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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased Cena's final appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. Moreover witnessed the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: The Rapper and His PSP

Regardless of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of society's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar 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 system that diminished as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the top-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

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

Innovations and Exclusive Elements

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and felt like an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes 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 steer Eugene (whose character is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an similarly 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.