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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's last appearance on the program as an active wrestler. Moreover witnessed the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the focus was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: The Rapper and His PSP

In spite of everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, steering clear of the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum bar that governed the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature that drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Series

The series began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an yearly release, except in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Unique Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of enhanced graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 version, including three unique 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 steer Eugene (whose persona 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 whacky, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted 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 cherished eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.