It should come as no surprise that THQ is bringing Smackdown! vs Raw 2006 to the PSP – especially when you consider that most of the system’s recent releases have been ports of successful PS2 games. What should come as a surprise, however, is just how much of the PS2 game THQ has managed to squeeze into the PSP, making it one of the best handheld wrestling games ever.

The PSP version doesn’t come with quite the visual impact as its console cousin, but still manages to make a nice splash. Naturally, the WWE Superstars get most of the attention while arenas and audiences have been scaled back. However, this isn’t much of a surprise since the Superstars are sort of the main focus here. Still, even on the scaled-back hardware, everything still looks great – especially when you start to notice all the little details, especially facial animations and unique animations like ring entrances.

Most of the PS2’s audio makes it to the PSP, with the only notable absence being in-match commentary. But, when you consider that the commentary on the PS2 wasn’t all that great to begin with, it is no big loss. What does make it to the PSP are the voices during story sequences, which is an impressive feat for such a small disc. You’ll also get all of the Superstars' entrance songs (complete with their trademark entrances) and some licensed tracks that are thrown in for good measure.

The trade-off with the presentation is load times, which can nearly cripple the game. While most PSP games deal with some sort of load times, the ones in Smackdown! vs. Raw 2006 are particularly long and hurt the game’s portability. Some, like those between menus, are manageable while others, like those between ring entrances, are lengthy.

If it is in the PS2 version, it is in the PSP version; so if you’ve play that (or really, any of THQ’s WWE games), you already know what to expect. First off, you have a number of match types to take part in, so there’s certainly a lot to do. In addition to the normal single and tag competitions, you can also take part in Hell in the Cell; Tables, Ladders and Chairs; First Blood; and Elimination Chamber matches. Most are enjoyable, though some, like Buried Alive and Fulfill Your Fantasy, are either too frustrating or just plain silly. Buried Alive matches can be worthwhile, but ultimately it boils down to a never-ending beat down. Fulfill Your Fantasy matches are, like their TV counterparts, meaningless fluff where you get to watch the WWE Divas in different outfits, spanking each other.

Most of your time will be spent in Season mode, which features multiple storylines that mirror those you see on TV. Some superstars have unique wrinkles to their stories, though most either follow a generic Smackdown or Raw season. You can also take your created Superstar through one of the brands, which brings a personal touch to the experience.

The newest addition to the game is the GM mode which lets you take over one of the two brands and craft your own shows. You start with a draft of WWE Superstars, a budget and the task of putting on a good show. From here, you try to please the fans, sign deals and set up storylines. You’ll also have to plan out Pay-Per-Views. Though the mode is certainly interesting, it is clear that some work needs to be done. In particular, it is hard to gauge how well you’re doing. Working up rookie superstars is also a difficult task since winning brings popularity, but people don’t necessarily like to see their favorite stars lose.

Special to the PSP version are a number of mini-games, including a Texas Hold ‘Em game, trivia and a game where you steer Eugene down the aisle towards the ring. In all honesty, none of the games are all that interesting and are really not worth it. The Eugene game isn’t fun, Texas Hold ‘Em has a terrible interface and the trivia isn’t all that hard.

Four difficulty options are available, each offering varying degrees of “challenge”. Setting the A.I. to the lowest level results in mindless opponents who spend more time standing around, while the most difficult results in matches that are nothing more than reversal-fests. This turns out to be true of the three “higher” difficulty levels, which can get extremely annoying. The result is a game that is fun, but a little cheap at times. You can always pull off your own reversals, though the A.I. seems to have a split-second edge on counters and reversals.

Though most of the game remains unchanged from previous games, the mechanics behind matches have been changed up and feel a little truer to what goes on during a typical WWE match. Performance in the ring is built around momentum and stamina. Momentum involves putting on an entertaining match and getting the crowd behind you. In other words, fans don’t want to see the same 2 – 3 moves pulled off non-stop. At the same time, you can’t rely on just strong or weak move sets; instead you’ll have to change things up. As you pull off high-impact moves, your Stamina drains making you vulnerable to attacks and dragging down the effectiveness of moves. Once you build up enough momentum, you can pull off a finisher move or save it for later; however, pulling off a finisher when you’re at less than peak momentum makes for a less effective move.

Each Superstar also has a set number of styles, ranging from technical to lucha to brawler. These help to determine each Superstar’s moves. Technical wrestlers are better at reversals and submissions while brawlers are all about damage output. In addition, you can choose to play Superstars as either Faces or Heels (in other words, good guys or bad guys). These help to further define the types of moves Superstars can use. Heels will usually pull off cheap shots while Faces stick to the rules.

Though it hits snags with load times and an overabundance of A.I. reversals, WWE Smackdown! vs Raw 2006 is still fun, but will probably only be fully enjoyed by WWE fans.