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The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's last performance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

In spite of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Could it be because people fondly remember the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, replacing 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 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

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

Innovations and Unique Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP edition 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," tests 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 persona is being an intellectually challenged 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 aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted 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 time capsules of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are longing for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and represents an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.