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The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover witnessed the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that dictated the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the most popular PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

The series started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an annual release, aside from in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Special Modes

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to upgraded graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges 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 direct Eugene (whose gimmick is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the joy of seeing a celebrity honoring 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 reflects an just as great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.