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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased John Cena's last appearance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover witnessed the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden show, the spotlight was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: The Rapper and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the newer 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' introduction on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum bar that controlled the flow of a match, replacing 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 diminished as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

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

Gameplay and Unique Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive side games 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, occasionally 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 older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as time capsules of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the joy of seeing a celebrity honoring the brilliance 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 represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.