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The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix showcased Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed the comeback and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were surprises like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of society's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

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

Evolution of the Line

The franchise commenced 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 introduced the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Exclusive Content

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 version, including three special side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 direct Eugene (whose persona is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward complete simulations with the 2K games, lacking the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the joy of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to 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 similarly great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.