The game received 'generally favorable' reviews from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic. WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain received a 'Platinum' sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of at least 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom. The concept of having multiple versions of Hogan in one game was finally included with the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. Data for other omitted wrestlers, including Al Snow, 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. Hogan and Hardy were removed from the game when they left WWE and Warrior was omitted due to a legal dispute with the company.

America and his 1980s appearance) and The Ultimate Warrior. The development version featured Jeff Hardy, Hulk Hogan (along with his alter-ego Mr. There are multiple titles to go after depending on if you go to SmackDown! or RAW. It is also the first game to depict Kane without his mask.Īdditional updates came in Season Mode, with decisions (such as where you wanted to go and what you wanted to do next) being made on a new menu screen in your locker room, while players could enter the General Manager's room to ask for title shots and brand switches. It also marks the final time that The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin would appear in a WWE game as non-legends, and is the first WWE game to feature future mainstays John Cena, Batista, and Rey Mysterio as playable characters. Here Comes the Pain also marks the first time the Elimination Chamber and the Bra and Panties Match would be featured in a wrestling game.Īlongside a playable roster of over 50 Superstars who were active members of the WWE roster at the time of the game's release, legends were introduced for the first time, which included retired wrestlers like Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka and 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper, as well as former iterations of current wrestlers, such as The Undertaker with his 1990s gimmick.

The games introduced a more complicated grappling system, while retaining the series' fast gameplay.Īlongside a new grappling system, body damage displays and 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) were all introduced for the first time.

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