Retro Wrestling Game Grabs the Attention at John Cena's Final Monday Night Raw Show
The 17th of November edition of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix featured Cena's last appearance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also saw the comeback and face-off between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the thrills were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler reappearing. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.
Trending Event: The Rapper and His PSP
Despite everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of society's enduring love for Sony's handheld console? Might it be because people nostalgically recall the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?
Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Game
For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' debut on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum meter that governed 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 mechanic that decreased as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 eventually became the most popular PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.
Evolution of the Line
The line began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an yearly release, excluding in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which introduced the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.
Features and Special Modes
Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and appeared as an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only intensified as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.
The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three unique 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 direct Eugene (whose character is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.
Sentiment and Heritage
The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, missing the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.
Perhaps fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the joy of seeing a celebrity celebrating the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on December 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.