

Smackdown VS Raw 2009 incorporates short story modes apart from the occasional Career Mode. There are also arenas based on each WWE television show.

The game features several arenas that WWE held events at in 20. Grappling, attacks and submissions will still be controlled by the stylus. The DS version's gameplay is now similar to that from the other consoles with full movement control around the ring for the wrestler and a stamina meter to build up for a finishing move. Unlike the previous year's game whose gameplay was focused exclusively on the handheld's stylus, this year's edition will instead use the D-pad for movement and the left shoulder button for finishing moves.

Japanese company TOSE will take over from Amaze Entertainment in development for the Nintendo DS version. Artificial intelligence, hit detection and animation have also been worked on. According to THQ, 50% of loading times for the game has been reduced, affecting such areas as wrestler entrances. The in-game commentary will feature three announcing teams like the previous version but will have more of a play-by-play aspect this time. As soon as the temperature reaches 500 ☏, the player can then begin to set their opponent on fire.īoth the Wii and DS versions will now include new matches, such as the steel cage and ladder match, with the DS version in addition also featuring tables and TLC matches.įighting styles, a major feature from the previous version, will be removed but the fighting abilities used there will be kept and enhanced with each wrestler possessing six out of twenty different abilities that would aid the player in specific areas. To win the player must increase the temperature of the ring by performing more devastating moves. Unlike the real life match which takes place with the ring surrounded by fire coming from gas fed pipes, the ring ropes themselves will be on fire. Raw 2009 was the first WWE video game to include the Inferno match, a match where the player has to set their opponent on fire in order to win. Teams will now share their own momentum meter, attributes and double team finishers. The player's tag team partner has more of a part to play in this match and will aid the player by holding an opponent by the ropes while on the apron, and the pulling down the ropes for an opponent dashing towards them, sending them out of the ring. Additions in the match include new ways of tagging the player's tag team partner such as the reversible hot tag, which can help save the player in the match if they are in trouble, and the forced blind tag, where the partner tags themself into the ring.

One of the game's most prominent features is the enhanced tag team match.
