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The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased Cena's final performance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover witnessed the comeback and showdown 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 action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: Lil Yachty and His PSP

In spite of everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Might it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 2K games?

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

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, steering clear of the fast-paced 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 stamina system that drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Line

The series commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, aside from 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 relabeled as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Features and Special Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, thanks to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only intensified as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions covering 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 character is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward complete 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 beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible 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 brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents 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.