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The November 17 installment of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover saw the reappearance 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. Among the action were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Moment: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Despite everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of society's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans aren't interested in the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Game

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge that controlled 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 endurance feature that decreased as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

The series started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, except in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Exclusive Modes

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, thanks to improved graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that sensation only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive mini-games 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, sometimes using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players steer Eugene (whose character 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 aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward complete simulations with the 2K games, lacking the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are longing for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.