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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix showcased Cena's last performance on the program as an competing wrestler. Moreover saw the return and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the spotlight was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Despite everything that happened on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of the public's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people fondly remember the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's 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 increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, taking the place of 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; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Development of the Series

The franchise started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an annual release, aside from in 2021. It remained a exclusive to PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Features and Exclusive Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that sensation only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds features not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive minigames 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, 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 Legacy

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as time capsules of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the joy of seeing a celebrity honoring the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.