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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's last appearance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally witnessed the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of the public's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge that governed 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 stamina mechanic that decreased as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

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

Innovations and Unique Modes

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only intensified as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 character is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward complete simulations with the 2K games, devoid of 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.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and mirrors an just as great era of wrestling, one that was led 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.