Forget how you've played WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw in the past, as this year marks the debut of Superstar Fighting Styles.
Each of the eight styles features unique special abilities that will completely revolutionize how the game is played. This not only makes each Superstar play differently from one another, but also adds a new element of strategy into each and every match.
From performing the death defying moves of the High-Flyer to the punishing maneuvers of the Powerhouse, players will now feel as if they are controlling the Superstars' real-life counterparts. Learning the strengths and weaknesses of each fighting style will be the difference between winning and losing, as it will be up to the player to master them all.
Each Fighting Style consists of a Primary Ability as well as several Secondary Abilities. When a Superstar's momentum meter is full, the player can either execute a finishing move at that time or store a fighting style icon, which can then be used to perform the Primary Ability.
Superstars are each assigned a Primary and Secondary Fighting Style. The Primary Fighting Style allows the Superstar to use all of that style's abilities, while the Secondary Fighting Style only provides access to that style's secondary abilities.
Brawler
Brawlers primarily let their fists do the talking, but they are also equally skilled at performing traditional, high-impact maneuvers like Suplexes, DDTs and Scoop Slams. The end result may not be pretty, but it is always effective.
Primary Ability
- Wreck Shop: For a limited amount of time, your Superstar will reverse all of your opponent's strikes, and all strike attacks performed by your Superstar will be unstoppable.
Secondary Abilities
- Ground & Pound: Mount the upper body of downed opponents and suffocate them with a barrage of rights, lefts and the occasional headbutt for good measure.
- Fists of Fury: Automatically unleash a flurry of three successive blows, pummeling opponents and knocking them to the canvas.
Superstar Examples
- John Cena, Johnny Nitro, Mark Henry
Dirty
Dirty Superstars are willing to lower themselves to any level in order to gain even the slightest edge on their opponents. They rely on "illegal" attacks, such as eye pokes and shots to the groin, as well as countless other unsavory tactics to secure victory.
Primary Ability
- Super Dirty Move: Use a stored Fighting Style Icon to literally hit your opponent below the belt with a devastating low blow.
Secondary Abilities
- Referee Shield: Grab the referee and use him as a human shield before sending him flying into your opponent, knocking them both to the mat.
- Argue With the Referee: Following an unsuccessful pin attempt, get in the face of the referee to argue his slow count.
- Ignore Ropebreak: Blatantly ignore the referee if he tries to break a submission hold after five seconds and continue wrenching away at your opponent.
- Strip Turnbuckle: Covertly remove the turnbuckle padding, exposing the steel so that it inflicts greater damage on your opponent.
Superstar Examples
- Randy Orton, Ric Flair, Melina
Hardcore
The Hardcore fighting style is the epitome of extreme … blood, sweat but never tears! Hardcore Superstars are reckless, bloodthirsty combatants who will use any object under the sun to exact pain on their opponents.
Primary Ability
Hardcore Resurrection: Make your Superstar repeatedly slam a steel chair against his skull, sending him into a frenzy at the sight of his own blood.
Secondary Abilities
- Hardcore Rejuvenation: Your opponent my think busting your Superstar open gives them the upper hand, but in actuality that's the last thing you want to do to a Hardcore Superstar.
- Armed & Dangerous: Why just swing a steel chair at an opponent when you can wedge it over his neck and stomp on it or do one of countless other weapon-specific grapple attacks?
Superstar Examples
- Tommy Dreamer, Sandman, Mick Foley
High Flyer
High-Flyers are the daredevils of the WWE. They are incredibly quick, agile and evasive, having little regard for their personal safety, let alone that the safety of their opponents.
Primary Ability
- Possum Pin: Feign an injury and then spring at your unsuspecting opponent, catching him in a quick rollup for the three count.
Secondary Abilities
- Springboard Attack: Utilize the ring ropes as part of your offense by springboarding off of them, launching your Superstar into the air.
- Out Of The Ring Dive Attacks: If your opponent tries to catch a breather outside of the ring, send your Superstar diving over the top rope and onto the arena floor.
- Evasive Roll: Roll your Superstar to safety, as you can't pin what you can't catch.
- Turnbuckle Leapfrog: If your opponent is caught in the turnbuckle, dash toward him and scramble up to the top rope, putting your Superstar in the perfect position for an attack from above.
Superstar Examples
- Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, Carlito
Powerhouse
Powerhouse Superstars are the heavy hitters of the squared circle. Freakishly strong, they strike with the force of a freight train, and the impact of their grapple moves has been known to set off car alarms three states over!
Primary Ability
- Rampage: Literally send your Superstars into a rampage, making them temporarily impervious to strike attacks, while all grapple and ultimate control moves are inescapable.
Secondary Abilities
- The Irresistible Force: If your opponent is dumb enough to go for a quick pin, forcefully kick out of their pin attempt and launch him into the air in the process.
- Strong Irish Whip: Transform a routine Irish Whip into a destructive maneuver, sending your opponent over the top rope and crashing onto the arena floor.
Superstar Examples
- Kane, Marcus Cor Von, Snitsky
Showman
Whether garnering support or hatred from the WWE fans, Showmen always incite the crowd into a wild frenzy. Above all else, Showmen love the attention they receive when they step inside of the squared circle, as they are always at the crowd's service - at the expense of their opponents, of course.
Primary Ability
- Steal Finishing Move: Pour salt into an opponent wounds by using their own finishers against them.
Secondary Abilities
- Mass Appeal: Add fuel to the fire by performing numerous taunts at your opponent and get momentum on your side as a result.
- Gimmick Infringement: Add fuel to the fire by performing your opponent's signature taunt.
- Mass Exposure: Before leaping off the turnbuckle and on to your unlucky opponent below, why not play to the crowd a little, as all eyes in the arena are on your Superstar?
Superstar Examples
- Elijah Burke, JTG, King Booker
Submission
Submission-trained Superstars prefer to target a specific limb for destruction to get the edge on their opponents. In addition to being highly skilled in the offensive use of every known submission hold, Superstars trained in the art of submission are just as proficient at escaping them as well.
Primary Ability
- Ultimate Submission - Use a stored Fighting Style Icon to transform a normal hold into an agonizing ultimate submission hold, causing even greater pain to your opponent.
Secondary Abilities
- The Lock Pick - If opponents make the mistake of going for an early tap out, show them who they're in the ring with by immediately powering out their submission holds.
- Recovery Hold - Each time you wrench away at your opponent in an excruciating submission hold, the faster your Superstar will heal from previously sustained damage.
Superstar Examples
- Bret Hart, CM Punk, Finlay
Technical
Technical Superstars are skilled in all manners of wrestling technique. Their defensive acumen is what sets them apart as they are always thinking several steps ahead of their opponents.
Primary Ability
- Technically Sound - Get your Superstar in the zone with a stored Fighting Style Icon, making them automatically counter all opponent attacks.
Secondary Abilities
- Technical Immunity - If your opponent underestimates you at the beginning of a match, automatically reverse all Strong Grapple and Ultimate Control Moves to show you've been doing your research.
- Out Of The Ring Dive Attacks - There's nowhere for your opponents to hide, so if they slip out of the ring, send your Superstar diving over the top rope and onto the floor below.
- PIT Maneuver - While dashing toward your opponent, quickly duck behind him to catch him off guard and wide open to an attack from behind.
- Fake Irish Whip - When performing an Irish Whip, toy with opponents by pulling them back in for a finishing move.
Superstar Examples
- Chavo Guerrero, William Regal, MVP