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For the past few years, WWF gaming fans' only option was WWF Warzone/Attitude. A few months ago THQ took the WWF licenses from Acclaim. Their first release was WWF Wrestlemania 2000, which has been selling like crazy. THQ's next WWF game is set to be released in early March for the PlayStation. WWF Smackdown is based on the Toukon Restuden wrestling engine, which most Americans have not had a taste of unless they imported some of Japan's wrestling games.

Presentation/Graphics : 95
The graphics are crisp and well-done for a Playstation title. The photo-realistic graphics do not hinder the game speed at all. The game moves without any hitch in the frame rates. This is probably due to the lack of announcer(s). No wrestler will be mistaken for another wrestler in WWF Smackdown. The video quality is uncanny for a PlayStation title. Each of the superstars' theme music and entrance movies are included. Although there is no real entrance, the movies should be enough for most gamers.

A few negatives about the graphical features. If you fling your opponent into the ropes while the opponent is on the ground, the wrestler will just go throw the rope as if it is not there. Would have been nice if the wrestlers were able to bounce off the ropes instead of going right through the ropes. However, the ropes do move when you toss someone to the ropes or when you slide underneath the ropes to get out of the ring. No, the wrestlers do not come out with their belts.

Presentation/Audio : 75
Had there been some sort of announcer, WWF Smackdown could have scored nearly a perfect score. The only human sounds in the game are during the wrestlers' entrance video, "rope break" and the referee counting. All the other sounds are just of punches, kicks, and bodies landing onto the mat. The crowd noise is almost absent. Also, the theme music to Monday Night Raw and WWF Smackdown are featured in the game during the season mode.

Interface/Options : 90
The different matches available are: Single Match (With or Without Manager), Tag Team, Battle Royal, Survival, Hardcore, Falls Anywhere, Cage, I Quit, Special Referee, King of the Ring, Handicap. All the matches are self-explanatory except maybe the I Quit and Special Referee matches. In the I Quit match, you have to beat your wrestler down and then grab a microphone, hold it up to the opponent's mouth and try to make him or her cry uncle. A well planned out mode, although, it would have been nice to actually hear the wrestler shout, "I quit!". There are 3 wrestlers in the Special Referee match. There are the two wrestlers that are wrestling along with the referee. Users are able to control any one of the 3 participants. So if you have a buddy over, you will be able to have him be the referee and not even count when the computer is pinning you. Or if you happen to be pinning the computer, your buddy can count to three super fast. How is that going to help if you can't get the computer down on the mat? Well, being the referee, you can even help your friend out and start beating on the computer.

Winning a cage match can be difficult. In one case, I've performed 4 or 5 specials with my created wrestler and tried getting out of the cage, but still couldn't. The computer tossed me into the turnbuckle and got out of the steel cage while my guy just slumped on the turnbuckle. Sadly, climbing out of the cage is the only way of getting out. There is no door in the cage. As far as the Royal Rumble, you are always one of the first four in the ring. This is true during the Season Mode as well.

The season mode is well developed. You select a wrestler to control and go through House Events, Pay-Per-View Events, which include Wrestlemania, Royal Rumble and Summerslam. One event is held once a month. There are Smackdowns, and Monday Night Raw, but no Sunday Night Heat. However, a Sunday Night Heat ring is available if you decide to create your own pay-per-view. Every event, you can choose either to skip or play the match your wrestler is in. Want to watch the main event between The Rock and Stone Cold battle it out for the belt? Well, THQ has allowed you to do so. WWF Smackdown also displays how popular each match is. With all the options available, sadly your created wrestler cannot particpate in the season mode unless you control him or her yourself. You have to work your way to the top of the rankings till you get some sort of title match. After every year, you unlock a secret wrestler.

Throughout the season mode, WWF Smackdown will show cut scenes of wrestlers being attacked backstage, talking to his or her buddy, being interviewed and other things. Unfortunately, you cannot control anything that goes on doing the cut scenes. You can only watch.

Your wrestler can also form friendships or create an enemy during the season mode. This is more apparent during the Pre-Season mode. Sometimes your wrestler is offered advice and if you reject or accept it, it could led to either a new friend or a new enemey to watch out for. Unfortunately, you cannot create any sort of stables. WWF Smackdown also keeps track of all past belt winners as well as most watched matches.

There can be up to 4 human players in a season mode. I tried out WWF Smackdown with just two players and found that there is no real tag team season mode. Two human players might end up being on a team, or might end up battling each other out constantly.

The create-a-wrestler feature is not as in-depth as WWF Wrestlemania 2000's. You can only choose from existing heads for your wrestler. Along with whatever heads you decide to go with, you are able to choose your wrestler's clothing for his body, as well as one specific weapon. Also, you are able to select moves for your wrestlers. Here is one of my favorite features in the game. The game does not let you just choose any move you want. Your wrestler has to work for skill points, which then must be distributed in a couple of categories that will determine what moves your wrestlers will be able to perform. While on the subject of heads, when you unlock a character, you really unlock the head. You must create the wrestler yourself if you wish to use him or her. Side note here, you can only have four created wrestlers at once, unless you save them onto a different memory slot. Also, you can't edit existing in-game wrestlers. You can only do that to your created players.

Through our hands-on preview of WWF Smackdown, we've been asked if you can turn off the automatic KO feature of WWF Smackdown. Well, KOs do not always happen when you perform a special. Usually two specials would do it. Might take more though. The option can not be turned off during the season mode. However, it can be turned off in an exhibition match.

The menus and interface are not convoluted with options not seen at first glance. Everything you see on screen is what you are able to do.

Gameplay : 92
The gameplay in WWF Smackdown is unbelieveably addictive. To me, the game seems sort of a hybrid between WWF Attitude's and WWF Wrestlemania 2000's game engine. Moves are performed by pressing a direction and circle. None of that Up, Up, Down plus a button is in the game, thankfully. While facing your opponent, both standing, four wrestling moves plus four strikes(punches, kicks, etc...) are accessible. Four moves are available in each situtation that includes when your wrestler is on the top rope, picking up your opponent, opponent on the ground, etc... Specials are performed by simply pressing the L button. Turning and switching which way your wrestler is facing could be a problem when you are fighting two or more guys at once. Sometimes you accidently turn the wrong way and elbow your own teammate.

The AI does have some obvious problems. The computer usually charges at you when you climb to the top rope. This cheap tactic can help you get back in the match by flying off the top rope. Another AI problem is the lack of agressiveness. Increasing the difficulty setting only leads to a more unfair, unrealistic game. The computer gets right back up after just about every move you perform. They move twice as quickly as you do.

Backstage is incredible. Throw someone into the stove and it will light your wrestler on fire. Throw against a shelf and items will fall to the ground. Among the things you can do backstage: stand on kitchen tables, use a strecher, hit someone with a coffin, and throw wrestlers into cars. Flinging someone into the car will cause the horn to honk and the lights to flash. Nice touch there. You are able to toss wrestlers from a backstage room to another backstage room, unlike WCW Mayhem. For instance, the match could start in the ring but end up going through the boiler room, garage, kitchen and back into the ring. There are some exceptions to this. Your wrestler can only head backstage in 1 on 1 matches. However, this does not mean that if a wrestler ran out and starts to beat on you that you can't head backstage. You just need to try to get your official opponent in the aisle and throw him/her backstage, thus getting rid of the extra wrestler. Basically, if the match starts off 1 on 1 Hardcore, Falls Anywhere and I Quit matches, you will be able to go backstage.

A side note, there are no double team moves in the game.

Replay Value : 95
WWF Smackdown is a game that will keep any wrestling fan hooked to the game for EVER and EVVVVVER as Jehricho would say. Although the in-depth story mode is not perfect, it is the best wrestling fans have seen to date.

Overall : 94
I must recommend WWF Smackdown to any wrestling fans. The game will truly bring the WWF experience to the privacy of your own homes. The game engine is fresh to most wrestling gaming fans here who have not imported any of the Japan wrestling games. Well, what are you waiting for? Go get WWF Smackdown before it sells out! Now, only if there were announcers in the game...