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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured Cena's last appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: The Rapper and His Portable Console

In spite of everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Might it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game

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 PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, steering clear of the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum bar that controlled the flow of a match, taking the place of 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 decreased as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Development of the Series

The franchise commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an yearly release, excluding 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 rebranded as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Special Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique minigames 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, sometimes 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 intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

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

Perhaps fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the joy of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the excellence 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 step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.