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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an active wrestler. Moreover saw the reappearance and showdown 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 surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden show, the spotlight was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of pop culture's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people nostalgically recall the greatness 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

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, taking the place of 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 diminished as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

The franchise started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, excluding in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Unique Modes

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 version, including three unique minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests players with 500 wrestling questions including 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 character is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy of seeing a celebrity celebrating the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.