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The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included Cena's final appearance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally witnessed the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

Despite everything that transpired on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people nostalgically recall the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 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 shifted the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge that controlled 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 stamina system that drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Line

The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an annual release, excluding in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Features and Special Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of improved graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests 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 character is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward complete simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

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