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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured John Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally experienced the return and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: 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 society's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's debut 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, steering clear of the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge that controlled the flow of a match, substituting for 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; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Series

The series began 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 brought the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.

Features and Exclusive Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 version, including three unique 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.

Sentiment and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, missing the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an equally 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.