Vintage Grappling Game Steals the Limelight at Cena's Ultimate Monday Night Raw Show
The 17th of November episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix featured Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an active wrestler. Additionally witnessed the return and showdown between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the excitement were shockers like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden spectacle, the spotlight was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.
Popular Incident: Lil Yachty and His PSP
Regardless of everything that transpired on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people fondly remember the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 2K games?
Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Release
If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain only on PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, moving away from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum bar that governed 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 finally became the most popular PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.
Development of the Line
The line commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an regular release, aside from in 2021. It remained a only on PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.
Features and Unique Elements
Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games reigned supreme and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, because of upgraded graphics. When the franchise moved to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were gradually introduced.
The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 features modes not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three exclusive mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing 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 guide Eugene (whose character is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.
Retro Appeal and Legacy
The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward total simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.
Maybe fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the joy of seeing a celebrity celebrating 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 similarly 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.