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The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included John Cena's ultimate performance on the show as an active wrestler. It also experienced 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 excitement were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that happened on this historic 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? Is it because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans aren't interested in the newer 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that controlled the flow of a match, replacing 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 drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the most popular PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

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

Gameplay and Exclusive Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds features not found on its PS2 version, including three unique minigames 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, sometimes using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players direct Eugene (whose character is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the joy of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the greatness 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 reflects an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.