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The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's final performance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally experienced the comeback and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the thrills were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden show, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: The Rapper and His Portable Console

In spite of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of society's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Title

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that decreased as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

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

Features and Unique Modes

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three unique mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests 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 direct Eugene (whose gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.