hogan and Hardy were removed from the game when they left WWE, and Warrior was ultimately omitted due to legal issues. Data for other omitted wrestlers, including Al Snow, Spike Dudley, Billy Kidman, Billy Gunn, William Regal, Bradshaw, Molly Holly and 3-Minute Warning remains on the final disc, with none of them having any finished character models. The concept of having multiple versions of Hogan in one game was finally realized with his inclusion in the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 .

Reception

WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain received a "Platinum" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), [12] indicating sales of at least 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom. [13]

The game received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic. [1]

IGN praised gameplay mechanics, graphics, career mode, and create-a-character feature, and called it one of the best games in the wrestler genre. [10] GameSpot was also positive despite saying that it lacks an innovation. [7] Eurogamer said that the game has a "superb" blend of traditional and wrestling-specific fight mechanics. [3] GMR commended the game's submission moves due to its logical location-based damage system and said that the wrestlers are accurately presented. [14]

Other reviews were more mixed. Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine commented that the game tried to accommodate both sides by combining quick action with the technical elements of wrestling, but that it almost succeeds in it. [11] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 29 out of 40. [4]

Accolades

Distributor:Category:Result:
1st British Academy Video Games Awards Sports GameNominated[ citation needed ]
2003 Spike Video Game Awards Best Sports Game
Best Fighting GameWon [15]
7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards Console Fighting Game of the Year Nominated [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>WWE 2K</i> Video game series

WWE 2K, formerly released as WWF SmackDown!, WWE SmackDown!, WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw, WWE, and Exciting Pro Wrestling in Japan, is a series of professional wrestling sports simulation video games that launched in 2000. The premise of the series is to emulate professional wrestling, specifically that of WWE, formerly known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The series began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and has continued as an annual release. It was originally exclusive to PlayStation platforms until 2006's WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the series to other platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

<i>Rumble Roses</i> 2004 video game

Rumble Roses is a professional wrestling fighting game that was developed by Yuke's and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2004. The game uses the same engine as Yuke's 2003 release WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain. Rumble Roses was followed by Rumble Roses XX, released for the Xbox 360 in 2006.

<i>WWF WrestleMania X8</i> (video game) 2002 video game

WWF WrestleMania X8 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and released on the GameCube by THQ in June 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Danielson</span> American professional wrestler (born 1981)

Bryan Lloyd Danielson is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under his real name and is a member of the Blackpool Combat Club. He rose to fame for his time in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Daniel Bryan from 2009 to 2021. Noted for his technical wrestling style, ability to transform his on-screen character with ease, and popularity with fans, he is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of his generation.

<i>WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw</i> 2004 professional wrestling video game

WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ for the PlayStation 2 on November 2, 2004 in North America. It is the sixth installment of professional wrestling promotion World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)'s video game series, the sequel to 2003's WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain, and the first game to be released under the SmackDown! vs. Raw title. The game series was rebranded after the introduction of the brand extension which divided WWE's roster into two brands, the latter brand in the game's title being named after WWE's weekly Monday Night Raw program.

<i>WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006</i> 2005 professional wrestling video game

WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 is a professional wrestling video game and developed by Yuke's that was released on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable by THQ in 2005. It is part of the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw video game series based on the professional wrestling promotion World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and is the successor to the 2004 game of the same name. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was also the first game in the series to be released on PlayStation Portable and the last game in the SmackDown!/SmackDown! vs. Raw series that was PlayStation exclusive.

<i>WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth</i> 2002 professional wrestling video game

WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth is a professional wrestling video game released on the PlayStation 2 console by THQ and developed by Yuke's. It is the fourth game in the WWE SmackDown! video game series, based on the professional wrestling promotion World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and the sequel to WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It. It is also the first game in the series to be released under the "WWE" banner.

<i>WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It</i> 2001 professional wrestling video game

WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It, known in Japan as Exciting Pro Wrestling 3, is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's, and published by THQ for PlayStation 2, and was released in November 2001. It is the third game in the WWF SmackDown! series, based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) professional wrestling promotion, the sequel to WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, the first game in the series to be released on the PlayStation 2 console, and the last game in the series to be released under the "WWF" name.

<i>WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role</i> 2000 professional wrestling video game

WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, known in Japan as Exciting Pro Wrestling 2, is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's released in November 2000 on the PlayStation by THQ. It is the sequel to WWF SmackDown!, and the second game in the SmackDown series, itself based on the World Wrestling Federation professional wrestling promotion.

<i>WWF SmackDown!</i> (video game) 2000 professional wrestling video game

WWF SmackDown!, known in Japan as Exciting Pro Wrestling, is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and released for the PlayStation by THQ. It is based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and is named after the company's weekly SmackDown! television program. Originally released on 2 March 2000, the game received a direct sequel released several months later, entitled WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role.

<i>WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007</i> 2006 professional wrestling video game

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ in 2006. It is the third game under the WWE SmackDown vs Raw name, the eighth game overall in the video game series based on the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) professional wrestling promotion, and is the successor to 2005's WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006. The game was released worldwide in November 2006 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and a month later for PlayStation Portable. The Xbox 360 version was the first game in the series to be published on a seventh generation video game console. A PlayStation 3 version was also planned as a launch title but was later canceled.

<i>WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008</i> 2007 professional wrestling video game

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 is a professional wrestling video game published by THQ in November 2007, and developed by Yuke's for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PlayStation Portable video game consoles, with Amaze Entertainment overseeing development for the Nintendo DS version.

<i>WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009</i> 2008 professional wrestling video game

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, and Xbox 360 video game consoles, with TOSE overseeing development for the Nintendo DS version. The game was first released on November 9, 2008, in North America. It is the tenth overall installment in the video game series based on the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) promotion, and the fifth game under the SmackDown vs. Raw name, named after the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brands. It is the sequel to 2007's SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 and the second game to feature the promotion's ECW brand.

<i>WWE Legends of WrestleMania</i> 2009 video game

WWE Legends of WrestleMania is a professional wrestling video game featuring legends of the professional wrestling promotion, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), who have appeared at WrestleManias 1 to XV in the 1980s and 1990s; during that time, WWE was known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in March 2009 to coincide with WrestleMania 25. The game was developed by Yuke's and published by THQ, the same developer and publisher for the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw video game series. The retro WWE logo featured in the game was a slight modification of the 1980s and early 1990s WWF logo to match the letter design of the current logo. Unlike all other WWE Smackdown vs. Raw games released, this game was not ported over to the PlayStation 2 or Wii.

<i>WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010</i> 2009 professional wrestling video game

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ for PlayStation 2 (PS2), PlayStation 3 (PS3), PlayStation Portable (PSP), Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, and iOS. It was released worldwide in October 2009, with the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions for Japan in January 2010. TOSE oversaw the development for the Nintendo DS version, which was the last installment to be released for the handheld. 2010 was also the first installment to be released as an iPhone app, launching on App Store on December 23 the same year.

<i>WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011</i> 2010 professional wrestling video game

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ for PlayStation 2 (PS2), PlayStation 3 (PS3), PlayStation Portable (PSP), Xbox 360, and Wii systems. The game was released worldwide in October 2010, with the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions for Japan in February 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chad Gable</span> American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler

Charles Edward Betts is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Chad Gable and is the leader of Alpha Academy. He is a four-time tag team champion in WWE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Corbin</span> American professional wrestler

Thomas Pestock is an American professional wrestler and former professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Baron Corbin and is one-half of the current NXT Tag Team Champions with Bron Breakker in their first reign.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic .
  2. ↑ EGM staff (January 2004). "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 174. p. 140.
  3. 1 2 Bramwell, Tom (13 November 2003). "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain". Eurogamer .
  4. 1 2 "エキサイティングプロレス5". Famitsu . Vol. 789. 30 January 2004.
  5. ↑ Leeper, Justin (January 2004). "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain". Game Informer . No. 129. p. 138. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  6. ↑ DJ Dinobot (29 October 2003). "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro . Archived from the original on 4 February 2005. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  7. 1 2 Navarro, Alex (24 October 2003). "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain Review". GameSpot . Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Freeman, Matthew (15 November 2003). "GameSpy: [WWE] Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain". GameSpy . Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  9. ↑ Valentino, Nick (4 December 2003). "WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  10. 1 2 Dunham, Jeremy (24 October 2003). "WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain". IGN . Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  11. 1 2 Varanini, Giancarlo (January 2004). "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . p. 132. Archived from the original on 30 March 2004. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "ELSPA Sales Awards: Platinum". Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association . Archived from the original on 15 May 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  13. ↑ Caoili, Eric (26 November 2008). "ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status In UK". Gamasutra . Archived from the original on 18 September 2017.
  14. ↑ "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain". GMR (12): 92. January 2004. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  15. ↑ "Video Game Awards the Results". 8 December 2003.
  16. ↑ {{cite web |url=https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2004&idGame=269 |title=D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain |publisher=[[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |website=interactive.org |access-date=9 August 2023}}
  1. ↑ The PAL region cover art solely features Brock Lesnar as the cover star.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.