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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's final appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. Moreover experienced the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst 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 event, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: The Rapper and His PSP

Regardless of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Might it be because of society's undying love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Title

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' debut on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to 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 gauge 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 stamina system that drained as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Development of the Series

The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an regular release, except in 2021. It remained a exclusive to PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Exclusive Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only intensified as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds features not found on its PS2 version, including three special side 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, 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 intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

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

It's possible fans are nostalgic for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be 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 really that great, and reflects an just as 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.