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The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased John Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also experienced the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden show, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

In spite of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of society's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented 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 increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that governed 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 endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

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

Features and Exclusive Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special 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 steer Eugene (whose gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

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

It's possible fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the joy of seeing a celebrity honoring the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an just as great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.