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The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased Cena's last performance on the show as an competing wrestler. Additionally witnessed the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the spotlight was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Moment: The Rapper and His PSP

Regardless of everything that transpired on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of the public's undying love for Sony's portable system? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, replacing 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 decreased 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.

Development of the Line

The franchise began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an annual release, aside from 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 rebranded as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Unique Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes players with 500 wrestling questions including 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 gimmick is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Legacy

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

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be 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. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and reflects an equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.