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The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included John Cena's last performance on the show as an active wrestler. Moreover experienced the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they teamed up with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were surprises like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was taken by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Event: The Rapper and His Portable Console

Regardless of everything that went down on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of society's lasting love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care 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 franchise's debut on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, departing from the arcade-style feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge that dictated the flow of a match, substituting for the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could choose 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.

Evolution of the Line

The franchise began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an yearly release, except in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which introduced the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Features and Exclusive Elements

Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and felt like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, because of improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation 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 features elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special 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, occasionally using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players steer Eugene (whose persona is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Nostalgia and Legacy

The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.

Perhaps fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor 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 step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.