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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured John Cena's final appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. Additionally experienced the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the spotlight was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Moment: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

In spite of everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of the public's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's first appearance 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, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum bar that dictated 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 endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the most popular PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Development of the Line

The line began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an regular release, aside from in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Unique Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive 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, 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 persona is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Impact

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total 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 cherished eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and represents 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.