🔗 Share this article

The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's final appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally experienced the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden event, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: The Rapper and His PSP

Regardless of everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Might it be because of the public's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

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

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that controlled 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 endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

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

Innovations and Unique Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive side 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 direct Eugene (whose character is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as time capsules of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps 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. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.