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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured John Cena's ultimate appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. Moreover experienced the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the thrills were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the spotlight was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Title

For those who don't know, 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 exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum bar that dictated the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina system that decreased as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

The franchise started 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 relabeled as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Unique Elements

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 steer Eugene (whose character is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

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

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the brilliance 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 dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.