Classic Grappling Game Grabs the Attention at Cena's Last Monday Night Raw Show

The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also saw the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden show, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: The Rapper and His PSP

Regardless of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of society's undying love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Title

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge that dictated the flow of a match, taking the place of 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 decreased as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an regular release, aside from in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Exclusive Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only intensified as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive minigames 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, at times using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players direct Eugene (whose persona is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for 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 acted as reminders of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and reflects an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.