Classic Wrestling Video Game Grabs the Limelight at Cena's Ultimate Monday Night Raw Appearance

The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased John Cena's final performance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover experienced the return and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee supporting 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 presented his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people fondly remember the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-style 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 endurance feature that drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Development of the Line

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

Features and Special Elements

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique side games 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, occasionally using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players guide Eugene (whose gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Impact

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward total simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as reminders of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.