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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured John Cena's final performance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also experienced the reappearance 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 shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

Despite everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of the public's undying love for Sony's portable system? Might it be because people fondly remember the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' introduction on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like 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 drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

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

Gameplay and Special Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features modes not found on its PS2 version, including three unique side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes 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 guide Eugene (whose persona is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward complete simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as time capsules 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 delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.