Retro Wrestling Game Takes the Limelight at Cena's Last Monday Night Raw Show
The Nov. 17 episode of Monday Night Raw aired on Netflix included John Cena's last performance on the show as an active wrestler. It also saw the return and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the forthcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Among the excitement were surprises like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri claim the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler returning. In such a crowded Madison Square Garden event, the spotlight was stolen by Lil Yachty, when he presented his silver PSP for the camera, indicating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.
Trending Event: The Rapper and His Portable Console
In spite of everything that went down on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Could it be because of pop culture's lasting love for Sony's mobile device? Could it be because people cherish the memory of the brilliance of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or is it, because WWE fans don't care for the latest 2K games?
Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Timeless Title
If you're unfamiliar, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the series' first appearance on the PSP and was the ultimate entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain PlayStation-exclusive. The game transitioned the franchise toward greater realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It added a new momentum gauge 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 endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the top-selling PlayStation 2 entry in the entire series.
Development of the Line
The series 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 introduced the franchise to further platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, starting with WWE 2K14.
Innovations and Unique Content
Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an advancement of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with sharp visuals, new gaming modes, and RPG storylines were steadily introduced.
The PSP version of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes features not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three exclusive minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," tests 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 direct Eugene (whose persona is being an developmentally disabled wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.
Retro Appeal and Heritage
The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very whacky, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, devoid of the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as reminders of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.
Maybe fans are nostalgic for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. Maybe the delight of seeing a celebrity paying tribute to the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks applaud Yachty. Alternatively SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and represents an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was dominated by John Cena, who will bow out from in-ring competition on the 13th of December, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
