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The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured John Cena's final appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. Moreover witnessed the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Despite everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of society's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina system that decreased as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

The series started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an regular release, except in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Features and Unique Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special side games 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, 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 character is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward complete simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy 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 truly exceptional, and mirrors 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.