Aside from the GBA Fire Pro games, and those are really an acquired taste, the list of good portable wrestling titles is very short, and when THQ explodes onto the scene with a PlayStation 2 port of WWE SmackDown! Vs Raw 2006, well, that list will still be short as hell, but at least we'll have the best wrestling game on the planet, in theory. Barring some wild calamity by THQ and developer Yukes, this should be not only the best wrestler on any portable platform, but a candidate for PSP game of the year. However, note that I said the words "should be". SmackDown looks fantastic, but there's always that margin for error.

In order to make the game's transition to the PSP as seamless as possible, Yukes had to cut back on some of the graphical features, so the wrestlers, arenas, and the crowd aren't as detailed as the PS2 version, but for the most part, this is still a pretty damn good looking videogame. The crowd's seemingly taken the worst hit so that the WWE superstars and the many venues could look sweet, which they certainly do. Oh, and the commentary's been nixed, but I despise the commentary in the PS2 SmackDown, so this is actually a very welcome decision.

Other than those changes, this is pretty much the same exact game that you probably purchased a couple weeks ago. All of the game's 50 plus wrestlers have been shoved into the game including Triple H, Chris Masters, Randy Orton, The Undertaker, Ric Flair, the Big Show, and Chris Benoit, among others, and the legends should also be in the game, though based on the info I've gathered, the PSP version may have some exclusive characters that can be swapped by syncing it up with the PS2 game, though THQ hasn't said anything. However, if you do own the PS2 SmackDown and plan on purchasing this one, you'll be pleased to know that you can finally unlock Jake "the Snake" Roberts.

Syncing up both versions does a lot more than unlocking the master of the DDT. You can also swap championship and Season Mode data, so what that means is you can basically take your PS2 season, transfer it to the PSP and take it on the road. Then when you're back home, you can upload it back to the PS2. Pretty slick indeed.

This year's SmackDown features more match types than any wrestling game that's come before it, so not only will you be able to battle your opponents in cage, first blood, TLC (tables, ladders, and chairs), the Royal Rumble, and tag matches, but also hardcore, Hell in a Cell, ladder, Fatal four ways, and buried alive matches, and I'm just getting started. In all, there's supposedly over 100 different types of matches and that's because of all the little things you can tweak. So there's definitely enough to do, but simply playing exhibition matches doesn't capture the full essence of this game because there's plenty more to check out. There's a full Season Mode where you can take a created superstar through the WWE en route to the title, plus a GM Mode that lets you book the matched and manage wrestler salaries. Then, of course, there's the create-a-superstar option that features hundreds of parts that can be used to build your own wrestler. There's even four player wireless support, so you can bludgeon three of your friends. Lastly, Yukes has created three exclusive PSP mini games, and while I can't comment on what they are, I'm pleased with each of them.

My biggest concern with this game isn't whether it'll look nice but rather how well it'll control, because quite frankly, and barring a few exceptions, the PSP hasn't faired all that well with 3D games. From what I gather, Yukes has mapped the reversal buttons to the L and R triggers, you maneuver your wrestler with the D-pad, taunt with the analog stick, recover stamina by pressing Select, and perform moves with the face buttons, which in theory should work just find. But controls are going to be the deal breaker for me, and if they suck, I won't have any love for this game.

The PSP version of SmackDown! Vs Raw 2006 is supposed to be released on December 15th, and I'll return with an in depth review after THP back body drops it into the mall.