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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured Cena's last performance on the show as an active wrestler. It also saw the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the spotlight was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

Despite everything that happened 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 handheld console? Is it because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the more recent 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' debut on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge 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 system that drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an regular release, excluding 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 rebranded as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Unique Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features modes not found on its PS2 version, including three unique side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests players with 500 wrestling questions including 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 direct Eugene (whose gimmick is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward complete simulations with the 2K games, lacking the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as reminders of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are longing for a alike, 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 applaud Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.