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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's final appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: The Rapper and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that happened on this memorable 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 handheld console? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' debut 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 more realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge that dictated the flow of a match, replacing 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 diminished as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

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

Gameplay and Exclusive Modes

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of improved graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special side games 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, at times 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 special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, missing the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as reminders of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the brilliance 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 reflects an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.