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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were surprises like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Despite everything that transpired on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Title

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

Progression of the Line

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

Gameplay and Unique Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features elements not found on its PS2 version, including three unique mini-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, sometimes using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players guide Eugene (whose persona is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

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

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a alike, 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 cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.