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The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an active wrestler. Moreover witnessed the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the focus was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Incident: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of society's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the final 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 brought in a new momentum meter that dictated the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Development of the Line

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

Gameplay and Exclusive Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, because of enhanced graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds features not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three unique 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, sometimes using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players steer Eugene (whose character is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Legacy

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an equally great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.