Nearly two decades later, if you search for "WWE SmackDown Here Comes The Pain Highly" on eBay, Mercari, or retro gaming forums, you will be met with three distinct realities: high praise, high demand, and astronomically high prices. But what makes this particular title so special? Why are collectors willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a loose disc from two console generations ago?
As we look to the future of WWE SmackDown, one thing is certain: the pain will continue. New generations of wrestlers will rise to the challenge, creating their own iconic moments, and their own catchphrases. However, for fans of the show, "Here comes the pain!" will always be a reminder of a bygone era, and the impact that Mick Foley's character, Mankind, had on the world of professional wrestling.
When we say the game is "highly" regarded, we are talking about near-perfect scores. Aggregators like Metacritic placed the game in the low 90s, but user scores often hit a perfect 9.5 or 10. The reasons are immediate upon booting up the game:
The answer lies not in one feature, but in a perfect storm of timing, physics, roster depth, and an almost reckless sense of fun that modern simulation titles have since sanded away. Wwe Smackdown Here Comes The Pain Highly
In the pantheon of wrestling video games, few titles command the respect, nostalgia, and sheer market value of WWE SmackDown: Here Comes the Pain . Released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2, this Yuke’s-developed masterpiece is consistently rated not just as the best game in the SmackDown vs. Raw lineage, but as the greatest professional wrestling game ever made.
The Season Mode in HCTP is often cited as the gold standard for wrestling career modes. Unlike the linear stories in modern titles, HCTP offered an open-ended experience where players could choose their own path, win or lose. The game’s logic acknowledged losses and allowed players to pursue any title, form stables, or participate in rivalries that felt dynamic and rewarding.
The game introduced the "Fighting Styles" system: Powerhouse, Technical, High-Flyer, Hardcore, and Martial Arts. This created rock-paper-scissors logic that forced you to change your strategy for every opponent. You couldn't grapple with Brock Lesnar, and you couldn't out-run Rey Mysterio. Nearly two decades later, if you search for
Released on October 27, 2003, for the PlayStation 2, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain
The game achieved legendary status due to several innovative features that many modern titles still struggle to replicate: Dynamic Grapple System
: It introduced a new four-category grapple system (Submission, Signature, Power, and Quick), giving every wrestler a more diverse and technical move set. Legendary Roster As we look to the future of WWE
: The game marked the debut of the Elimination Chamber and the "Bra and Panties" match in a wrestling title. The Iconic Roster
: This game introduced a more complex grappling system where players could execute up to 25 different moves per wrestler by combining the circle button with different directions.
Happy hunting, and remember—if you aren't selling it in the original keep case with the manual, don't ask for the collector's premium.