The November 17 installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix included John Cena's last appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. Additionally witnessed the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were unexpected moments like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the focus was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.
Popular Moment: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device
Regardless of everything that transpired on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Could it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people fondly remember the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the latest 2K games?
Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Title
For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' introduction on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game transitioned the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that dictated the flow of a match, replacing 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 decreased as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.
Development of the Series
The series began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an annual release, aside from 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 relabeled as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.
Gameplay and Special Modes
Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that sensation only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were consistently introduced.
The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique side games 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, at times using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players steer Eugene (whose character is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.
Nostalgia and Heritage
The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, missing the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as reminders of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.
Maybe fans are nostalgic for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy of seeing a celebrity celebrating the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
