The Nov. 17 edition of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix featured Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. Additionally experienced the reappearance and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were unexpected moments 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 attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.
In spite of everything that transpired on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of the public's enduring love for Sony's mobile device? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the newer 2K games?
For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the series' debut on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, steering clear of the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It brought in a new momentum meter that dictated the flow of a match, taking the place of the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that drained as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.
The franchise commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an yearly release, excluding in 2021. It remained a exclusive to PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.
Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and role-playing storylines were steadily introduced.
The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds features not found on its PS2 version, including three special minigames 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, occasionally 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 intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.
The older 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, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as time capsules of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.
Maybe fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring 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 really that great, and represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Film critic and industry analyst with a passion for uncovering cinematic trends and storytelling techniques.
