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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's final appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also saw the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the focus was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Moment: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that transpired on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Might it be because of the public's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

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

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' debut on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that controlled 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 decreased as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the top-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

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

Gameplay and Special Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive mini-games 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, 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 persona is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Legacy

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as reminders of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and mirrors an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.