Classic Grappling Game Grabs the Spotlight at Cena's Final Raw Appearance

The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased John Cena's final performance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also saw the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden show, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Regardless of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

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

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, replacing 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 diminished as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Development of the Series

The series started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an regular release, except in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which introduced the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Gameplay and Exclusive Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special side 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 steer Eugene (whose gimmick is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Impact

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as snapshots of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

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