🔗 Share this article

The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included Cena's ultimate appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. Moreover experienced the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the excitement were unexpected moments 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 taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: Lil Yachty and His PSP

In spite of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of society's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people fondly remember the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter 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; 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 persisted as an yearly release, aside from in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Features and Unique Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an progression of titles from the N64 era, because of enhanced graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique mini-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, at times using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players guide Eugene (whose persona is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

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

Maybe fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.