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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an active wrestler. It also experienced the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

Regardless of everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Might it be because of society's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Might it be because people fondly remember the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, taking the place of 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; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

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

Gameplay and Exclusive Modes

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, because of improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

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

Nostalgia and Legacy

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

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating 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 represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.