Vintage Grappling Game Steals the Attention at Cena's Final Monday Night Raw Appearance
The November 17 episode of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included John Cena's ultimate appearance on the show as an competing wrestler. Additionally witnessed the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their respective groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the thrills were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the attention was grabbed by Lil Yachty, when he showed off his silver PSP for the camera, revealing he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.
Trending Moment: Lil Yachty and His Handheld Device
In spite of everything that went down on this memorable Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that went viral. Might it be because of the public's enduring love for Sony's handheld console? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans aren't interested in the more recent 2K games?
Exploring SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game
If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 marked the series' introduction on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game moved the franchise toward more realism and authenticity, moving away from the fast-paced feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum gauge that governed the flow of a match, replacing 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 eventually became the best-selling PlayStation 2 installment in the entire series.
Progression of the Series
The series began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on as an annual release, aside from in 2021. It remained a exclusive to PlayStation until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which brought the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was renamed as WWE 2K, commencing with WWE 2K14.
Innovations and Special Content
Back in the day, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an evolution of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.
The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes elements not found on its PS2 counterpart, 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, occasionally 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 Impact
The previous SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise moved toward total simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the innovative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as snapshots of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.
It's possible fans are sentimental for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Perhaps the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the excellence of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and mirrors an equally great era of wrestling, one that was ruled by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
