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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's final performance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also experienced the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention 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 Portable Console

Regardless of everything that transpired on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of the public'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? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, moving away from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge 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; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Development of the Line

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

Innovations and Unique Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special minigames 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, 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 developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward complete simulations with the 2K games, missing the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as snapshots of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are longing for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an just as great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.