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The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's last appearance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally experienced the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

In spite of everything that happened on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Could it be because of society's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people fondly remember the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's introduction 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 more realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that governed the flow of a match, substituting for 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 diminished as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

The line began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, except 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 rebranded as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Unique Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 version, including three unique side games 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, occasionally 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 whacky, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as time capsules of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are nostalgic for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.