Cheats & Codes

Our cheats, hints and unlockables help you get the most from the gameHint: Challenge Matches

Here is a list of the available Challenge Matches.

Undertaker

Week 2 - Backstage Brawl // Randy Orton Week 3 - Backstage Brawl // Kozlov Royal Rumble - Backstage Brawl // Ziggler Week 9 - Tables Match // Big Show Week 12 - Backstage Brawl // Batista WrestleMania - Last Man Standing // The Rock

Christian

Week 4 - After the Peep Show, before talking to Tiffany, go to the top locker room on the map and talk to Regal. He will challenge you for Superstars.

Week 5 - Find Kane and get challenged to an Inferno Match. Week 7 - Find CM Puink in the hallways and talk to him. He will fight you in an extreme rules

match at Superstars. Week 9 - Find Jericho in the trainer's room. He will challenge you for Superstars. Week 11 - Find Legacy backstage. Fight them 2-on-1 at Superstars.

WrestleMania - Cash in against Edge, then check the Green Room to challenge Stone Cold

Rey

Week 3 - Submission Match // Jericho Week 4 - 6 Man Tag // Los Conquistadors Week 6 - Singles Match // R Truth Week 9 - Singles Match // Bourne vs Orton (talk to Orton in top Locker Room at Elim Chamber to

set this up) Week 10 - Cage // Hurricane (talk to him in the lower locker room to set this up before teaming with

RVD) WrestleMania - Extreme Rules // Terry Funk (find him in the Green Room)

Cena

Week 4 - Backstage Brawl // Confront Sheamus in the middle Locker Room Week 5 - Tag Match on SD // Fight Truth & Consequences (talk to MVP to set this up) Week 7 - Tag Match on SD // Truth & Consequences for the titles (unlocks civilian MVP) Week 8 - Backstage Brawl // Legacy (unlocks civilian Cena & entrance) Week 11 - Tag Team // with Santino vs Legacy WrestleMania - Singles Match // Vince in the Green Room

Jericho

Week 1 - Singles Match // The Miz Week 5 - Singles Match // Santino (talk to Santino at the Royal Rumble to set this up) Week 7 - Parking Lot // Cena Week 8 - Diva Match // Maryse vs Beth

Week 11 - Singles Match // Santino vs Big Show (talk to Santino in the hall to setup your interference)

WrestleMania - Singles Match // Find Steamboat in the Green Room

Unlockable: Time Machine

Play Road to Wrestlemania with Christian. Talk to Edge at Elimination Chamber PPV about the Time Machine. Head to the GM Office and talk to Mr. McMahon. It turns out the time machine is broken into three pieces. Look for the Edge and Christian action figures. They are between the bookshelf and the TV. After leaving you'll get a phone call from Edge. The "flux capacitor" is in the Green Room (a Back to the Future reference. The "phone booth" in the parking lot (a Bill & Ted reference). Go to Edge with the three parts and you'll get the Time Machine. This allows you to travel to any point in "time" on the Road to Wrestlemania. It works with any superstar.

JuniorUnlockable: Attire

Perform the following actions to unlock new attire.

Batista (Civilian) - In Jericho's RTWM, beat Kofi, Henry, and Batista in Week 8 Chris Jericho (Civilian) - In Jericho's RTWM, talk to Stephanie McMahon in the GM's office, then

win Week 1's Match Of The Week, while executing at least one finisher and not taking heavy damage

Christian (Civilian) - In Christian's RTWM, defeat Tyson Kidd or William Regal in a Royal Rumble side story match

Christian (Conquistador) - Initiate the Week 4 Challenge in Rey Mysterio's RTWM CM Punk (T-Shirt) - Purchase "ALL Axxess" from the WWE Shop Cody Rhodes(T-Shirt) - On week 9 of Christian's RTWM, defeat Legacy with little damage done to

your body Edge (Civilian) - In Christian's RTWM, defeat Big Show in a locker room area during the

"Elimination Chamber" Jack Swagger (Civilian) - In Rey Mysterio's RTWM, partner with Jack Swagger during Week 3,

and win the Match Of The Week as Jack Swagger John Cena (Entrance/Civilian) - In Cena's RTWM, win the Week 8 Challenge against Cody

Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Masked Kane Attire - beat Masked Kane in the "Vs. Undertaker RTWM" MVP (Civilian) - In Cena's RTWM, win both the Week 5 and Week 7 Tag Team Challenge Match

against R-Truth and Mike Knox Randy Orton (Ref attire) - In Cena's RTWM, defeat Randy Orton in the WrestleMania Match Of

The Week during the Lost Week 9 timeline Randy Orton (Suit) - In Cena's RTWM, defeat Randy Orton in the WrestleMania Match Of The

Week during the Won Week 9 timeline Randy Orton (T-Shirt) - In Cena's RTWM, defeat Randy Orton in under 3 minutes during the

Week 12 "I Quit" match in the Lost Week 9 timeline Rey Mysterio (Civilian) - In Rey Mysterio's RTWM, eliminate Evan Bourne in the Royal Rumble

and win the Royal Rumble Rey Mysterio (Evil) and Entrance Scene - Successfully complete Rey Mysterio's RTWM with Rey

set to "Evil" Shawn Michaels (Civilian) - Purchase "ALL Axxess" at the WWE Shop Ted DiBiase (T-Shirt) - In Cena's RTWM, defeat Ted DiBiase to win the Week 11 Tag Team

Challenge against Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes Todo Americano - In Rey Mysterio's RTWM, perform a finisher on Todo Americano while playing

as Evan Bourne in Week 12

Triple H (Civilian) - In Jericho's RTWM, escape to the parking lot without losing to Triple H in Week 6

Vince McMahon (Suit) - In Jericho's RTWM, win the WWE Championship against Triple H at WrestleMania XXVI

Additions by PXT

Unlockable: Arenas

Perform the following actions to unlock more arenas.

Backlash Arena - Play a match at Backlash (in WWE Universe) Bragging Rights Arena - Play a match at Bragging Rights (in WWE Universe) Hell In A Cell Arena - Play a match at Hell In A Cell (in WWE Universe) Judgement Day Arena - Play a match at Judgement Day (in WWE Universe) Royal Rumble Arena - Play a match at Royal Rumble (in WWE Universe) TLC Arena - Play a match at TLC (in WWE Universe) Wrestlemania Arena - Play a match at Wrestlemania (in WWE Universe) Druid Arena - Complete all 5 RTWMs

Raz Unlockable: ECW Brand and ECW Championship Belt

Defend your belt in WWE Universe against another wrestler to unlock ECW Brand and ECW Championship Belt.

For the Cruiserweight belt, go to WWE Universe and select any match. Play it and win it. When you go to the menu,it will say "Cruiserweight belt unlocked."

Junior Unlockable: Superstars, Divas and Legends

Perform the following actions to unlock Superstars, Divas and Legends.

Brie Bella - Win one Women's Championship with any Diva on PPV / WWE Universe Druid - Beat all five RTWMs Ezekiel Jackson - Win five 1-on-1 matches on "WWE Superstars" with any Superstar / WWE

Universe Finlay - Win one "SmackDown" 1-on-1 match with any Superstar / WWE Universe Gail Kim - Win one Divas-only match with any Diva / WWE Universe Goldust - Win ten "Raw" 1-on-1 matches with any Superstar / WWE Universe Jake "The Snake" Roberts - In the "Vs. Undertaker RTWM", do not take heavy damage to any

limbs in Week 9 against Jake Roberts Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka - In the "Vs. Undertaker RTWM", win in under 3 minutes during the

Week 10 Match Of The Week Mickie James - Win five Divas-only 1-on-1 matches with any Diva / WWE Universe Mike Knox - Win five "SmackDown" 1-on-1 matches with any Superstar / WWE Universe Nikki Bella - Win one Women's Championship with any Diva on PPV (WWE Universe, 1-on-1

matches) Paul Bearer (Manager) - Beat the "Vs. Undertaker RTWM" Ricky Steamboat - In Jericho's RTWM, win the WrestleMania Challenge against Ricky Steamboat

after completing all previous Challenge matches Rob Van Dam - Beat Rey Mysterio's RTWM with Rey set to "Good" Shelton Benjamin - Win ten "SmackDown" 1-on-1 matches with any Superstar / WWE Universe

Stone Cold Steve Austin - In Christian's RTWM, win the WrestleMania Challenge against Stone Cold after completing all previous Challenge matches

Terry Funk - In Rey Mysterio's RTWM, win the WrestleMania Challenge against Terry Funk after completing all previous Challenge matches

The Rock - In "Vs. Undertaker RTWM", win the WrestleMania Challenge against The Rock after completing all previous Challenge matches

Vince McMahon - In John Cena's RTWM, win the WrestleMania Challenge against Vince McMahon, Sheamus, and Drew McIntyre after completing all previous Challenge matches

Vladimir Kozlov - Win one "Raw" 1-on-1 match with any Superstar / WWE Universe William Regal - Win ten "WWE Superstars" 1-on-1 match with any Superstar / WWE Universe Yoshi Tatsu - Win five "Raw" 1-on-1 matches with any Superstar / WWE Universe Zack Ryder - Win one "WWE Superstars" 1-on-1 match with any Superstar / WWE Universe

black_1866618Hint: The Last Man Standing and Win Or Lose At Least You Tried Trophies

Just find a friend to join you in a private rumble (player matches are okay) and just eliminate everyone until it's you and your friend and win.

Chaudhary Hamza AbidCheat: Codes

At the main menu, select "My WWE", "Options", then "Cheat Codes". Enter the following codes for the desired effect.

HISTORICALBELTS - Unlocks the Million Dollar Title, Cruiserweight Title and Hardcore Title SLURPEE - John Cena Street Fight gear and Avatar T-Shirt 8thannualtribute - Tribute To the Troops Arena apexpredator - Randy Orton alternate attire

WWE Universe Mode basically combines exhibition, career, and GM modes from prior games into a rather unique experience. You give up some control and customization, but what you gain is unpredictability and something akin to a real sport.

WWE Universe uses a schedule to mimic the real-life WWE calendar.

It's not a perfect match, seeing as WWE Universe has only 12 pay-per-views and uses months that are only 28 days long, but the gist of it is there (and it's infinitely far more convenient this way anyway). Basically, the game has its own calendar which contains four RAWs, four WWE Superstars, four SmackDowns, and one pay-per-view per month.

The game will inform you via a ticker at the bottom of the screen what show is on "tonight," and what matches are on the card. As we'll mention in a second, these can be overwritten, but they will give you some idea on what WWE Universe thinks is the best course of action for the show.

Exhibition Mode is still in the game, but it's been renamed.

Exhibition mode is no longer called "Exhibition Mode," but simply "Play." From there -- the top option of the main menu -- you can create any type of match you want at any time.

This is important, based on why you bought WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2011. If you bought the game to have occasional matches with friends, or to compete online, or run through the Road to WrestleMania stories

and nothing else, then WWE Universe will barely affect you. As you'll soon see, wrestlers are ranked in WWE Universe, but you can completely ignore the rankings if you're just setting up custom exhibition matches.

WWE Universe is almost completely optional.

Although the game takes great pains to tell you that "everything you do affects WWE Universe," that's not entirely true. There is a simple toggle that affects whether WWE Universe is active or not. On the main menu by default, there is a ticker under the main menu that gives you the match-ups for the next show...

By simply clicking the right stick, the ticker goes away...

Dismissing the ticker does more than just a visual change, however. When the ticker is off, the whole of WWE Universe is off as well. Anything you then do in the Play mode happens like the Exhibition mode of old: there are no cinematics, rankings don't change, and nobody will interfere in matches. This is what you want to do if you're using SmackDown 2011 just as a friendly, competitive fighting game or don't want to bother with WWE Universe in general.

The main seven titles are locked into WWE Universe, and you can no longer defend them at will.

Even if WWE Universe is toggled off, you cannot defend the main seven titles at will. The seven main titles are, of course:

WWE Championship World Heavyweight Championship United States Championship Intercontinental Championship Divas Championship Women's Championship Unified Tag Team Championship

Those seven titles are tied into WWE Universe and its ranking systems (explained in a moment), and cannot ordinarily be defended in matches. There is a way you can sort of fudge the game to allow you to defend five of the seven, which we'll explain here in this video tip (note that we have a few spoilers on unlockables in here)...

Ordinarily however, especially for the women, the only way these titles can change hands in matches are on the scheduled pay-per-views. And even then, typically one or two titles are left off the pay-per-view card. You can freely move titles around in a superstar's title settings screen, however.

Wrestlers are ranked by their recent success, dependent on brand.

The brand divisions are in full-force here: the WWE Championship belongs on RAW, and only RAW superstars will have a chance to fight for it. Even if you move the WWE Champion to a different brand, or if you move the title to someone already on the SD roster, only the best of the best on RAW are allowed to be ranked for it.

You can view the rankings anytime from WWE Universe screen. Everyone is ranked, though only the top ten contenders are ever displayed. If there are less than ten contenders for a given title, they'll all be displayed. There is no minimum number of contenders: you can move all the divas to RAW and essentially leave the Women's Championship dormant. Either way, the rankings update in real-time after matches, showing you who moved up and down.

As you can see from the screen shot, my created wrestler Nightwalker is #1 contender for the US Title: your CAWs, the legends, and anyone else can participate in the rankings equally, although their brands have to be set correctly.

The specifics of the rankings are a mystery, but there are some general rules. Wins generally move you up and losses generally move you down, but there seems to be a strength-of-competition factor in there somewhere. The commentators also mention winning and losing streaks, so those are probably factored in as well. I once had a match between Triple H and Cena, and even though Triple H won, he moved up two spots and was still one spot under Cena.

To get a wrestler on the rankings at all, you'll have to use them. Even if you make the match yourself (we'll get to that in the next point here), rankings are affected unless you have disabled WWE Universe. Created wrestlers start at the bottom of the totem pole, and will need quite a few matches to get up the rankings.

Even still, you'll have to go through the minor titles to graduate to the upper titles. That is, Nightwalker might be #1 contender for the US Title, but he will have to keep winning before he has a prayer of showing up on the WWE Championship rankings. Nightwalker doesn't need to win the US Title, per se, but he'll need some victories over the top-ranked WWE Championship contenders to get there. As the GM (in a sense), I'll have to book him in matches as often as possible. In a very real sense, I'm giving him a push so he can get to that title.

You can greatly affect the rankings by involving guys in multi-man matches. Triple threat, Fatal Four-way, and battle royal matches will shuffle rankings pretty dramatically. The game does seem to understand the difference between "lost" and "didn't win." So for example, in a triple threat match, whoever was pinned will take a substantial loss in the rankings, whoever made the pin will get a substantial gain, and the remaining man will take a loss but not as dramatically as the first guy.

Matches on WWE Superstars are cross-brand, but can still affect the rankings. It seems changes aren't quite as dramatic, but they do exist. Guys who are very low on the rankings -- newly created wrestlers or guys on long losing streaks -- will probably first show up on WWE Superstars before showing up on RAW or SmackDown. Either way, a win is a win, and winning can only help.

Rankings can be overridden based on standard rules of WWE matches.

WWE has a few different matches that can override the current state of the rankings, and the rankings will update afterwards to compensate. For example, whoever wins the Royal Rumble will get to take on a champion at WrestleMania. Whoever wins Money in the Bank can cash it in at any time prior to WrestleMania to get a championship match. And whoever wins a standard #1 contender's match becomes locked into that #1 contender's spot for the rest of the month (until the title match on the pay-per-view) regardless of his wins and losses. At the end of the month, whoever is #1 contender will fight for the belt, though there might be other people involved in, say, a triple threat match or something.

You can create your own matches for WWE Universe, which are subject to the other rules governing the mode.

When in WWE Universe mode, the top selection gives two options: "Select Match" and "Custom Match." "Select Match" allows you to choose a match on the show's card, and then either play it, watch it, or simulate through it. "Custom Match" lets you set your own match with anyone you want.

If you choose "Select Match," you can change who is involved, but usually changing the participants will disable any special parameters of the match. For example, say there is a match on the card that is Maryse vs. Gail Kim for the #1 contender's match for the Divas Championship. If you change Maryse to Melina, the match can go on, but the #1 contender's stipulation is dropped, thereby making it a normal one-on-one match. The game will warn you about this prior to making such a change.

Regardless of selecting a Select Match or a Custom Match, the outcome will affect the rankings and any other extracurriculars, unless you have disabled WWE Universe. However, to earn your unlockables, you need to play Select Matches only. We'll talk more about that at the end of this section.

Downloaded wrestlers are treated the same as everyone else too. Once assigned a brand, they can participate in WWE Universe as anyone else, get on the rankings, and whatever.

Be prepared for unpredictability.

That all said, whether you do Select Matches or Custom Matches, WWE Universe introduces drama into almost every one-on-one match you do. Entrances can be interrupted, pre-match beatdowns can occur, interference and counter-interference can change the flow of a match, new teams can form, new rivalries can appear, matches can be restarted, and more. Superstars can even turn, especially if you put two faces against each other or two heels against each other.

Your CAWs are subject to the same issues. If I put Nightwalker and Locust (both CAW faces) in a match together, there is every chance that the AI will decide to make Locust beat the hell out of Nightwalker during his entrance and turn heel.

There are a couple ways out of this if something happens that you absolutely did not intend. First, if something very ridiculous happens, you can always quit the match. Any change in rankings, alignment, team status, and even championship only applies after the match concludes and you formally exit it. In the above situation, if Locust jumps Nightwalker and I immediately quit out, the "turn" doesn't stick. Or, after a match, I can choose to restart the match, and then quit out; again, the changes that had happened don't stick.

Most importantly, however...

You can override absolutely any decision made by the AI except for rankings and #1 contenderships, but even then, you can still override title decisions.

Did the AI turn John Cena heel and you absolutely want him to be a face? You can finish out the match, then override his turn by going to his Superstar Management screen. Likewise, you can make or break teams, alter relationships, trade a wrestler to a different brand, and of course just outright assign someone a title.

About the only thing you cannot do is outright vacate a title, but there is a way around that too. What I did was made a custom wrestler named "Vacated," and assigned him as a Free Agent. Then, I just give him all the belts that get moved around that I want to vacate. Because he's not on the RAW or SmackDown brand, he'll never show up in the rankings unless he owns whatever belt I'm looking at, and he'll never show up for matches.

Simulating through matches seems to prevent any change from happening other than titles changing hands and ranking effects.

If you simulate through a match -- whether that means you're simulating through the calendar or simulating a single match -- rankings and title changes are still affected, but nothing else seems to happen. That is, no one turns, teams don't form or break, and rivalries do not get created.

I stress the word "simulate" up there: if you watch a match, even if it's just between two guys both controlled by the AI, the drama can still happen.

You must play WWE Universe for at least 59 matches to unlock everything, though probably more than that.

A bunch of unlockables are tied to WWE Universe. We'll show you the chart, but first we need to explain the way unlocking works. We've left it in a separate subsection just in case you absolutely want to avoid spoilers for the last time.

Unlocking Stuff in WWE Universe

We've got spoilers here, so this is your last warning if you want to avoid them.

To unlock anything in WWE Universe, you must play "Select Matches." Playing custom matches won't get you anywhere. Second, the select matches need to be non-team. Unlocks still seem to happen if you do a triple threat Select Match, though they happen slightly differently. However, unlocks don't seem to happen at all in tag matches (other than the specific "win or defend the Unified Tag Titles" reward). You can choose to play as anyone involved, but you must play: just watching the match won't count. Also, you'll have to win your match.

Let's assume you're just starting off your game, and the first match on RAW is Melina vs. Maryse. You play it as Melina, and you wind up winning. Immediately after, Vince McMahon will come out and tell you that you'll fight someone else. Looking at the chart below, we see that Gail Kim will rush out. This starts a new match, you as Melina vs. Gail.

Now, if this happens, you do not need to win. We can't stress that enough. If you're just rushing to get everything unlocked, as soon as Gail appears, just grab a chair and smash her in the face. You lose the match, but as soon as you're out of it, you'll get the alert that Gail is unlocked. She probably won't be too pleased you hurt her beautiful face, but hey: she knew the risks getting in the ring!

Okay, so that covers the basics of unlocking: play a match, win it, then finish the match (win or lose) when the new person comes out. However, things don't always work that smoothly. For example, your match might get restarted, or it might not be a one-on-one match. If that happens, the unlock will happen will go on with no additional effort on your part. For example, my fifth SmackDown match happened to be playing as a created wrestler in a triple threat match. After it was over, I got the alert that I unlocked Mike Knox even though I never saw him or got the cut scene about it.

Finally, whenever you unlock belts, they are decorative only as far as WWE Universe cares. Unlocked titles can be defended and moved around in exhibition or Custom Matches at will, but they won't show up on the rankings. Still, you might want to keep one or two "active" to keep some variety going. Personally, I love the Hardcore title and I keep it around even though I have to personally set up those matches myself.

All right, to the chart. Note that when we say "Win X matches for a brand," we are referring to men's matches. Diva matches only affect diva unlocks, for better or worse.

WWE Universe Unlockables

Condition Reward

Win 1 match on RAW shows Vladimir Kozlov

Win 5 matches on RAW shows Yoshi Tatsu

Win 10 matches on RAW shows Goldust

Win 1 match on SmackDown shows Finlay

Win 5 matches on SmackDown shows Mike Knox

Win 10 matches on SmackDown shows Shelton Benjamin

Win 1 match on Superstars shows Zack Ryder

Win 5 matches on Superstars shows Ezekiel Jackson

Win 10 matches on Superstars shows William Regal

Win 1 Divas match Gail Kim

Win 5 Divas matches Mickie James

Win or defend Divas Championship Nikki Bella

Win or defend Women's Championship Brie Bella

Win or defend WWE Championship ECW Title

Win or defend World Heavyweight Championship

WCW Title

Win or defend United States Championship

Cruiserweight Title

Win or defend Intercontinental Championship

Hardcore Title

Win or defend WWE Unified Tag Team Championship

Unified Tag Titles are split into the WWE Tag Team Titles and World Heavyweight Tag Team Titles

Defend any men's singles title ECW Brand

Win 10 custom matches ECW content in Match Creator

Win a match at Backlash Backlash arena

Win a match at Extreme Rules Extreme Rules arena

Win a match at The Bash The Bash arena

Win a match at Night of Champions Night of Champions arena

Win a match at Summer Slam ECW arena

Win a match at Hell in a Cell Hell in a Cell arena

Win a match at Bragging Rights Bragging Rights arena

Win a match at Survivor Series Survivor Series arena

Win a match at TLC TLC arena

Win a match at Royal Rumble Judgment Day arena

Win a match at Elimination Chamber Breaking Point arena

Win a match at WrestleMania Tribute to the Troops arena

~ A . G u i d e . T o . W W E . U n i v e r s e ~

After seeing the number of issues people have had with crafting WWE Universe, I have decided to post a guide, based on my knowledge of the game and specifically the Game Mode, in order to help those having difficulty. My guide will cover a range of issues, such as the Ranking system, Title matches, and using all of the WWE Universe to it's full potential. If there are any questions or issues, please post them in this thread and I will assist as much as possible. Please enjoy!

Contents

I. Superstar Management- Brand Assignment- Title Settings- Allies & RivalsII. Team Management- Navigation- Making A Tag Division- "Tag Partners" & Stables- WWE Universe Making Tag TeamsIII. Rankings- How It Works- How To Push Superstars- How To Bury SuperstarsIV. Schedule- Using RAW and SmackDown!- Using Superstars- Using Pay-Per-ViewsV. Matches- Select Match- Custom Match- Pre-Match Cut-Scenes

- Mid-Match Cut-Scenes- Post-Match Cut-ScenesVI. News- How It WorksVII. Created Superstars- How To Get On The Card By Default- How To Become #1 Contender & Champion- How To Win Money In The BankVIII. Turning Off Universe ModeIX. UnlockablesX. Credits

I. Superstar Management

Brand Assignment

I'm not going to suggest who you put on each brand, as that it is up to each user, but I will tell you how it is

used. Upon entering Superstar Management, you will notice the brand logo next to a superstar's name, as you can see above with Christian. By pressing A (Xbox 360) or X (PS3), you will be able to change the brand a superstar is on. NOTE: This will alter the WWE Universe's default cards, but if you want to have a SmackDown! superstar make an appearence on RAW, this is still possible. If you choose RAW or SmackDown!, WWE Universe will begin to book superstars on that specific brand, but if you choose any of the other possible brands (Legends, WCW, WWE, and "Locked" (ECW)), they will no longer be booked by the WWE Universe at all. However, if you wish for a member of any of them brands to make an appearence, you can do so by choosing them after pressing either "Select Match" or "Custom Match".

The Paint Tool logo is avaliable if you have a custom brand logo you would like to use for a superstar. Once again, the WWE Universe will no longer recognize the superstar and they will no longer be booked by default, so if you choose to do this, you will have to manually book this superstar in matches EVERY time.

Title Settings

From here, you will be able to choose who is the WWE Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, Unified Tag Team Champions, Intercontinental Champion, U.S Champion, Women's Champion and Diva's Champion, all before any match has started. By doing this, WWE Universe will automatically update the Rankings for each championship, and you will be able to start how YOU want. The Title Settings can be changed at any time, but be warned, it will affect all Rankings every time, so if you are working on a specific superstar building his/her way up to the #1 contendership, and suddenly change who is champion, the rest of the rankings may affect your other plans. Also, you cannot change which brand the championship is on, even if you change the brand the champion is on.

Allies & Rivals

Also in Superstar Management is the Rivalry system. In order to have the best WWE Universe experience, my suggestion would be to only have a maximum of three allies and three rivals. If you have less than this, not many cut-scenes will occur, as the Universe will have nothing work with. On the other hand, if you have too many, then you lose stability in feuds. You may want Sheamus to feud with Orton, but if you have Triple H, John Cena, Evan Bourne and Santino Marella also as Sheamus' rivals, many of his matches with Orton will end up being disrupted by one of them.

Also, the intensity of each rival and ally is important. Always update each superstar's Rivals and Allies depending on how you want them to feud. For example, if Mysterio is in a feud with Jack Swagger for months and months, but you suddenly want Swagger to start getting involved in Edge's business, make sure you change this in Superstar Management. Otherwise, Mysterio will keep bothering Swagger, when you really want the focus to be on your new Edge feud. There is a meter under each superstar in the Allies & Rivals section which indicates how much friendship or hatred there is between the superstars. The furthest to the right is High and it scales down to Low. If you use only three allies and rivals per superstar, you are able to have one for High, one for middle, and one for Low, which will help the WWE Universe when booking matches and when choosing who will interfere in the majority of the superstar's matches.

Furthermore, the WWE Universe has the capability to change who a superstar is rivals and allies with. If two superstars consistently team up or face each other, the WWE Universe will begin to notify you of their relationship in the "News" section. With that in mind, frequently check the Allies & Rivals section to see if it has changed, because if certain changes have occured that you did not plan to happen, you will lose control of your WWE Universe and begin to become confused as to why Evan Bourne is saving Kofi Kingston from being attacked by Kane.

II. Team Management

Navigation

In regards to Team Management as a feature, it is difficult to navigate around, as it requires you to enter Create-An-Entrance and Create-A-Moveset before the Tag Team creation is truly complete, but once you have five substantial Tag Teams, you will most likely not need this feature for much more, other than editing any unwanted teams created by Universe.

Making A Tag Division

Team Management is ultimately to help improve the stale Tag Division provided by the game, as a result of a non-existent Tag Division in the WWE. My first suggestion, in regards to Tag Teams, is to make the Unified Tag Titles a cross-brand championship. Unless you want teams assembled by mid-carders, it is a lot easier to have four or five respectable Tag Teams. Personally, I would keep The Hart Dynasty, Straight Edge Society and M.V.P and Mark Henry, and then create the Tag Team of Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre. From there, you only need one extra Tag Team (preferably a Face SmackDown! team), and you will have a competitive Tag Team Division.

"Tag Partners" & Stables

For Stables, utilize the Universe's label of "Tag Partner". Some stables, such as Evolution, focused on Ric Flair and Batista as the "Tag Partners", with Triple H as the figurehead and Orton as the rising star. If you have a stable, but don't want Universe to randomly pair up members of your stable, then choose the most suited Tag Partners as the first two members of your stable. Of course, if you want Tag Partners to rotate, you can either manually change who are the primary Tag Partners in Team Management, or change the partners each time Universe books the stable in a Tag Match.

WWE Universe Making Tag Teams

WWE Universe has a tendency to make Tag Teams without you being aware. For instance, Dolph Ziggler teamed up with Rhodes and McIntyre in a 6-man Tag match, and when I next check Team Management, he has been added to their stable! Much like Superstar Management, if you occasionally check this section of WWE Universe, you will have ultimate control of what happens, with the additional guide of Universe's cut-scenes.

III. Rankings

How It Works

The Ranking system is perhaps the most complex part of WWE Universe, as it will consistently change every show, every week, and you will have to monitor this all the time if you want to mould your own WWE Universe. Every championship has a Top 10 Ranking, with the exception of the Tag Team, Women's and Diva's titles, due to their weak roster. A "!" will appear to the left of the "Rankings" section of the WWE Universe Menu if there is an alteration in the Rankings. Superstars ascend and descend the rankings depending on their wins and losses, and depending on the opponents they defeat. For example, if John Cena is ranked 10th contender for the WWE Title, but then beats the champion, #1 contender and #2 contender in a Gauntlet match, he would most likely ascend to 3rd, perhaps higher. Comparatively, if Christian is #1 Contender for the Intercontinental Championship, then loses to Primo who isn't on the rankings, he would lose his place, unless he won a #1 Contender's Match.

The #1 Contender can change every week unless there is a #1 Contender's Match, in which case, the #1 Contender will remain the same until he has had a shot at the title, or competed in another #1 Contender's Match. If a superstar is not on the rankings but begins to have an undefeated streak, the WWE Universe will recognize this and the superstar will be on the rankings. The opponents the specific superstar has beaten will determine if he challenges the WWE Title or the U.S Title (if a RAW superstar), or the World Heavyweight Championship or Intercontinental Title (if on SmackDown!).

How To Push Superstars

As previously mentioned, the easiest way to push superstars is to have them defeat anyone in the rankings higher than them. If you want your #2 Contender to become your #1 Contender (outside of a #1 Contender's match), make sure the #2 Contender keeps picking up wins over the #1 Contender. If you want to push a superstar for a championship and he isn't on the rankings, do not fear. Keep winning with the specific superstar against the #1 Contender or the champion for the title you want the superstar to win and soon the WWE Universe will add him to the rankings.

How To Bury Superstars

Alternatively, there may be superstars on the rankings who you do not want. For example, I have Primo as the #2 contender for the U.S Title, due to the fact Primo has been winning a lot on Superstars. To change this, you have to make sure the superstar loses...a lot. So long as the superstar you want to bury isn't the #1 Contender as a result of winning a #1 Contender's Match, the Universe will begin to make the superstar drop down the rankings. Also, make sure the superstar being buried is losing without having much control. If the match is close-fought, the WWE Universe will occasionally not change the rankings of the superstar.

Another method is to simply change the matches WWE Universe book and make sure a superstar you do not want as a contender is not being booked. By doing this, all other superstars in the rankings will naturally surpass him and eventually, he will disappear from the rankings altogether. If the superstar is someone such as Primo, this isn't so much of an issue, but if you are trying to bury John Cena, it may take a while. You can't remove the superstar from RAW or SmackDown! and then re-add them, as they will automatically return to their previous ranking position. However, by simply not booking a superstar and manually changing matches involving him, you ultimately remove him from WWE Universe temporarily.

IV. Schedule

Using RAW and SmackDown!

Both branded shows only have four matches per card, so it is important to use all of the matches as best as possible. If you have rivalries developing, make sure you provide a match devoted to this. However, you will most likely want numerous feuds on-going at once, and the important trick is to manage your card well. Instead of aiming for continious one-on-one matches in order to progress specific rivalries, try and mix things up a bit, like the WWE does. Do you want a Miz and Morrison feud, as well as Goldust and Ted DiBiase? Then make a Miz & DiBiase Vs. Morrison & Goldust Tag Team match. By doing this, both superstars will continue their feud, and also, you have saved yourself another match on the card to develop a different story. Keep in mind that from time-to-time, WWE Universe will make a #1 Contender's Match, leaving you with only three matches to play with. However, if you are happy with the current #1 Contender and do not want the match, feel free to change it.

Using Superstars

This is perhaps the most cruical part of WWE Universe. Although in the WWE, Superstars is seen as the opportunity to use low-card talent such as Chavo Guerrero, Vance Archer and Yoshi Tatsu, WWE Universe does not have to be the same. In fact, I would recommend using Superstars as the perfect place to further develop your stories. You are limited to three matches a card, so use each one wisely. If you are trying to get a specific superstar up the rankings quickly, putting him in a match with a high-calibur superstar in the rankings on Superstars will increase the chances of him becoming #1 Contender a lot quicker, as you can book him in two matches per week. So long as the superstar keeps winning, he should be in a #1 Contender's Match on the last RAW or SmackDown! show before a PPV, as he would've picked up six major wins along the way. Ultimately, Superstars does not have to be for jobbers and low-carders, it must be treated as a catalyst for feuds and Rankings.

Using Pay-Per-Views

Due to THQ's restrictions on Title Matches and Stipulation matches, PPVs are very limited in how they can be used effectively. Personally, my only suggestion would be to consider which division you have not applied much focus to that month, and replace the championship match with a major feud you have been building up. If you've spent all of your RAW shows focusing on a Daniel Bryan/Miz feud, but at Backlash, it's The Hart Dynasty Vs. Rhodes & McIntyre, which you haven't bothered with, then re-book the match as a "Custom Match".

V. Matches

Select Match

"Select Match" allows the user to change the competitors in a default-booked match, but not the Match Type (unless it is a Singles Match) or number of competitiors. Despite it's limitations, "Select Match" is effective and accessible once the WWE Universe has recognized your feuds and is pre-booking the matches you want it to.

Custom Match

"Custom Match" has far more creativity and is pretty much Exhibition Mode with Universe Mode on. Custom Match will replace the match already on the card, and gives you the opportunity to change the competitiors, Match Type, and number of superstars involved in the match. It will become very useful at the beginning of WWE Universe, as you will need it in order to start your desired feuds, as well as forcing your Created Superstars onto the match card by default.

Simulation

Simulating matches in WWE Universe is a juggling act -- simulate too many matches and you lose control of the WWE Universe, but if you choose to play every match, you may find SmackDown! Vs. RAW 2011 very boring, very fast. My tip would be to simulate the matches in which the result is irrelevant to the feud and the story you are developing. If you want to keep track of all of your feuds and champions, NEVER simulate an entire show. You will end up spending the next two shows re-building the feud, and you will not be able to progress as quickly as you want.

Pre-Match Cut-Scenes

With over 100 cut-scenes in WWE Universe, THQ divided them into specific types. Pre-Match cut-scenes will occur during or after the entrances. An example of a pre-match cut-scene can be seen above, in which Mysterio spectates his rival's match from the crowd. Interestingly, if you go to the top-right corner during the match, you will see Mysterio watching, which adds continuity and realism to the cut-scene feature. Other examples of cut-scenes happening before the match include attacks during entrances, no-showing an entrance and then attacking from behind, superstars replacing another superstar, mystery tag partners and a

change of Match Type.

Mid-Match Cut-Scenes

Mid-match cut-scenes tend to come in the form of an interference, specifically when a superstar is being beaten down. For example, if CM Punk looks close to finished, Luke Gallows will run down to the ring and help Punk. Mid-match cut-scenes have the ability to shift a match, or even WWE Universe as a whole. Superstars can interfere on behalf of an Ally, but suddenly turn on them which develops a new feud. THQ also added an Undertaker-specific cut-scene, based on who his strongest rival is, in which the lights go out, and when they re-appear, both in-ring competitors are knocked out. Mid-match cut-scenes are a lot less frequent than pre-match or post-match cut-scenes, due to the fact their consequences have a lot more impact on WWE Universe.

Post-Match Cut-Scenes

Post-Match cut-scenes are dependable on the Allies & Rivals system, as they tend to relate to on-going

feuds. The above example shows Evan Bourne celebrating a victory, only to be attacked by Zack Ryder, his rival, after the match has finished. Other potential post-match cut-scenes include refused handshakes between two superstars, Allies saving each other from a potential attack from the opponent, and even someone cashing in their Money In The Bank contract.

VI. News

How It Works

The News section works solely on the championships and Allies & Rivals system. The News section is useful to check major updates on who have become Rivals or Allies, instead of checking Superstar Management. A "!" will appear to the left of "News" in the WWE Universe Menu when there is a notification. If the News section notifies you of an unwanted feud developing, simply enter Superstar Management and remove the unwanted rival from the superstar's Rival list. The News section is simply a more accessible and convenient way of keeping track of the current champions and the development of your rivalries and Tag Teams, but beyond that, it has little impact in WWE Universe.

VII. Created Superstars

How To Get On The Card By Default

I realize that the majority of users have mainly complained at the difficulty of making sure their Created Superstars are being booked in WWE Universe, so I have dedicated a lot of my guide to this specific section. Firstly, my main tip is to use "Custom Match" for the first few weeks of WWE Universe, as it is the only way to ensure your CAW will be booked. Despite having him on a specific brand, due to the fact he will not be in any of the Rankings, the CPU will see no reason to book him. After manually putting him in matches with high-calibur superstars, and making sure he wins, he will begin to get noticed by the CPU and will most likely be booked on Superstars without you needing to do anything. Continue his winning streak, making sure he is beating superstars such as the United States/Intercontinental Champion or their #1 Contenders, and you will notice he will appear in the Rankings. Continue this until he is in the Top 5, or until you open a card and he is automatically in a match.

How To Become #1 Contender & Champion

There are two simple ways to become the #1 Contender for any championship in WWE Universe. Firstly, you need to continue the method aforementioned. So long as you are beating the top guys in the Rankings, your status will improve. You don't necessarily have to win in one-on-one matches against them, so long as you win a match against them each week. If you win on RAW/SmackDown! and Superstars, you will have managed six major wins on the week before the PPV, whereby WWE Universe will generally make a #1 Contender's Match. Based on the fact you would've been victorious against the current #1 Contender and champion on numerous occasions, you will be in this match. Once you win, you will be rewarded with the achievement/trophy "One Step Closer To The Gold".

The second method is far less rewarding, but potentially quicker. In Superstar Management, go to your Created Superstar and choose Title Settings. Assign the championship you want your CAW to become #1 Contender for to the Created Superstar, and then sim to the next PPV. Lose the title at the PPV, and you will notice you are either ranked #1 Contender in the Rankings, or within the Top 5. From here, use the above method, and you will quickly become #1 Contender.

How To Win Money In The Bank

Being in Money In The Bank in WWE Universe is one of the most difficult challenges, as there is not a contendership match, nor a specific way of entering in the match. The easiest, and most successful, way to ensure you will be booked for the MITB match at WrestleMania is to build a winning streak beginning in December all the way up to March, when WrestleMania is held. So long as you have won all of your matches, if not the majority up to this point, without winning a title or being #1 Contender, you will be booked into the Money In The Bank Match by the CPU.

VIII. Turning Off Universe Mode

Although WWE Universe Mode is a revolutionary Game Mode, not all users are guaranteed to enjoy it. Therefore, THQ provided the option of removing it from your SmackDown! Vs. RAW 2011. In order to turn off WWE Universe, simply move the right-analog stick to the right when in the Main Menu, and the banner at the bottom of the screen will no longer appear. By doing this, you ultimately have Exhibition Mode which has been in all SmackDown! games from previous years. Any matches you play in Exhibition Mode will not effect Rankings, the Allies & Rivals System and will not include cut-scenes.

If you decide to return to WWE Universe, simply move the right-analog stick to the left in the Main Menu. The WWE Universe will continue from it's last match prior to being switched off, and will not take into account any of your Exhibition matches.

IX. Unlockables

Brie Bella: Win one Women's Championshipwith any Diva on PPV

Ezekiel Jackson: Win 5 matches on "WWE Superstars" with any superstar (1-on-1 Match only)

Finlay: Win 1 "SmackDown" match with any Superstar (1-on-1 Match only)

Gail Kim: Win 1 Divas-only match with any Diva

Goldust: Win 10 "Raw" matches with any Superstar (1-on-1 Match only)

Mickie James: Win 5 Divas-only matches with any Diva (WWE Universe, 1-on-1 matches only)

Mike Knox: Win 5 "SmackDown" matches with any superstar (1-on-1 matches only) (WWE Universe)

Nikki Bella: Win one Women's Championshipwith any Diva on PPV (WWE Universe, 1-on-1 match)

Shelton Benjamin: Win 10 "SmackDown" matches with any superstar (1-on-1 matches only) (WWE Universe)

Vladimir Kozlov: Win 1 "Raw" match with any Superstar (WWE Universe, 1-on-1 match only)

William Regal: Win 10 "WWE Superstars" match with any Superstar (WWE Universe, 1-on-1

match only)

Yoshi Tatsu: Win 5 "Raw" matches with any Superstar (WWE Universe, 1-on-1 match only)

Zack Ryder: Win 1 "WWE Superstars" match with any Superstar (WWE Universe, 1-on-1 match only)