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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased Cena's last performance on the show as an active wrestler. It also experienced the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

In spite of everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' debut on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that dictated the flow of a match, substituting for 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 diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Series

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

Gameplay and Unique Modes

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 version, including three special mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes players with 500 wrestling questions covering everything from music and finishers to history and feuds, occasionally 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 special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are longing for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe 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. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and reflects an equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.