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The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix showcased Cena's final performance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally experienced the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the upcoming 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 reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: The Rapper and His PSP

Regardless of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of pop culture's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

For those who don't know, 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 exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that dictated the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Development of the Line

The franchise commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, except 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 relabeled as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Unique Modes

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, because of improved graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions including 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 guide Eugene (whose gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Impact

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

Perhaps fans are longing for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy of seeing a celebrity celebrating 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 mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.