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The 17th of November installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased Cena's last performance on the program as an active wrestler. It also saw the reappearance and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device

In spite of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Could it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?

Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' debut 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 more realism and authenticity, departing from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar 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 mechanic that drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Evolution of the Series

The franchise commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an annual release, except in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which introduced the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Features and Special Elements

In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to upgraded graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that sensation only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.

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

Nostalgia and Impact

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

It's possible fans are sentimental for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the pleasure of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated 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.