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The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured John Cena's last appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

In spite of everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of the public's undying love for Sony's portable system? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' introduction on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge that governed 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 stamina mechanic that diminished as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Development of the Line

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

Features and Special Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were gradually introduced.

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

Retro Appeal and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as snapshots of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the excellence 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 represents an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.