Vintage Grappling Video Game Steals the Attention at John Cena's Final Raw Appearance

The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased John Cena's last appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally experienced the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, 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 Event: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

Despite everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of the public's enduring love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Game

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum bar that governed 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 endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the best-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.

Development of the Series

The franchise commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an yearly release, aside from in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Features and Unique Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, thanks to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three special side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 guide Eugene (whose gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Heritage

The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward complete simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe 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 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 December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.