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The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured Cena's final appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally experienced the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

Despite everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of society's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people fondly remember the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Title

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina system that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

The series started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an regular release, excluding in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Special Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds elements not found on its PS2 version, including three special side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 direct Eugene (whose gimmick is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, missing the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as reminders of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.