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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's ultimate appearance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally experienced the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were surprises like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the spotlight was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Despite everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of society's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum bar that governed the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina system that decreased as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the top-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

The series 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 additional platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Unique Modes

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions covering 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 Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the joy 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 truly exceptional, and reflects 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.