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The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix showcased John Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. Moreover witnessed the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the spotlight was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Event: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Regardless of everything that happened on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people fondly remember the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans don't care for the more recent 2K games?

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

Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game transitioned the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum bar that governed the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide 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 finally became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.

Progression of the Line

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

Innovations and Special Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive mini-games 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, sometimes using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players direct Eugene (whose gimmick is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Legacy

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as time capsules of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.

Maybe fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness 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 similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated 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.