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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix included Cena's last appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also experienced the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the excitement were shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

In spite of everything that transpired on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' 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 increased realism and authenticity, steering clear of the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, substituting for 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 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Line

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

Innovations and Unique Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 equivalent, 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, 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 persona is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward complete simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.