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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased Cena's final appearance on the show as an active wrestler. It also experienced the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Incident: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Regardless of everything that transpired on this historic 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 brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, replacing 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 drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Development of the Franchise

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

Features and Exclusive Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique 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, sometimes using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players guide Eugene (whose character is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward complete simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the pleasure of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an just as great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.