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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased John Cena's last appearance on the show as an active wrestler. It also witnessed the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden show, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of pop culture'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 aren't interested in the latest 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the last 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 fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature that decreased as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Progression of the Series

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

Innovations and Special Elements

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Impact

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

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and represents an similarly 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.