Retro Wrestling Game Takes the Limelight at Cena's Final Raw Show

The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured Cena's last appearance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally saw the return and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden show, the spotlight was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Viral Incident: Lil Yachty and His PSP

Regardless of everything that transpired on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of society's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Could it be because people fondly remember the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the more recent 2K games?

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

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, substituting for 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 drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Development of the Series

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

Gameplay and Exclusive Elements

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions covering 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 direct Eugene (whose persona is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Heritage

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, lacking the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

It's possible 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 greatness 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 represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.