Classic Grappling Game Takes the Attention at Cena's Final Monday Night Raw Appearance

The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured John Cena's final appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. Moreover witnessed the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the excitement were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the focus was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Event: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

In spite of everything that happened on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Might it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people fondly remember the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release

For those who don't know, 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 only on PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, steering clear of 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 choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature that drained as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

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

Features and Unique Content

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

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three unique side 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 special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Legacy

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward complete simulations with the 2K games, lacking the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as time capsules of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are nostalgic for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy of seeing a celebrity celebrating the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.