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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased Cena's last appearance on the program as an active wrestler. It also saw the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Regardless of everything that transpired on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of the public's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game transitioned the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that controlled 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 drained as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

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

Innovations and Exclusive Modes

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 guide Eugene (whose character is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as snapshots 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 pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.