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The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured John Cena's final performance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also experienced the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: The Rapper and His Portable Console

Despite everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of the public's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Might it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

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

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' debut on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt 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 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

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

Gameplay and Exclusive Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three unique side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes 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 steer Eugene (whose persona is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Legacy

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

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the brilliance 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 mirrors an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.