Every SmackDown! Video Game Ranked From Worst To Best

Long before WWE changed their corporate image and plastered those orphaned initials on every single product they released, their popular video game line went under the ‘SmackDown’ name, in reference to their secondary show and one of the Rock’s signature catchphrases. 

The ‘SmackDown’ name was easy to associate with wrestling, and thanks to the popular success of the Attitude Era, wrestling video games became some of the most entertaining games available, especially on the PlayStation.

Of course, despite the constant evolution of video game technology, WWE kept churning out one video game after another, which eventually became a yearly trend. Each game would feature additional (or less) features, updated rosters, and more exciting gameplay.

However, not every ‘SmackDown!’ game was a complete success: despite the improved graphics over time, many games featured gameplay changes that didn’t make the game more exciting. In fact, some games eventually led to the traditional and exciting ‘wrestling game’ being replaced with a more realistic ‘wrestling simulator’. For that reason, some SmackDown games have been far less successful in appealing to diehard WWE fans.

While no wrestling game will ever match the masterpiece that was WWF No Mercy, some SmackDown games still have that level of replayability and excitement that this legendary game possessed. But which was the best ever?

The Good: WWE did as best as they could with their first foray into the video game industry, seemingly unaware of just how important this would eventually become for their marketing platform in subsequent years.

Because it was the first game in the series, there wasn’t really anything to compare it to except for later games which, naturally, improved on this game. That said, it was OK for a wrestling game: faced-paced action, a wide variety of moves, and acceptable graphics for a PS1 game.

The Bad: Even though this was the first SmackDown game, there were other wrestling games that were already out. Specifically, WWF SmackDown had to deal with competition from WWF No Mercy, which features so many more options and much better gameplay when compared to WWF SmackDown.

Maybe it was WWE struggling to get a game onto the PlayStation platform, or maybe it was the bad decision to have two games released at more or less the same time. Whatever the case, WWF SmackDown couldn’t even hold a candle to WWF No Mercy. 

For that reason, this exciting game, though it wasn’t necessarily that bad, lacked the features needed for it to complete with other WWF games out at the time.