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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured Cena's final performance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover experienced 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. Among the excitement were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of the public's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Title

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' introduction on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge 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 endurance feature that drained as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

The franchise commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, excluding in 2021. It remained a exclusive to PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Unique Modes

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to upgraded graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only intensified as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 version, including three special mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges 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 steer Eugene (whose gimmick is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

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

Perhaps fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and mirrors an equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.