NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today released exciting new assets for the upcoming TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT 2 Wii U EDITION, available at launch for the Wii U system on November 18, 2012. The biggest entry in the TEKKEN series has gotten even better with exclusive modes, features and costumes that focus on the TEKKEN series’ more wacky and surreal side. The new assets highlight the return of the TEKKEN Ball mini-game and even more Nintendo crossover costumes from legendary Nintendo franchises such as: Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and F-Zero.
TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT 2 Wii U EDITION gives players the unique opportunity to outfit the entire cast of the TEKKEN in special Nintendo franchise crossover costumes. The costumes announced today include Toad and Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros., the mysterious Sheik from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, as well as Captain Falcon from the futuristic F-Zero racing series. These are in addition to the already announced Zero Suit Samus, Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Fox McCloud, Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf costumes.
TEKKEN Ball returns to TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT 2 Wii U EDITION, after a long absence. Originally seen in TEKKEN 3 for the PlayStation, TEKKEN Ball lets players square off in a fun volleyball/dodge ball hybrid. Players must protect their side of the court by hitting a ball over to the other player’s side of the field. The longer players volley the ball back and forth, the more damaging the ball’s attack will be when it hits a player. TEKKEN Ball includes multiple types of balls with different speed and damage properties along with tournament and exhibition modes.
TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT 2 Wii U EDITION delivers all the modes, characters and features found in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT 2, along with exclusive Nintendo crossover costumes and modes including Mushroom Battle and TEKKEN Ball. For more information about TEKKEN TAG TOURNAENT 2 Wii U EDITION, please visit http://www.tekken.com and http://www.facebook.com/namco.
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 offers new content in a title update today, as previously announced - and yes, "title update" means "free." According to a tweet from producer Katsuhiro Harada, new characters Miharu, Sebastian, and "Slim" Bob are part of the deal, as are new Russia, Saudi Arabia, Chile and Poland. New modes in the free update include Online World Arena and "Print Customize & Equip."
In a rare switch, VideoGamer reports that while the PS3 version is out today, the Xbox update will take place some time "this week."
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When I see a video like this focusing the special moves made possible by Tekken Tag Tournament 2's customization items, it just makes me wants to grind even harder to earn more points. That Lei baseball pitch is awesome. More »
Pros
+ Tag team gameplay brings lots of variety and fun
+ Massive number of playable characters from the start
+ Tag team and team battle game modes have big party potential
Cons
- No proper slow motion replays
- Fight Lab learning curve is too much for the average gamer
- No Tekken Force mode
Starting on October 9, Namco Bandai will begin adding new characters and stages to Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (the same ones dataminers uncovered earlier this month). The additional free content includes playable characters Dr. Bosconovitch, Unknown, Slim Bob, Miharu, Sebastian and Violet.
In addition to the new characters, there are four new stages for your juggling pleasure: Russia, Chile, Saudi Arabia and Magic Show. All of this stuff will be added in free, sequential updates. There's no word on what the exact timeline is for the new content, but it looks like it'll piece-by-piece rather than in one major update.
Hit the jump for more character and stage highlight videos.
“We foresee a lot of players new to the series will join this installment. It does make it easier for novices because you can just push a shortcut to execute commands. When you get better at the game and in high level play, there are some techniques that are better with the controller itself and not the shortcuts,” Harada continued. “A lot of people good with Tekken won’t even need the shortcuts. For example, the Wind God Fist, a staple of the Mishima’s that launches your opponent if you do that quickly, a more improved version of the technique will come out that is not available in the shortcuts.” - Katsuhiro Harada
- team is still deciding if the touch screen move list will be available for online play
- considering making the Mushroom Battle mode online-enabled
- latency, or the lack there of, will be the same as the PS3 and Xbox 360 version
- all available DLC characters from the PS3 and Xbox 360 version unlocked on Wii U
- not sure if this includes pre-order bonus fighters like Ancient Ogre and Michelle
- more features that haven't been shown yet
Earlier today, we showed you a trailer for Tekken Tag Tournament 2 where you got to see all sorts of Nintendo-related costumes. One costume that was noticeably absent was Kirby. Turns out there's not going to be a Kirby costume in the game. That's a real shame, as I think that could make for a really ridiculous costume!
NintenDaan points out that the verbiage in this trailer seems to indicate that the title might be out for launch in Europe. No official word on that just yet, as the only listings for the game show it as launch window.
While Harada tried to make Tekken Tag Tournament 2 more accessible with a 1 on 1 mode, I think fans are going to appreciate more of what the game has to offer. Many of the endings in Tekken Tag Tournament 2 are pure fan service and if you haven’t been playing Tekken you’re going to need to spend a lot of time in practice mode to master movesets for two characters.
The ideas presented here are nothing new, but it doesn't feel like a rehash or cop out. Rather, it feels like Namco Bandai has slowly been evolving the same idea over the past 18 years, and this is the culmination of that effort. This is, without a doubt, the most polished, well-executed Tekken game ever made.
For whatever reason, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 grabbed me, and then it didn't. Every time I boot up the game, I feel my old passion for Tekken growing inside, but then it subsides after about an hour or so.
... Namco has crafted a new teamwork seminar that builds upon the original in almost all the areas that matter. Just make sure you have enough money left over for a second controller if you don't have one already. It really comes in handy.
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