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The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included Cena's last performance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed the return and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden show, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Incident: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that happened on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of society's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Might it be because people fondly remember the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' introduction on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, substituting for 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 decreased as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

The line started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an yearly release, except 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, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Exclusive Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes players with 500 wrestling questions including 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 persona is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as reminders of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be 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 genuinely outstanding, and reflects an equally 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.