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The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's ultimate appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also saw the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the focus was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Moment: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Could it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Delving Into 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 ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away 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 mechanic that decreased as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

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

Innovations and Exclusive Content

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions including 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 special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward complete simulations with the 2K games, lacking the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and reflects an similarly 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.