🔗 Share this article Retro Grappling Video Game Grabs the Limelight at John Cena's Last Raw Show The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured Cena's last performance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally experienced the comeback and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006. Viral Event: The Rapper and His PSP Despite everything that transpired on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of society's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people fondly remember the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 2K games? Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release Uninitiated fans, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to 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 endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series. Progression of the Series The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an regular release, except in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which introduced the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14. Features and Exclusive Content Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and appeared as an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced. The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive minigames 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, at times 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 developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible. Sentiment and Legacy The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as reminders of some of our favorite eras of wrestling. Perhaps fans are longing 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. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and reflects an just as great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.