Honestly, if you grew up in the late 2000s, Tuesday nights weren’t just about watching the shows; they were about firing up the console and trying to recreate that magic. WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009 was a weird, pivotal moment for the franchise. It felt like the developers at Yuke’s were finally waking up from the slumber of the previous two years. They basically decided to stop coasting and actually fix the stuff that made the 2008 version feel like a chore.
It wasn’t just another roster update. This was the year of the tag team. For the first time, being the "illegal man" on the apron actually felt like you were part of the match instead of just standing there like a cardboard cutout waiting for a tag that never came.
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The Mode That Changed Everything: Road to WrestleMania
Before 2009, the story modes were... kinda messy. Remember the 24/7 mode? It was a slog. It felt like a spreadsheet simulator where you occasionally had to wrestle. Then came Road to WrestleMania. This was a stroke of genius. Instead of one generic story for everyone, they gave us six tailored, high-production storylines.
You could play as Triple H, CM Punk, Chris Jericho, John Cena, or The Undertaker. But the real kicker was the co-op story with Rey Mysterio and Batista. It was the first time you and a buddy could actually play through a narrative together on the same couch.
The writing was surprisingly decent for a wrestling game. Sure, it had some wild moments—Santino Marella literally turning into a zombie comes to mind—but it felt like the TV product. Each story took maybe two or three hours, making them perfect for a weekend binge. It was focused. It had voice acting from the actual wrestlers. It basically set the blueprint for how story modes would work in the series for years.
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The Inferno Match and the "Create-A-Finisher" Craze
Let’s talk about the Inferno Match. It was the shiny new toy on the back of the box. In previous games, the ring was just surrounded by a static metal frame. In WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009, the ring ropes themselves were on fire. As you slammed your opponent, the flames would shoot up.
The temperature gauge in the corner would climb from 300 degrees toward 500. Once it hit the max, you could drag your opponent to the ropes and literally set them on fire. It was morbid, over-the-top, and exactly what a 14-year-old wrestling fan wanted.
Then there was Create-A-Finisher. This was a massive deal. You weren’t stuck with just the standard RKO or Attitude Adjustment anymore. You could string together up to ten different animations to create some absolute monstrosities. I remember making a move that started with a gut kick, went into a backbreaker, and ended with a piledriver. It looked ridiculous and probably would’ve killed a human being in real life, but that was the beauty of it.
What Actually Improved Under the Hood?
The gameplay felt faster. That’s the simplest way to put it. The 2008 game was slow and plodding, but here, the "Fighting Styles" were ditched in favor of Abilities. Instead of being locked into a specific class, superstars had up to six unique skills.
- Dirty Pin: Using the ropes for leverage.
- Hammer Throw: Whipping someone over the top rope with extra force.
- Resiliency: Kicking out of a pin even when your health was deep in the red.
- Object Specialist: Basically being a beast with chairs and tables.
This made the wrestlers feel distinct without the restrictive "styles" that ruined the balance in the previous year's entry.
Why 2009 Is the Forgotten Bridge
People usually talk about Here Comes The Pain as the gold standard, or SvR 2011 for the physics. WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009 often gets lost in the middle. It’s the "bridge" game. It introduced the Highlight Reel, where you could save clips of your best moments. It had the first real attempt at DLC with extra characters like Evan Bourne and Ted DiBiase Jr.
It was the last time we saw the old-school "locked-in" grappling system before they transitioned to more physics-based interactions. There’s a certain weight to the moves in this game that feels satisfying. When you hit a Chokeslam, it feels like the ring mat is actually taking a beating.
The Roster: A Snapshot of a Transition Era
The roster was a fascinating mix. You had the legends who were still full-time, like Shawn Michaels and Triple H (who were the cover stars as DX). But you also had the "New Breed" of ECW and the rising stars.
- Jeff Hardy at the peak of his popularity.
- CM Punk before he became the "Voice of the Voiceless."
- Edge in his "Ultimate Opportunist" prime.
- Ric Flair as an unlockable legend, which felt special since he’d just retired at WrestleMania 24.
The lack of a GM Mode was probably the biggest gripe at the time. Fans were livid. But the inclusion of the Roster Editor softened the blow a bit. You could finally change a wrestler's brand or give them a title without having to go through a whole season.
Is It Still Worth Playing?
Honestly? Yeah. If you still have a PS3 or Xbox 360 hooked up, it holds up better than you’d think. The AI is actually quite challenging on the "Legend" difficulty—they reverse moves with some logic rather than just being psychic.
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The graphics have that distinct mid-2000s bloom, and the crowd looks like a sea of polygons, but the character models for the main stars are still impressive. It’s a snapshot of a time when the "SmackDown vs Raw" brand was still the biggest thing in sports gaming.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Retro Gamers:
- Try the Co-op Road to WrestleMania: If you have a friend over, the Batista/Mysterio storyline is genuinely fun and rare for a wrestling game.
- Master the Abilities: Don't just button mash. Check your wrestler's specific abilities (like the "Kip-up") to turn the tide of a match.
- Check the Sliders: This was one of the first years where you could really tweak the AI sliders. If the computer is reversing too much, just turn it down and enjoy the carnage.
- Hunt for the DLC: If you're buying a used console, look for ones that already have the DLC installed, as the digital stores are mostly a ghost town now for these older titles.
It wasn't perfect, but it was the moment the series started caring about the "fun factor" again. It's a solid 8/10 that paved the way for the modern era.