Vintage Wrestling Game Takes the Limelight at John Cena's Last Raw Appearance

The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included Cena's last appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. Additionally saw the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden event, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Moment: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Despite everything that happened on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of the public's enduring love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Release

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented 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 fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum gauge that dictated the flow of a match, taking the place of 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 decreased as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Evolution of the Franchise

The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an yearly 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 renamed as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Features and Exclusive Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were consistently introduced.

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

Sentiment and Legacy

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

It's possible fans are longing for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and reflects an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was ruled 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.