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The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included Cena's last appearance on the program as an active wrestler. It also witnessed the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the focus was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Despite everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of the public's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Title

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide 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 most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

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

Features and Unique Elements

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, because of improved graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special 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, occasionally using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players steer Eugene (whose gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, missing the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are nostalgic for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the joy of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.