Vintage Wrestling Video Game Grabs the Spotlight at Cena's Last Raw Show

The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased Cena's final appearance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally witnessed the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the approaching 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the action were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden event, the attention was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Trending Incident: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console

In spite of everything that happened on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of the public's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the more recent 2K games?

Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Release

If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that dictated 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 stamina system that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Development of the Franchise

The series started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an yearly release, except 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 rebranded as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.

Features and Exclusive Content

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.

The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds modes not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three unique 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 character is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Retro Appeal and Heritage

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward complete simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the innovative 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 comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity celebrating the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.