🔗 Share this article

The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included John Cena's final performance on the program as an competing wrestler. Moreover experienced the comeback and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Moment: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of pop culture's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' introduction on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge that controlled the flow of a match, substituting for 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 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

The franchise began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, excluding 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 relabeled as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Features and Special Elements

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

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, 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, sometimes 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.

Nostalgia and Impact

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, lacking the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps 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 represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.