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The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured Cena's final appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. Additionally witnessed the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the spotlight was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of society's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

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

For those who don't know, 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 exclusive to PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that dictated the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic 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 Franchise

The franchise commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an yearly 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, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Unique Elements

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 version, including three exclusive mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes players with 500 wrestling questions including 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 guide Eugene (whose gimmick is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

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

Perhaps fans are sentimental for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an equally great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.