🔗 Share this article

The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured Cena's last performance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover saw the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the excitement were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden show, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

Despite everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of the public's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented 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 transitioned the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum bar that governed the flow of a match, substituting for 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; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

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

Features and Exclusive Modes

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

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

Retro Appeal and Impact

The older 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, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated 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.