This episode of the Smackdown series continues the Smackdown vs. Raw era, which now incorporates a yearly date into its title in a manner comparable to that of other sports titles. The game features an updated roster of wrestlers and many legendary superstars from the past, such as Bret Hart and British Bulldog. It also includes several new arenas featured in recent Pay-Per-View events, in addition to a classic theater featured at Wrestlemania 9. As the player progresses through the game’s Season Mode and encounters a variety of unique storylines in their pursuit of the championship belts, the storyline will feature newly recorded dialogue for a number of the wrestlers. The gameplay has been improved a bit, and now there is a long list of moves each wrestler can use.
Additionally, there are pre-match minigames that you can play to determine who has the advantage going into the match. The General Manager Mode is another new addition; in this mode, the player assumes the role of a general manager attempting to book a weekly show. The goals of this mode include taking into account the costs of contracting wrestlers, ensuring that a specific wrestler continues to be happy and healthy, staging matches, and provoking feuds to maintain a high level of viewer interest in the show. In addition, it is possible to earn Smackdown Dollars while playing the game. The player can use these dollars to purchase new moves, new create-a-wrestler items, Legends wrestlers, and even furniture that can be used to customize a locker room. In addition, the player can acquire trophies for his trophy case by completing challenges and GM Mode.
