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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix showcased John Cena's final appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally saw the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the focus was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed 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 became a sensation. Is it because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge that dictated the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Series

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

Features and Unique Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to improved graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that sensation only intensified as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.

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

Retro Appeal and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as snapshots of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and reflects 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.