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

Viral Event: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Might it be because of society's undying love for Sony's mobile device? Is it because people fondly remember the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans aren't interested in the latest 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina system that drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Line

The line started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an yearly release, excluding in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Unique Elements

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, because of improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes 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 previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and mirrors an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.