Better With Wii U? – Tekken Tag Tournament 2

Posted By Austin Yorski about 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Better With Wii U? – Tekken Tag Tournament 2

Better with Wii u?

The Wii U is launching with roughly half a billion games. You don’t have the time to read that many full reviews (and we can’t write that many), so instead we’ll be bringing you a series of mini-reviews entitled “Better With Wii U?” We’ll still be publishing full write-ups for brand new titles, but these pieces will let you know the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of every port/re-release for Nintendo’s newest console.

HOW WAS THE ORIGINAL?

“The developers also seemed to have the same ‘go big or go home’ approach to the actual content… does it stack up enough to warrant a purchase? In short, yes. Yes it does.” – Robert H.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was a very silly game. The eighth title in the illustrious Namco fighting series jammed almost every fighter from King of Iron Fist history into one non-canonical dream match, balance be damned. The result was equal parts flashy fan-service and solid 3D fighting which managed to appeal to almost everyone.

We scored the game 8 out of 10 with a “Buy it Now!” recommendation. Read the full review right here.

WHAT’S NEW WITH WII U?

In case you missed the header image, TTT2 includes a cornucopia of Nintendo themed costumes for the entire cast to wear. Mario, Link, Zelda, Fox, Captain Falcon, Zero Suit Samus, and more classic looks are available to specific fighters, and all of them are hilarious.

The Wii U Edition also features several exclusive modes. The brand new one is “Mushroom Battle” which introduces Mario mushrooms to combat. Said shrooms will enlarge and shrink the combatants, providing plenty of laughs and a frantic new way to play the game. The other exclusive mode is Tekken Ball, which returns from the third installment. Essentially, this mode breaks down into a volleyball-like event in which you can only damage your opponent by spiking the ball into them. Unfortunately, these modes can only be played offline.

Finally, the GamePad is used to full effect. The most dramatic mechanic is the ability to slot moves onto the bottom screen so that they can be accessed during battle. By tapping on the pre-set techniques, your fighter will automatically execute them. The controller screen also displays more detailed information on each combatant on the character select screen, which is much appreciated. Finally, the whole game can be played on the controller, although the option is hidden in some unclear menus.

WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?

The ability to pull off advanced moves with only a tap may seem unfair, but don’t be quick to assume. Much like the auto-combos of Persona 4 Arena, the shortcuts made possible by the GamePad are helpful to a newcomer, but don’t really factor into high level play. No matter what moves a rookie maps to the screen, an veteran Tekken player will be able to triumph every time. Accessibility is really the name of the game here.

The character bios on the GamePad screen are another great example. Since the roster is full to bursting (over 50 fighters, plus the free DLC), such a crowded menu could easily be intimidating to newbie. But with a quick glance at the touchscreen, anyone can acquaint themselves with the colorful Iron Fist cast. It’s almost worth the price of admission to see someone react to the phrase “A deinonychus trained by the military.”

Of course, none of the new stuff would matter if the port was sloppy. Luckily, the transition seems to be close to perfect. The colors pop, there are no noticeable increases in loading times, and every single wacky ending movie is intact. The game is absolutely stuffed with things to do, see, and hear, including a standout score and multi-leveled stages. The only criticism I can think of is that the experience remains relatively unbalanced, but that seems like a minor concern. Tag Tournament is a sub-series for the fans, so trading EVO-perfect parity for Devil Jin and Ancient Ogre is ultimately a fair and welcome bargain.

WHO SHOULD BUY IT? WHY?

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was already an amazing game, but this port is the definitive version. All of the extra content and additional features make this a must-own for any fighting game fan, let alone a dedicated Tekken fanatic. I usually end these “Better With Wii U?” articles by saying that there’s no point in paying for a game you’ve already played, but this is the exception. If you already own Tag Tournament 2 for another console, trade it in and pick up the Wii U version. It’s that good.

A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for review purposes and played for about 5 hours. The reviewer has spent significant time with every iteration of Tekken.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Review

By Robert H.

The 2nd Tekken Tag Tournament has finally arrived. Was it worth the wait?