WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 is a professional wrestling game developed by Yuke’s for THQ on PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, and Xbox 360. It sits between older exhibition-heavy SmackDown vs. Raw entries and the later WWE-branded games, with Universe Mode, Road to WrestleMania backstage roaming, improved object physics, and a large creation suite all competing for your attention.
Content note: WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 is rated Teen with wrestling violence, some blood, language, and suggestive presentation. This guide keeps its advice focused on match systems and non-graphic play decisions.
Use this guide as a first-pass plan for learning the game. It focuses on offline fundamentals instead of exact unlock routes, platform-specific controller notation, or online and DLC availability.
Essential Tips
1. Win Position Before You Chase Damage
Most beginner losses come from trying to force big moves while standing in the wrong place. Control where the opponent lands, keep yourself close enough to follow up, and think about ropes, corners, weapons, and cage walls before you start a sequence. SvR 2011’s object-heavy matches reward wrestlers who aim throws and slams, not just wrestlers who mash attacks.
2. Treat Universe Mode Like a Long Calendar
Universe Mode is not a normal story campaign. It watches matches, forms rivalries, books shows, and moves contenders over time. If you want a wrestler pushed toward a title, keep them active against relevant opponents instead of expecting one custom match to solve everything.
3. Read the News and Rankings
Do not rely only on the next card screen. Universe Mode can create alliances, break teams apart, change rivalries, and move title pictures while you are playing or simming. Check the mode’s news and rankings often so you know whether your wins are helping the goal you actually care about.
4. Do Not Overedit Special Matches
Number-one-contender matches, Money in the Bank situations, and title-related cards can lose their special behavior if you reshape them too aggressively. Before editing a match, decide whether customization or progression matters more. When progression matters, play the card close to how the mode presented it.
5. Use Road to WrestleMania Objectives First
Road to WrestleMania adds backstage roaming, side conversations, and optional fights, but the objective marker is still your best anchor. Follow the main objective when you want steady progress, then explore side rooms when you are ready to chase upgrades, extra interactions, or unlock-focused paths.
6. Spend Upgrade Points on Your Weakest Problem
Backstage fights and matches in Road to WrestleMania can feed superstar growth. Do not spread upgrades randomly. If you are losing because you cannot survive late damage, improve durability-style stats. If you are struggling to finish matches, invest toward the offensive or technical side that fits your wrestler.
7. Learn Your Wrestler’s Abilities
Abilities change what a wrestler can safely attempt. A high flyer with springboard access plays differently from a super heavyweight. Dirty Pin, Ring Escape, Resiliency, Durability, Kip-Up, Fired Up, Move Thief, and similar tools all matter only when you recognize the situation that activates them.
8. Save Momentum for the Right Moment
Momentum is not just a reward meter; it changes threat level. Some abilities and comeback tools depend on having enough momentum or being damaged at the right time. Do not spend a finisher the instant it appears if the opponent is too fresh, too close to the ropes, or likely to reverse your setup.
9. Be Patient in Ladder and Money in the Bank Matches
These matches often feel chaotic because too many wrestlers are chasing the same object. Your job is to create a short window, stand the ladder cleanly, and keep returning to the prize. If you fall, reset quickly. If someone else climbs, interrupt them before they can build progress.
10. Use Weapons as Position Tools
Tables, ladders, chairs, and cell walls are not only extra damage. They change where the fight happens. A table in the right lane turns an Irish whip or slam into a bigger opportunity. A ladder placed badly becomes clutter. A chair in the wrong spot can interrupt your own movement as much as your opponent’s.
11. Play Hell in a Cell Like a Space-Control Match
Hell in a Cell gives you room around the ring, under-ring weapons, cage-wall breaks, and top-of-cell danger. Do not sprint straight to the biggest spot. Wear the opponent down, move them toward the wall or weapon you want, and make sure you can recover after the impact.
12. Use Simulation Deliberately
Universe Mode lets you skip matches you do not want to play, but simming still moves the calendar. Sim low-priority matches when you want the show to advance, but play matches that involve your chosen wrestler, rivalry, contender push, or title plan.
Universe Mode Priorities
| Goal | Best Beginner Habit | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Build a contender | Beat wrestlers near the relevant ranking | The mode responds better to repeated relevant wins |
| Follow story movement | Check News after shows | Rivalries and team changes can happen around you |
| Protect special cards | Avoid unnecessary edits | Some edits can turn special matches into normal ones |
| Push a mid-card title | Work mid-card matches consistently | Match placement can matter to title direction |
| Push a world title | Stay in main events and beat top names | Bigger-card wins better fit main-title movement |
| Manage long runs | Sim low-interest matches | The calendar keeps moving without burning you out |
Match Type Habits
| Match Type | Beginner Focus | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Singles | Learn reversals, momentum, finish timing, and rope position | Burning finishers on a fresh opponent |
| Tag | Keep legal partners fresh and break pins quickly | Letting the illegal partner distract you forever |
| Backstage Brawl | Use quick attacks, space, and reliable grapples | Treating every side fight as story-critical |
| Ladder | Create a window, climb, reset, repeat | Fighting everyone while the objective is unattended |
| Money in the Bank | Interrupt climbers and keep returning to the case | Waiting for a perfect empty ring |
| TLC | Place objects where your next move can use them | Scattering ladders and tables with no plan |
| Hell in a Cell | Move opponents toward walls, weapons, or top-cell setups | Rushing big spots before the opponent is worn down |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Do not edit every Universe card immediately - Let special matches keep their intended role when rankings or titles matter.
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Do not ignore the News screen - Use it to track rivalries, team changes, and momentum in the calendar.
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Do not chase a world title with only random low-card wins - Fight opponents who fit the title picture you want.
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Do not skip every Road to WrestleMania side fight - Use selected backstage fights when you need upgrade points.
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Do not fight every backstage wrestler automatically - Follow the objective when you want steady story progress.
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Do not assume every wrestler has the same abilities - Check whether your character can use dives, recovery tools, pins, or momentum abilities.
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Do not spend finishers into obvious rope breaks - Move the opponent first or finish from cleaner ring position.
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Do not leave ladders and tables in random lanes - Place objects where your next slam, climb, or whip can use them.
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Do not panic when a ladder attempt fails - Reset the ladder, stop the nearest climber, and go back to the objective.
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Do not start Hell in a Cell with reckless top-rope plans - Build damage and positioning before using cage-wall or top-cell spots.
Summary
| Category | Top Tip |
|---|---|
| Core wrestling | Control ring position before chasing big damage |
| Universe Mode | Treat wins, rankings, and rivalries as a long calendar |
| Road to WrestleMania | Follow objectives first, then use side content for upgrades |
| Abilities | Match your plan to what the wrestler can actually do |
| Momentum | Save finishers and ability triggers for clean situations |
| Ladder matches | Create windows and keep returning to the prize |
| Weapon matches | Place objects for your next move, not just for clutter |
| Hell in a Cell | Wear opponents down before the biggest cage spots |
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7 checked for this guideEvery factual claim in this guide was checked against at least two independent sources before publication. These are the references used for WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011.
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