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The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased John Cena's final appearance on the show as an active wrestler. It also saw the comeback and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

Despite everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Could it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' debut on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It brought in 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 mechanic that drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

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

Features and Special Modes

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and felt like an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes players with 500 wrestling questions including 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 persona is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Impact

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward complete simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as reminders of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an similarly 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.