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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included Cena's ultimate appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. Moreover saw the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the focus was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending 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. Is it because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that dictated 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 stamina system that decreased as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Development of the Series

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

Gameplay and Exclusive Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique minigames 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, occasionally using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players direct Eugene (whose persona is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

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

It's possible fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was led 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.