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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix showcased John Cena's ultimate performance on the show as an active wrestler. Additionally experienced the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden show, the spotlight was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: The Rapper and His Portable Console

In spite of everything that transpired on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Game

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge that controlled the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature 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 Series

The franchise started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an annual release, excluding in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which introduced the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Special Modes

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive 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, occasionally using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players direct Eugene (whose gimmick is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Legacy

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

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and mirrors an equally 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.