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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included Cena's ultimate performance on the show as an active wrestler. It also witnessed the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: Lil Yachty and His PSP

In spite of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Could it be because of the public's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? 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 Timeless Game

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that decreased as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the top-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Line

The series began 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 additional platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Special Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds elements not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions including 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 intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Heritage

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

Maybe fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and reflects an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.