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The November 17 installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured John Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an active wrestler. Additionally saw the return and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure 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 presented his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Despite everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that dictated 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 endurance feature that drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the most popular PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

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

Gameplay and Exclusive Content

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only intensified as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special minigames 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 character is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

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

It's possible fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an equally great era of wrestling, one that was led 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.