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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix showcased John Cena's final performance on the program as an active wrestler. Moreover saw the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Moment: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

In spite of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' debut on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, steering clear of the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum bar 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 system that drained as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

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

Gameplay and Special Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests players with 500 wrestling questions covering 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 direct Eugene (whose gimmick is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Legacy

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward total simulations with the 2K games, lacking the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as time capsules of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the pleasure 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. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and represents an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.