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The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's last appearance on the show as an active wrestler. Additionally saw the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: The Rapper and His Portable Console

Despite everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Could it be because of society's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people fondly remember the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans aren't interested in the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, moving away from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide 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 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Development of the Series

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

Innovations and Exclusive Content

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, because of enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests 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 steer 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 eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as time capsules of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are longing for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring 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 represents an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.