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The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix showcased John Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an active wrestler. It also saw the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden show, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

Despite everything that happened on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Title

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that dictated 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 stamina mechanic that diminished as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Series

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

Gameplay and Special Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only intensified as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges 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 direct Eugene (whose character is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring 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 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.