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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured Cena's final appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also witnessed the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were shockers like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Moment: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that transpired on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of society's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans aren't interested in the latest 2K games?

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

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that governed the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that diminished as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

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

Features and Unique Content

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, thanks to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests players with 500 wrestling questions including everything from music and finishers to history and feuds, occasionally using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players steer Eugene (whose persona is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, lacking the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as reminders of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the joy of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.