Vintage Wrestling Game Grabs the Attention at John Cena's Last Monday Night Raw Appearance
The November 17 installment of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included John Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an active wrestler. Additionally witnessed 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. Wedged in between the action were surprises like AJ Lee supporting Maxxine Dupri secure the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden spectacle, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.
Popular Event: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device
Despite everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Is it because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the newer 2K games?
Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Title
If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 represented the franchise's introduction on the PSP and was the last entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game transitioned 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, replacing 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 drained as matches grew more intense; more elaborate moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.
Development of the Line
The franchise started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and persisted as an annual release, aside from in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which expanded the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was rebranded as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.
Innovations and Special Content
Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to enhanced graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that impression only intensified as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.
The PSP release of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes modes not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three special minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes 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 steer Eugene (whose persona 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 sought more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on 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 similar, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the joy of seeing a celebrity celebrating the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and mirrors an similarly 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.