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The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally saw the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the excitement were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: The Rapper and His Portable Console

Despite everything that transpired on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of pop culture's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people fondly remember the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the newer 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that decreased as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

The line started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an annual release, excluding in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, beginning 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 improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special 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 steer Eugene (whose character is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Impact

The older 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 creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as reminders of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are sentimental for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and reflects an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.