🔗 Share this article

The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased John Cena's final appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally saw the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of the public's enduring love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, replacing 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 drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Development of the Series

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

Innovations and Special Modes

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special 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, 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 Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, lacking the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are nostalgic for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an similarly 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.