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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's ultimate performance on the show as an active wrestler. Additionally saw the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the excitement were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: The Rapper and His PSP

In spite of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of the public's undying love for Sony's portable system? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' debut on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum meter 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 stamina mechanic 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.

Development of the Series

The franchise started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an yearly 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 renamed as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Features and Unique Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only intensified as titles with clear 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 counterpart, including three exclusive mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 direct Eugene (whose persona is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as time capsules of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy 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. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.