IGN writes: "As far as Nintendo is concerned, it's pretty obvious what wrestling gamers want: They want No Mercy 2, or if they were a bit later to the party, another Day of Reckoning offering. While THQ is continuing its rein of Smackdown vs. Raw branded games, the Nintendo DS is going through a year-by-year transformation in the hands of developer Yuke's. These guys know their wrestling, and whether its' the 360/PS3, Wii, PSP, or DS version, fans can be assured that their experience is going to be something unique to their system, and one that plays off its strengths. On DS though, that line is a bit blurry, as we've now played two Smackdown vs. Raw titles on Nintendo's pocket system, and while each is an evolution that should eventually meet a pretty impressive end, in this reviewer's opinion we're still not there yet. Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is a much stronger overall package than last year - leaps and bounds above what was offered in 2008; no comparison really - but there's still a climb ahead, and most of it deals with the depth of the wrestling mechanic, and the control used to access it."
