Classic Grappling Game Takes the Limelight at Cena's Ultimate Monday Night Raw Appearance
The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included Cena's last performance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also experienced the comeback and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the action were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.
Viral Moment: Lil Yachty and His Portable Console
Despite 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 undying love for Sony's portable system? Could it be because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?
Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game
If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could decide 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 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.
Development of the Series
The franchise commenced 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 brought the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.
Features and Special Elements
In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, thanks to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were gradually introduced.
The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special mini-games 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, sometimes 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 intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.
Sentiment and Impact
The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also functioned as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.
Perhaps fans are sentimental for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity honoring the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was really that great, and mirrors an equally great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will retire from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
