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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured John Cena's ultimate performance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover experienced the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Despite everything that happened on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's debut 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 introduced a new momentum gauge 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; showier 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 commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an yearly release, aside from in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Unique Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that sensation only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests 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 guide Eugene (whose gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward complete simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as reminders of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, 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.