WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It

WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It
NTSC cover art, featuring (clockwise from top right) Triple H, The Rock, Spike Dudley and Kurt Angle.
Developer(s)	Yuke's
Publisher(s)	THQ (WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It) YUKE's Future Media Creators (Exciting Pro Wrestling 3)
Series	SmackDown!
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release date(s)	EU November 16, 2001 NA November 19, 2001 JP January 24, 2002
Genre(s)	Professional wrestling, Fighting
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: T PEGI: 15+
Media/distribution	DVD

WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It (Exciting Pro Wrestling 3 in Japan) is a professional wrestling video game released on the PlayStation 2 console by THQ and developed by YUKE's Future Media Creators. It was released in Europe on November 16, 2001, in the United States on November 19, 2001, and in Japan on January 24, 2002. The game is part of the WWF SmackDown! (later renamed WWE SmackDown vs. Raw, now simply WWE) series based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) professional wrestling promotion. It is also the sequel to WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role and was succeeded by WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth. This was the first game in the series to be featured on the PlayStation 2. The game ended up selling more than 400,000 units, to which it was added to the Sony Greatest Hits collection for the PlayStation 2 and became THQ's second Greatest Hits game, only bested by Red Faction. However, when the game was given the Sony Greatest Hits label, it was renamed to WWE SmackDown! Just Bring It because of the World Wrestling Federation's recently lost worldwide court battle to the World Wildlife Fund, to which the World Wrestling Federation was renamed to the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

Gameplay

This was the first game in the series to feature commentary, with Michael Cole and Tazz featured as the announcers. One improvement in this game is the appearance of six-man tag team matches, as well as six-man and eight-man battle royals (elimination matches; the latter appearing only in this game). Additionally, this was the first game of the series to give each wrestler two finishing moves, as well as the first to allow editing of the in-game wrestlers' move sets. Just Bring It was also the first game in the series to feature authentic, complete ring entrances. The game features several venues from 2000 and 2001 including the arena for Raw is War and both the original and new arenas for SmackDown!''.

Game modes

Rather than the Season Modes presented in the previous SmackDown! games, Just Bring It has a Story Mode. The player is given more control over their wrestler's activities in Just Bring It's Story Mode, such as having the ability to choose which WWF title to go after. Throughout Story Mode, the player is able to attain unlockables, including additional superstars.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	77.87%
Metacritic	76/100
Review scores
Publication	Score
Allgame
Eurogamer	7/10
GameSpot	8.1/10
IGN	7.8/10

The game received generally favourable reviews from critics. It received an aggeregate score of 78% from GameRankings and an aggregate score of 76/100 from Metacritic.

GameSpy called the game: "An excellent wrestling game offering enhanced creation tools, excellent graphics, fast paced action and a ton of new (and old) gameplay modes." GameSpot said how "It can be amazingly fun at times, and the production value, laden with WWF panache, is top-notch." GamePro states: "By far the most ambitious and complete wrestling game in history...but its weakness lies in the attention to the game, not to the details." GameZone states: "There are plenty of action and match modes to forgive the small imperfection in the graphics and controls." Allgame states how the game "Sets a standard all subsequent wrestling game[s] will have to meet." GameShark stated: "It's not great, but it's solid. The insane Create A Superstar mode alone is worth the purchase, but WWF fans will find plenty of other features to enjoy."

However, Next Generation Magazine states: "Inside the ring the experience is dulled by a horribly unpredictable camera and terribly flat, disjointed commentary." Similarly, GamePen states: "Grating commentary by announcers Michael Cole and Tazz will have you scouring to find the mute button on your remote." XenGamers stated: "The gameplay is alternately fun and frustrating, the graphics are both striking and stilted, and the sound... No, the sound’s laughably bad all the way through." While GamerWeb stated: "The type of game that makes people claim PS2 is all about graphics and no gameplay. With no career mode, no WCW/ECW stars and an incredibly shallow Story Mode, there's simply NO reason to even rent this game."

External links

• WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It at IGN
• WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It at GameSpot
• WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It at GameFAQs
• WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It at MobyGames