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The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix showcased John Cena's last appearance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover experienced the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the approaching 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 reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

In spite of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of pop culture's undying love for Sony's portable system? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' introduction on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, replacing 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 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Development of the Series

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

Innovations and Unique Modes

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

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive mini-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 steer Eugene (whose gimmick 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 whacky, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as reminders of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are nostalgic for a alike, 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 applaud Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.