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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included Cena's ultimate appearance on the program as an active wrestler. It also witnessed the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

In spite of everything that transpired 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 handheld console? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness 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 Timeless Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, taking the place of 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 decreased as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Line

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

Gameplay and Unique Content

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special mini-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 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 whacky, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our favorite 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 celebrating the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.