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The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured John Cena's ultimate appearance on the program as an active wrestler. It also experienced the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: The Rapper and His Portable Console

In spite of everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Title

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' 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 greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in 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 endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

The line started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an annual release, except in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation 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 Unique Modes

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to improved graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.

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

Nostalgia and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative 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 nostalgic for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy of seeing a celebrity honoring the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.