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The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's last appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. Moreover witnessed the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: The Rapper and His PSP

In spite of everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' debut on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game transitioned the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina system that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Progression of the Series

The franchise started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an regular release, except in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which introduced the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Special Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 direct Eugene (whose character is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are nostalgic for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure 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 reflects an equally great era of wrestling, one that was led 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.