49: Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain (PS2/2003)
I was never really a fan of the actual WWE; it was too overdramatic and clearly faked. But somehow Here Comes the Pain felt real, in a way that future games haven't. Unlike their real-life counterparts, these guys didn't seem terrified of ever hurting each other. I loved the story mode (even if it was a little more linear than its predecessor Shut Your Mouth) and especially the ability to customise your own wrestler. And nobody with a pulse doesn't enjoy a Royal Rumble, especially since you can keep joining in as new characters if you are knocked out. I had a lot of fun with this, and it speaks volumes about the other 48 games that I consider them better.
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