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The November 17 installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included John Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. Additionally experienced the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

In spite of everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of the public's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the newer 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's introduction 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 greater realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter 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 drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

The series began 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 brought the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Unique Modes

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes 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 encompassing 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 steer Eugene (whose gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Legacy

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

Maybe fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the joy of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the greatness 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 equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.