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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's final performance on the show as an competing wrestler. Additionally experienced the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, 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.

Viral Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

Regardless of everything that transpired on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of society's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the ultimate 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-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge that governed 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 decreased as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Development of the Line

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

Innovations and Exclusive Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive side 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 persona is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Heritage

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward complete simulations with the 2K games, missing the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and mirrors an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.