Classic Wrestling Video Game Steals the Limelight at John Cena's Final Raw Appearance
The November 17 edition of Monday Night Raw streamed on Netflix included John Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also saw the comeback and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they aligned with their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Amidst the excitement were surprises like AJ Lee assisting Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a packed Madison Square Garden show, the focus was stolen 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 happened on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that became a sensation. Could it be because of pop culture's enduring love for Sony's portable system? Is it because people cherish the memory of the excellence of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Alternatively, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the more recent 2K games?
Examining SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Classic Game
For those who don't know, 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 exclusive to PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward more 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 choose to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a stamina mechanic that drained as matches grew more intense; showier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 ultimately became the best-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.
Evolution of the Franchise
The franchise began with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and carried on 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 relabeled as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.
Gameplay and Special Modes
In the past, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games were top-tier and seemed like an progression of titles from the N64 era, thanks to enhanced graphics. When the franchise transitioned to PlayStation 2, that impression only strengthened as titles with clear visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were consistently introduced.
The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 adds features not found on its PS2 counterpart, including three unique minigames available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," challenges players with 500 wrestling questions covering everything from music and finishers to history and feuds, at times using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players guide Eugene (whose gimmick is being an special needs wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.
Sentiment and Impact
The earlier SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very eccentric, even when they targeted more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward complete simulations with the 2K games, missing the creative ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also served as time capsules of some of our beloved eras of wrestling.
It's possible fans are longing for a alike, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the pleasure of seeing a celebrity honoring the brilliance of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks clamor for Yachty. Otherwise SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was genuinely outstanding, and represents an just as great era of wrestling, one that was led 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.
