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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased Cena's final performance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover saw the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was taken 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 Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of the public's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm 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 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 greater realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature 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.

Progression of the Series

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

Innovations and Unique Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier 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 heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive mini-games 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 steer Eugene (whose character is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

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, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as snapshots of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

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