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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix included John Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. Moreover witnessed the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were surprises like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-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.

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 went viral. Is it because of the public's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' debut on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that decreased as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

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

Gameplay and Exclusive Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive minigames 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, at times using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players steer Eugene (whose gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as reminders of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and reflects an just as great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.