Finally we should talk about one of the biggest things to hit the SmackDown! series yet - online play. THQ didn't really even reveal that it would be in the game until two months before the game was released, but when WWE game fans heard the news there was a lot of excitement about it. For the most part online play is very light - you can only play a regular singles match or a bra and panties match. While this fact was a bit of a disappointment, it fits in with the way THQ and Yuke's have always handled new features in the SmackDown! titles. Hopefully next year's edition will have full-fledged online support offering multiple player tag matches and main events options. For now the online play is enough to slightly satisfy fight fans looking to prove themselves in the wide open world arena. Online is handled via GameSpy technology using the broadband network adapter, and getting a game going is a snap. Loading and connection times are a little slow, but once you get to the lobbies everything seems to go extremely well. Of course, mileage may vary, but using a cable connection seems to work without any major problems.

There are plenty of other new features that are worth noting briefly including a vastly improved Create-A-Wrestler Mode, a new Pay Per View Mode and a create a Championship Belt mode. The latter actually cost money that would be better spent in the ShopZone, but it is nevertheless a worthwhile feature that players will enjoy. Other new features include blood, a variety of legendary wrestlers (Andre is as powerful as he should be this time) as well as a full roster of SmackDown and RAW superstars.

WWE SmackDown! vs RAW is a wonderful new edition to the SmackDown! family, serving up slick graphics, vastly enhanced gameplay, and lots of other bells and whistles that make the whole package shine. Online play is a bit of a disappointment, but better than not having any online play at all. If you've bought every SmackDown! game made then WWE SmackDown! vs RAW is a must have addition to that collection and probably the best WWE game made since WWE No Mercy.