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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's final performance on the show as an active wrestler. Additionally witnessed the comeback and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: The Rapper and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style 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 finally became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Development of the Series

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

Innovations and Exclusive Content

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only intensified as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive mini-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, at times 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 earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total 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 beloved eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the delight 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 really that great, and mirrors an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.