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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally experienced the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden show, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Despite everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of society's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge that controlled the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature that decreased as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Line

The franchise commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an yearly release, excluding in 2021. It remained a exclusive to PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Special Elements

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

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 version, including three unique mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests players with 500 wrestling questions covering 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 guide Eugene (whose gimmick is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Heritage

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, lacking the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an equally 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.