🔗 Share this article

The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover experienced the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden event, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of society's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Title

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game shifted the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that dictated 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 stamina mechanic that decreased as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

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

Gameplay and Unique Modes

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, because of improved graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes 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 gimmick is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Heritage

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

Perhaps fans are nostalgic for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.