🔗 Share this article

The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix showcased John Cena's last appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: Lil Yachty and His PSP

In spite of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of pop culture's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Title

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum bar 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 endurance feature that decreased as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Line

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

Gameplay and Exclusive Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, because of improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special minigames 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, occasionally 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.

Nostalgia and Impact

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward complete simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served 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 excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.