As we all know, Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition will be on the shelves on the same day as Wii U launches. The game is not only a true rendition of the version found on other consoles but also has new exclusive elements, such as extra Nintendo themed character costumes and the return of Tekken Ball.
It could have been so different though, as the game’s producer Katsuhiro Harada was initially unsure about what audience the Wii U would cater for, and had originally thought about opting for a much more simplified version of a Tekken game. In an interview with Polygon, Harada spoke about how it was Nintendo that made his team think twice and make the game appeal to more hardcore gamers.
At first, we were aiming towards a simplified version of Tekken — taking a lot of elements from the arcade version and streamlining them for a casual fan base. Nintendo's reaction was that it wanted us to keep the hardcore elements that make Tekken what it is. We were quite surprised.
After that Namco Bandai set about keeping the game true to its hardcore roots, producing a title that's on the same standard as the versions found on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. However, some elements were added to the Wii U version that Harada thought would feel right at home on a Nintendo console, something he couldn’t do on the other systems. One such addition is Mushroom Battle Mode, where fighters battle it out with one another while an assortment of mushrooms from the Mario universe appear to make the fight more entertaining. Harada revealed that while working on this mode the penny dropped regarding the inclusion of Nintendo themed costumes.
We came up with the idea of, 'Well, if we could take the Tekken characters and dress them up more like Nintendo characters, that would make it even more funny and comical.
However there are some elements in the Wii U version that could be considered a step away from the typical hardcore fighter that the Tekken series has always been. With the GamePad offering such innovations as the ability to perform complicated moves by simply tapping the touch screen, this inevitably raises questions as to whether or not this control style is too easy.
Of course 3DS beat ‘em ups have already been utilising touch controls such as this, with the likes of Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition allowing the player to perform special moves by tapping the command on screen. However, Harada believes Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Edition is not like this, as it stops players from performing the move at any given time.
For example, you might know that the 3DS version of Street Fighter 4 has that touch option, but when you touch the button you're able to perform the move regardless of what position your character's in, regardless of how long it would take to input that command normally. However, in Tekken that's not the case ... you can only perform that technique if the circumstances would allow you to perform it normally.
Fighting purists may well see the new touch controls as cheap, but Harada doesn’t believe this is the case and went on to say, “there are actually some moves where it's better for advanced players to input the commands themselves, because it might be quicker or it might be a better version of the move”.
What do you think? Should fighting games stay away from simple touch commands or do you welcome such innovations? Let us know in the comments below.
[source polygon.com]
Comments 23
Tastsunoko vs Capcom had simplified specials too, but it was limited to just medium power versions, which limited versatility. Although some moves became spammable and cheap. I hope they find the right balance.
That would have been bad if this was known at Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Casual Edition
It has link, Mario, capt. Falcon, and bowser therefor it's Hardcore Edition
Good to see they're keeping the hardcore stuff too in the end.
Nintendo, doing it right! No more pussyfooting around, they're in it to WIN IT!
In Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO for GCN, you were able to do special moves by flicking the C-Stick in different directions as simple as 'Left' or 'Right'. I didn't like it, so I maintained using the regular control scheme.
For one of the fist times I am tempted to get a fighting game that's not Smash Bros (if that counts)
Comparing Smash Bros. to Tekken is like comparing Mario Kart to Formula One.
Glad to here they didn't dumb it down!
3rd parties are finally starting to take Nintendo seriously. It is a joyous day
So I guessing this casual thinking of theirs was what ruined Tekken 3DS?
Good thing Nintendo set this guy straight for the Wii U version.
I think it's worrisome that developers like them are going for casualized-gamestyle right away... Thank god Nintendo is realizing now that we want more than one million casual games.
Good thing they didn't go casual. There is barely an audience for Tekken as it is.
Doesn't the Combot already make it quite simplified?
It has characters from Tekken dressed up as Mario, that's totally hardcore, i'm dressed up as Mario, that's hardcore.
Anyone noticing a pattern with fighters being already released on other systems and Nintendo platforms getting an edition of it on launch day?
3DS: Super Street Fighter 4: 3D Edition
Wii U: Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition
Coincidence or no?
This is perfect! They kept the look and feel of the game while giving it the Nintendo touch without taking anything away from it. The touch controls in SSFIV3D were cool but you DIDN"T have to use it and I think that's the case with Tekken Tag Tournament 2.
@18: It might be a coincidence
@ReshiramZekrom
2 games can hardly be called a pattern
@ReshiramZekrom IDK about that, but I see more in Tecmo, because before 2010 they rarely made Nintendo apperences, then: Samurai Warriors 3(by Nintendo), Metroid Other M(Nintendo), DOAD (Metroid level), Pokemon conquest(Nintendo), Ninja Gaiden 3(Nintendo)
@HarmoKnight Don't forget Nintendo now co-owning the Fatal Frame games. So it's true that Nintendo's relationship with Tecmo has gotten much bether recently.
Its one of the more approachable hardcore fighters anyway. My favourite one.
Another step in the right direction for Nintendo. Thankfully hardcore and funny do not exclude each other. Those costumes were a great idea.
I don't say it often nowadays, but Nintendo made a great decision!! No more downgraded stuff on Nintendo consoles!! We want the real deal!!
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