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The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's final appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri secure 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, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: The Rapper and His PSP

In spite of everything that went down on this historic 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 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 Timeless Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' introduction on the PSP and was the ultimate 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 fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum bar that dictated 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 decreased as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

The line began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an annual release, excluding in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Special Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that sensation only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes players with 500 wrestling questions covering everything from music and finishers to history and feuds, at times 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 special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned 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 reminders of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the joy of seeing a celebrity celebrating 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 genuinely outstanding, and represents an just as 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.