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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's final appearance on the program as an active wrestler. Moreover experienced the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

Despite everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Could it be because of society's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum meter 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 system that drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Development of the Franchise

The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, except in 2021. It remained a exclusive to PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Features and Exclusive Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an advancement 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 steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds features not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions including 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 guide Eugene (whose persona is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Impact

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward complete simulations with the 2K games, missing the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a comparable, 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 applaud 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 bow out from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.