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The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured John Cena's last performance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally saw the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were shockers like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Moment: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

In spite of everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of society's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release

If you're unfamiliar, 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 only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that controlled 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 drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

The line commenced 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 introduced the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Special Modes

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only intensified as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique mini-games 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, 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.

Retro Appeal and Legacy

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward complete simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an equally 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.