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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured John Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also saw the comeback and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Despite everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of pop culture's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge that governed 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 mechanic that decreased as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

The franchise commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an yearly release, except 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 relabeled as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Exclusive Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special side games 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, sometimes using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players direct Eugene (whose persona is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as time capsules of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are nostalgic 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 applaud Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an equally great era of wrestling, one that was led 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.