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The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also experienced the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri claim 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 displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Moment: The Rapper and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Might it be because of society's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's introduction 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 more realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that controlled 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 stamina system that drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Series

The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, aside from in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which introduced the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Features and Unique Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, because of enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive side 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 steer Eugene (whose persona is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, lacking the innovative 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 longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and reflects an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.