The game introduced a more complicated grappling system, while retaining the series' fast gameplay. Also included with this new grappling system were body damage displays, 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 touching the ropes, and individual character scales that consisted of statistics (such as strength, endurance and speed). This game marks the first time the Elimination Chamber and the Bra and Panties Match would be featured in a wrestling game.

Much like every WWE game before it, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain features over 50 Superstars who were active members of the WWE roster at the time of the game's release. In addition to the playable (then) current Superstars, for the first time in a SmackDown game, it also featured a variety of legends such as Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, and The Undertaker (with his 90's gimmick), and more. This would be the final SmackDown!-branded game to feature Brock Lesnar until WWE '12 where he would be included as an unlockable character. Later he returned to WWE in April 2012 and is on current active roster which included him as one of the main roster in WWE '13 and in the following games as well, It is also the final game to include Val Venis and Rikishi until WWE '13 (Rikishi and Venis were downloadable content), as well as the only WWE licensed game to feature Ultimo Dragon and Sean O'Haire as playable characters. It is also the first game in the SmackDown!series to have John Cena, Batista and Rey Mysterio as playable characters. This also marks the final time that Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock would appear in a SmackDown! game as non-legends until The Rock returned in 2011 and became exclusive downloadable content in WWE '12. This is the last WWE game to feature Test. This game is the last appearance of Goldust until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010. It is also the last game to feature Undertaker with his biker gimmick until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 and the first game to depict Kane without his mask.

Season Mode was much like the game before it, starting off with the Backlash Pay Per View and fighting your way through the months, ending with WrestleMania. Instead of being able to roam free around the arena, this version of Season Mode had it so that all of your decisions (such as where you wanted to go and what you wanted to do next) were made on a menu screen in your locker room. In the General Manager's room, you can ask for title shots and brand switches. There are multiple titles to go after depending on if you choose to go to SmackDown! or RAW.

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

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 called the game "one of the best wrestling games we've ever played...With its ultra-improved gameplay mechanics, enhanced visual engine, smarter career mode, and established create-a-character feature, Yuke's and THQ are definitely the track to success."^[10] GameSpot said, "What the game lacks in innovation, however, is more than made up for in sheer playability."^[7] Eurogamer called it "a superb blend of traditional and wrestling-specific fight mechanics, and there's so much variety here that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you could play this one from now until the next SmackDown without getting bored or running out of things to do."^[3] GMR said, "Submission moves finally makes [sic] sense, thanks to a logical location-based damage system, and wrestlers' weights are accurately presented."^[14]

Other reviews were more mixed. Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine called it "the first game in the series that tries to accommodate both sides by combining quick action with the technical elements of wrestling, and it works -- almost."^[11] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 29 out of 40.^[4]

System= Pentium IV CPU 1.7 GHz

RAM= 512 MB

Size= 446.8 MB

Video Memory= 128 MB

OS= Windows XP Vista 7 and Windows 8

                 

The gameplay in Sudden Impact is very similar to that of the previous entries in the series. Each fighter possess a fighting style that varies between Boxing, Karate, Kung-Fu, Kempo, Muay Thai, Ninjitsu, Sambo, Submission, Sumo, Pro Wrestling, Kickboxing, Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and more. Each of the four face buttons on the controller specifically controls one of the fighter's limbs. By hitting two buttons at once, the player can perform a takedown, a grappling move, a submission move or other similar technique. An addition made to Sudden Impact's gameplay is an added focus on fence positioning. When backing an opponent into the cage that surrounds the Octagon ring, attempting a grapple maneuver will put the player into one of several different possible positions, including a standing face-off as well as a special ground-mount, where the bottom fighter's head is literally pressed against the cage. The overall gameplay is also slightly faster in comparison to the previous games. Fights are announced by Bruce Buffer and refereed by "Big" John McCarthy.

In Arcade mode, the player choose a fighter and fights against CPU controlled opponents for an unlimited number of fights. On Versus, up to two players fight against each other.

In Story Mode, the player can create his own mixed martial artist. The player start as a street fighter who is found by a MMA trainer. The trainer sets the player on the path of making it to the UFC within three years. The player then chooses one dojo out of eight, each with their own fighting styles. Each aspect of the training requires the player to perform a specific challenge, such as landing three left punches or taking an opponent down twice in a match, and more. Winning challenges earns stat points and new moves. At the end of each month, the player will be presented with an evaluation challenge, which varies between hitting a punching bag in a timing-based minigame or a simulation of the created fighter sparring against another recruit or fighter.

In December of each year, the player take part in an amateur Open Weight UFC-style tournament against a number of generic characters. The mode ends after three years of training are completed and the player successfully reaches the UFC. Additionally, graduating to the UFC level means that the created fighter will be available in the remainder of the game's modes.

In Champion Road, the player picks a fighter and must win four fights before having a title match. On winning, the player receives a Silver Belt. If the player choose the same fighter again, Champion Road will become Legend Mode and it is needed to win nine matches before receiving a title shot and winning the Gold Belt. On these modes, the player will only fight against fighters of his same weight class, and it is necessary to win titles to unlock certain characters on that class.

In Tournament mode, the player can compete in an eight-man eliminatory tournament that mirrors the early UFC events. The player has to win two matches before reaching the final and win the tournament.

System= Pentium IV CPU 1.4 GHz

RAM= 1 GB

Size= 858.7 MB

Video Memory= 128 MB

OS= Windows XP,Vista, 7, 8/8.1 and Windows 10 

One of the main changes in the game is the incorporation of a new physics system that allows objects to be used more realistically, such as objects involved in the Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match. Tables now break differently depending on the impact placed upon them. Inside and outside the ring, ladders can now be rested onto the ring ropes and be broken in half. For the first time since the original WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw game, chairs can be thrown at the player's opponents.[5]

The Hell in a Cell match was revamped with expanded cell walls, weapons underneath the ring, steel steps near the poles, and the removal of the cell door. In addition, new ways to exit the cell were introduced, such as barreling through the cage wall. This game was also the last to feature Batista and Shawn Michaels as non-legends or unlockables until the release of later installments of the game.[2]

WWE Universe

The game's new "WWE Universe" builds storylines, and integrates cut scenes and rivalries between wrestlers based on the matches that are wrestled. These cut scenes appear randomly before, during, and after the match.[2][6] The game features more than 100 cutscenes to push storylines, which can revolve around alliances, rivalries and titles, forward. The game reacts to the players actions and depending on the goal of the player's superstar, original or created, puts them in one of, or several, the top ten contenders lists for a specific title. However, one can only get into the contendership list depending on their rivalries, alliances, match types and most importantly, win-loss ratio.[6]

Road to WrestleMania

Road to WrestleMania mode has been modified to include new features such as backstage roaming, mini-quests, commentary by Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler, and further interaction with other Superstars. Playable storylines involve Rey Mysterio, John Cena, Christian, and Chris Jericho. Along with that is the new storyline in which players choose Kofi Kingston, John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler, R-Truth, or a created superstar in a quest to end The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania Streak. Like previous iterations, the game features several storylines starting during the card leading to the Royal Rumble, a time period dubbed the Road to WrestleMania (26th annual).[2][7]

The Create A Superstar mode now includes pre-loaded attribute points for created superstars, while in Create A Finisher mode, a new finisher position is the "Corner", in which finishers can be created in corner position (Cannot be used during the Royal Rumble match). Also attributes such as speed and trajectory can now be modified by single increments rather than 25% increments. The number of available created finishers has been expanded to 130 as well.[2] Online mode also returns – each new copy of the game contains an Online Pass allowing one user to play the game online for free. Players who rent or purchase the game used will obtain a trial of Online Pass.[8]

A new feature called "Match Creator" allows players to create new match types. In addition, Story Designer mode now has new cutscenes, usable sound clips from announcers and wrestler entrance music, support for up to fifteen created superstars, 'branching' story paths depending on which character won the match and the ability to include championship belts in cutscenes and event triggers based on a wrestler reaching a certain state.[7]

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 marks the video game debut of 11 superstars.

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 was first announced along with WWE All Stars at E3 in June 2010 by THQ. A playable demo was featured at E3 with Randy Orton, The Undertaker and The Miz as playable characters.[9]

Special editions of the game featuring The Undertaker, Bret Hart and Randy Orton were released, each offering exclusive in-game content, an art book and DVD relating to each wrestler. Various retailers offered in-game bonuses include a playable Bret Hart, The Undertaker's alternate Ministry of Darkness attire, three alternate outfits for Randy Orton and the WWE Tribute to the Troops arena.[10]

Three downloadable content packs have been confirmed. The first pack, "Online Axxess" was available at release and adds playable character Chris Masters, Halloween-themed attires for Kelly Kelly and Rey Mysterio and online multiplayer mode. The second pack was released in North America and United Kingdom on December 21, 2010. This pack contains the playable characters British Bulldog, Lex Luger, Layla and Nexus members Wade Barrett, David Otunga, and Justin Gabriel along with alternate attires for Shad Gaspard and Shawn Michaels and the NXT Arena.[11] The third pack includes alternate attires for John Cena, The Undertaker, Sheamus and CM Punk as well as the WCW Nitro Arena. THQ has offered players a package deal called "Fan Axxess" to purchase the last two content packs beforehand.[12]

On January 25, 2011, Bret Hart was made available as a downloadable character for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions. He had previously been excluded from THQ's "Fan Axxess" package.