Pokkén Tournament is a little less than a month away from releasing in the west, and early footage of it certainly looks very promising. It's pretty well known that this is being developed by the Tekken team, naturally making one wonder just how similar it plays to the popular 3D fighting games series. While it seems that there's plenty of overlap here, the developers were keen to make this a unique experience that stands all on its own.
Katsuhiro Harada recently chatted with IGN over the game, and he briefly discussed this topic. While he admits that it began life as a relatively simple Tekken project that featured Pokémon characters, it quickly grew into something more when they realised it was a project that would need to be built from scratch if it were to be done right. This led to them building a new engine and battle system, specifically made for the game. Here's the quote:
As we worked on it, we knew we wanted to show off the Pokemon, and that led to implementing the [free movement] Field Phase, and we just really realized quickly in that prototype phase that we needed to just kind of create this whole thing from scratch. We even built an entire new rendering engine, and kind of came up with an entire new battle system for it.
What do you think? Are you glad that the team decided to take this game in its own direction? Do you plan on picking it up? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[source ign.com]
Comments 35
Yeah this game is definitely not Tekken. I can tell just by watching gameplay footage. But as for being wholly original, all I can see is Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
I'm feeling the hype build! The idea of "Tekken "guys having their hands on Pokemon is gold. Nintendo needs this and gamers will only find this on Wii U. I'm pumped and glad Nintendo still has a few spectacular games on the way
I'm DEFINITELY content with the current look and feel of it...I HAVE noticed a some nods to Tekken and it's characters' signature moves, like Pikachu doing Michelle/Julia's sweep/arrow combo...I wonder what other moves have been translated into the game and if ALL the characters will employ some sort of rendition of the Tekken counterparts.
I have had my eye on this game since it was first announced. Now that it's almost here I find that I am more interested in this than STREET FIGHTER V.
@WhiteTrashGuy i actually had SF5 on preorder right up til pick up and then transferred my $5 to this game instead
I am super hyped for this game and plan on getting the controller with it, just a little bummed there's not that many characters, considering how many Pokemon they're. Yeah I get the whole "less characters, more polish" and all that crap but I feel like they could do it. I mean give the game a lil time and anything can be done(I mean isn't that what's happening with starfox).
The hype is slowly building for me
Not getting this game on release date anymore I'm a massive Pokémon fan and I probably should like this game but I guess something doesn't click with me :-/
I have never played a pokemon game. been a huge Nintendo fan for 37 years and still have never played pokemon. I was thinking I would try to get into it starting with the Gameboy games but there is so many I don t even know where to start. lol
@hendie001 My recommendation is Heat Gold/ Soul Silver for the DS. The original Game Boy Pokémon games are excruciatingly slow, unbalanced, some moves don't work the way they are supposed to, and have TONS of glitches.
The games after Heart Gold and Soul Silver are good but I imagine all the many new features they're crammed with van intimidate or confuse new players with less patience.
Heart Gold and Soul Silver is simplistic, balanced, and streamlined. Perfect for new players IMHO.
Yes, I am glad. Tekken is too strongly focused on complicated combo attacks that are both a huge pain to both remember and execute in my opinion. I'd have been totally lost in my Tekken 3DS game if it weren't for the touchscreen macros you can set.
@Detective_TeeJay thanks bud. Is there a lot of level grinding in pok? Not a big deal if there is big into jrpg s so level grinding not a big deal.
@Tsurii Think I will be down loading fire red and leaf green. Even if they have not aged that well. graphics are not everything so a little green monochrome won t kill me lol
@hendie001 Not really, especially if you focus on catching every new Pokémon and otherwise doing everything possible (with the HMs available) in an area before moving on.
FireRed and LeafGreen are the GBA Generation 3 remakes, not the original games being offered for download (Red, Blue, and Yellow). I, too, would recommend just skipping to the remakes, as there are indeed a bunch of glitches and balancing issues in the first generation along with some other notable improvements in the later games for the comfort of first time players such as the Running Shoes.
@hendie001 You don't usually have to do too much grinding to progress in the main "story". Usually just by playing normally without worrying about it, you'll end up on par or above level.
How can we give an opinion when the game isn't out let?
Rub it in NintendoLife, that you get t play it early.
That's a new rendering engine?
Kudos for the effort, but I'm not quite impressed with the result in terms of feeling particularly "pokémon".
Really looking forward to this but if I'm honest I had hoped for a larger roster.
I still play "Tekken Tag Tournament 2" on Wii U regularly. Such a amazing package, I wish there was more Tekken on Nintendo.
I am looking forward too stuck into this game.
I can't be the only one that thinks this is more like Naruto Ninja storm then tekken.
Free field movement? Does that mean the characters move around the stage like in power stone? Or just more freedom than the usual tekken (which basically plays like a traditional 2-D fighter). Though, I haven't played Tekken since 3, so correct me if I'm wrong.
@Shiryu I wish my copy of TTT2 didn't go out on me... such a fantastic game. One day the Wii U just stopped reading the disc.
It'll be interesting to see how it plays especially with the Tekken team on development, I'll be sticking with Street Fighter V. Gameplay wise SFV is definitely one of the best fighting games on the market, & better than SF4. It was ashame it released in it bare bone state, but considering every update & DLC this generation will be free I sure it's bare bone state will not last long.
After seeing gameplay I don't know why anyone would think it was just Pokemon Tekken when it clearly isn't. I know it's the name that causes people to think that, but I'm seeing people who seem to have watched gameplay and STILL call it a Tekken clone.
@Vee_Flames Not so long ago it was 9€ on eshop. You might even pickup a second hand boxed edition a same price if you look it up. I urge you to do so.
I think I would've preferred a Tekken clone tbh, the gameplay vids I've seen look a bit style over substance to me.
@Shiryu Except I have a US Wii U. Thanks for the info, though. I might want to look into a replacement copy... that is, after I buy other stuff!
Not to nitpick, but I'm pretty sure much of the development on this one is being handled by Team Soul with supervision from Harada and assisted by Tekken staff.
I'm interested in this game because it's a actual fighting game worth pokemon, instead of the pokemon stadium style fighting. Also, games like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter are great, but it's basically the same thing been done for years. I will be definitely picking it up!
@Detective_TeeJay Totally agree with you there.
I'm still on the fence with this one. I mean going by how it looks I'm really, really impressed but still thinking I should see what the reviews say first before I dive in...or should I pre-order?
I CAN'T DECIDE!!!
@Yorumi SOLD!
Have pre-ordered mine now, I'm cancelling my pre-order for Twilight Princess HD - no Wii controls = no sale.
Is anyone going to buy the controller? I don't like the look of it myself as there's no analogue stick. Besides, I've already shelled out on the Gamecube adapter for Smash Bros and that doesn't work on any other games either
I'd like to see Nintendo let some other all-star developers do some experimental titles with their popular IP's. Not that I don't like Nintendo's take on stuff, but it's refreshing to see another interpretation of a franchise.
@Yorumi To be honest I've never gone hardcore with a fighting game but if I like it might get the pad and give it a try.
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