WWE 2K25 is another win for the world’s largest sports entertainment company, with reviews praising the game for bringing back old features and adding plenty of new content. But how does it compare to the WWE games of yesteryear?
Fans can get nostalgic about their favorite wrestling games, sometimes unfairly comparing more modern titles against recent entries. However, recent 2K Games have given fans more polished experiences with some of the older titles' fast-paced gameplay. After the debacle of 2K20, we can see why these developers decided to step up.
So, for the sake of comparison, here are the 12 highest-rated WWE games thus far. Since this is a yearly franchise, expect this list to change over time.
WWE 13 (Metacritic score: 78)
Released in 2012, WWE 13 wasn’t a huge improvement over WWE 12 gameplay-wise, but it did have one thing going for it: nostalgia. Don’t be fooled by that sick CM Punk cover; this game is all about the Attitude Era, and fans were able to relive some of this generation’s wildest stories.
From Austin vs McMahon to the Undertaker’s feud with Kane and the formation of DX, there’s a lot of lore to appreciate here. Our only gripe is the timeline when this game came out, as The Hardys and Dudleys were in TNA at the time, preventing them from appearing in the entry. Even with that, this is a pretty fun game to this day and one that ‘90s fans constantly go back to.
WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009 (Metacritic score: 79)
After SvR 2008 disappointed fans with its small roster and minuscule gameplay improvements, SvR 2009 was a breath of fresh air. The game separated 2008’s fighting styles as skills, letting you customize wrestlers in a more realistic way. 2009 also had a massive roster that complimented that era’s strong midcard and main event scene, with Jeff Hardy, Paul London, Brian Kendrick, Elijah Burke, and more being playable.
SvR 2009 also gave fans multiple superstar-oriented storylines to go through with the Road to WrestleMania mode. They could win the tag titles as Rey Mysterio and Batista, bring back the glory of ECW as CM Punk, and fight The Boogeyman at WrestleMania as The Undertaker.
WWE Day of Reckoning (Metacritic score: 79)
A Gamecube classic, WWE Day of Reckoning, found the middle ground of No Mercy’s arcade gameplay with the SmackDown series’ focus on realism. Keeping the fast-paced grappling from the AKI engine while adding the submission and rope mechanics from Here Comes the Pain was a real winner for Gamecube owners.
Unfortunately, the roster was pretty bad. Wrestling fans will remember how dreadful 2004 WWE was, and that’s very apparent here. Mark Jindrak, Garrison Cade, and Charlie Haas took up major roster spots, while cruiserweights like Paul London and Billy Kidman were ignored. Standouts like JBL and Eugene were strangely absent as well.
WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2010 (Metacritic score: 80)
After SvR 2009 improved from its predecessor, 2010 continued that trend and then some. More moves, a bigger roster, and a continuation of the acclaimed Road to WrestleMania mode gave fans a great wrestling experience. This game also introduced Community Creations to the franchise, giving next-gen fans at the time more wrestlers to download.
Beyond that, 2010 wasn’t a significant leap in gameplay and graphics. It was just a spruced-up 2009, but that wasn’t a bad thing. The fact that this game had a great roster and more content was enough for fans who just wanted to book their favorites correctly.
WWE SmackDown vs Raw (Metacritic score: 80)
The wrestling game after Here Comes the Pain would always have big shoes to fill, and the original SvR tries that admirably. Fans who love that arcadey gameplay will find it here, and the visuals were a vast improvement. Clean and Dirty mechanics were also added, forcing players to wrestle like their chosen alignment. Season Mode also added voice acting for the first time, with some great background music (Breaking Benjamin 4 Life).
However, much like Day of Reckoning, this game came out in 2004, one of the worst years in WWE history. Brock Lesnar and Goldberg were gone, and Stone Cold was also out with WWE, so the company was having difficulty filling that void. Favorites like Eddie Guerrero and Randy Orton could only do so much, as undercard talents like Mark Jindrak, Rico, and A-Train just felt lesser than them.
WWE 2K24 (Metacritic score: 81)
Last year’s entry, WWE 2K24, was a pretty good wrestling game that offered plenty of new stuff to enjoy. Each wrestler could have up to five signatures and finishers, meaning Cody can have The Vertebreaker and every variation of Cross Rhodes plus his AEW Figure Four if you’re that obsessed with move-sets. CM Punk also returned to WWE Games with this entry, even if it was as DLC.
Other aspects of the game are pretty hit-and-miss. 30 Years of WrestleMania is a great single-player mode in concept, but it skips so many matches and Manias that it feels like a half-hazard highlight reel. MyFaction was a pain to fans everywhere, as many cool skins were locked behind this annoying mode.
WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2007 (Metacritic score: 81)
Many wrestling fans consider SvR 2007 a highlight. It introduced better weapons for hardcore matches, more control over moves via right-analog stick grappling, and a Season Mode with crazy stories. There is a storyline in which Candice Michelle finds a magic wand and turns Edge into Daivari—I’m not even joking.
The game’s biggest complaint was its dated roster. It was pretty barebones without an ECW roster, Paul London and Brian Kendrick, or CM Punk. Kurt Angle was also the highest-rated wrestler in the game, which was odd because he had just left for TNA. Granted, he still had great bouts there, but seeing him be no. 1 as someone from a rival brand was confusing.
WWE 2K23 (Metacritic score: 82)
Smarks love this game as the 2K23 Showcase mode focused on one thing: BEAT UP JOHN CENA. That’s right before he turned heel on Cody Rhodes. Cena had been the big hero for 22 years, and fans who hated him beating their favorites could finally get their revenge. Cena narrates some of his most significant losses, where players can re-enact them as big rivals like AJ Styles, Triple H, and Kurt Angle.
Another reason 2K23 still has fans is that many wrestlers here aren’t in WWE anymore. Edge is now in AEW as Adam “Cope” Copeland, Brock Lesnar was rightfully canceled for sex trafficking accusations, and Dolph Ziggler just lost his TNA World Championship to Joe Hendry (clap clap). Mustafa Ali, Shelton Benjamin, and Maximum Male Models are also major favorites still in the game.
WWE SmackDown Shut Your Mouth (Metacritic score: 82)
Released at the height of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression era, Shut Your Mouth remains a favorite in the PS2 era. This game had a stacked roster with big names like Steve Austin, Hollywood Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, Triple H, The Rock, and more. Alongside that signature simple SmackDown gameplay and an in-depth Season Mode, there was much to love here.
There are some valid critiques here. The music in this game is pretty terrible, often consisting of generic rock songs that don’t sound different from each other. Visually, it also hasn’t aged well, highlighting that this game came out in 2002.
WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2006 (Metacritic score: 84)
Easily the peak of WWE’s SvR series, SmackDown vs Raw 2006 improved on the first rebrand in every single way. Photorealistic graphics, a slightly more complex grappling system, and a great roster still look good today. It’s easy to see why this game ranks so high, as the 2006 entry that came out in 2005 still has a lot of merit.
Alongside the main roster filled with main eventers and midcarders, plenty of legends made this game feel huge. Hulk Hogan, British Bulldog, Bret Hart, and so much more, there’s a reason why fans still go back to this game.
WWE 2K25 (Metacritic score: 85)
That’s right; this year’s entry is the second-highest game, and it's for good reason. 2K25 combined mechanics from last year’s game and brought back old features fans missed, like chain wrestling and intergender matches. Fans are also pretty excited for the Bloodline Showcase, especially with the “what if?” matches in them.
Visually, it still looks like 2K24, which isn’t bad. The game also doesn’t have The Island on last-gen systems, which includes PC for some reason. Fans are also mixed on that DLC roster, but seeing Abyss debut in a WWE game is pretty cool.
WWE Smackdown Here Comes the Pain (Metacritic: 85)
To the surprise of no one, everyone’s PS2 favorite is here. Here Comes the Pain is the pinnacle of wrestling games. This game is perfect, with a simple fighting system, tons of backstage areas to wrestle through, good graphics, a massive roster, and more. Fans of all kinds can pick this game up and start winning matches.
Admittedly, the game’s music is pretty bad, but that doesn’t mean much when you’re slamming dudes through tables. Being able to transition through backstage areas was also a really fun feature. Fans can even climb helicopters and dive on their opponents; this game is the good stuff.