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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally saw the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Moment: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

Despite everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of the public's enduring love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the final 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 introduced a new momentum bar that controlled the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that diminished as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

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

Innovations and Exclusive Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 version, including three special minigames 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 persona is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Impact

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward complete simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.