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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's ultimate performance on the show as an competing wrestler. Additionally saw the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the thrills were surprises like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed 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 Event: The Rapper and His PSP

Regardless of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge that controlled the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature that decreased as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the top-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Development of the Line

The series began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an yearly release, except 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 relabeled as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Features and Exclusive Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features 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 covering 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 steer Eugene (whose persona is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box 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. It could be 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. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and reflects 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.