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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included Cena's last appearance on the program as an active wrestler. It also witnessed the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Incident: The Rapper and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that transpired on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of the public's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Title

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game shifted the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum bar that controlled the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

The series began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an yearly release, except in 2021. It remained a exclusive to PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Special Content

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests players with 500 wrestling questions covering everything from music and finishers to history and feuds, occasionally using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players guide Eugene (whose character is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Impact

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward complete simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the pleasure of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.