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The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix showcased Cena's last performance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally saw the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were surprises like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Moment: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

In spite of everything that transpired on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people fondly remember the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

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

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that governed the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina system that drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

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

Features and Exclusive Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds 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 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 gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as time capsules of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are nostalgic for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.