Classic Grappling Game Takes the Spotlight at John Cena's Ultimate Monday Night Raw Appearance
The Nov. 17 installment of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's final performance on the show as an competing wrestler. It also saw the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the action were surprises like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a packed Madison Square Garden show, the focus was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.
Popular Moment: Lil Yachty and His PSP
In spite of everything that transpired on this landmark Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Is it because of society's lasting 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 aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?
Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Game
For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's debut on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game moved the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, departing from 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 system that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.
Development of the Line
The franchise commenced with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an regular release, excluding in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to other platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.
Features and Special Modes
In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and felt like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to upgraded graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that sensation only heightened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.
The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes elements not found on its PS2 version, including three special mini-games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges 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 direct Eugene (whose gimmick is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.
Sentiment and Heritage
The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise shifted toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, lacking the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as snapshots of some of our favorite eras of wrestling.
It's possible fans are nostalgic for a similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the pleasure of seeing a celebrity celebrating the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Or perhaps 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 the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
