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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's final performance on the program as an active wrestler. It also witnessed the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the focus was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

In spite 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 pop culture's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum bar that dictated 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 stamina mechanic that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

The line started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, except 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 rebranded as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Unique Content

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, thanks to improved graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only intensified as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were gradually introduced.

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

Retro Appeal and Heritage

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

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the excellence 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 similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.