Live through August 24 at 11:59PM PT

If you've ever wanted to test out the Pokken series, now is the time: a Pokken Tournament DX game trial is live on Nintendo Switch. Some could have predicted this was coming, as Pokken Tournament DX ??was announced as part o??f the 2022 Pokemon World Championships event nearly a year ago as the main event. It's been a weekend of Pokemon news!

The trial is the full game, and honestly, it's a perfect opportunity to try out a fighter completely guilt-free, with everyone unlocked. While Pokken Tournament might not be for everyone, I'm willing to bet there were a lot of people on the fence about it, ?who would be wooed by a demo �now is the time.

If you partake in the Pokken Tournament DX game trial you'll earn 100 Platinum Points on My Nintendo for your trouble. As a reminder, if you already own the game, you can still pick up the 100 Platinum Points by booting up the full version. Just sift through your library or head straight to the eShop and redownload it. You can find the game here.

As per usual, game trials can be used by anyone with a Nintendo Switch Online account, as trials are a perk for the service. If you wan?t to buy it, you can get 30% off during the trial period.

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Worlds is back and better than ever

The Pokémon World Championships is one of the biggest events in esports, and this year, it sounds like it's getting an upgrade. After the tournaments were canceled for the past few years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Pokémon Unite will finally be making its debut at Worlds in August of 2022. If that wasn't good enough news, The Pokémon Company also disclosed in a producer letter that Unite will also be getting a new tournament mode to prepare for the game's debut at Worl?ds that will "even the playing field for players, regardless of their hel?d item grades."

This isn't the first time the event has seen changes, as the original Worlds only featured the Pokémon trading card game. Mainline Pokémon video games were added in 2009 (with a different game being played every year), while Pokkén Tournament got its own championship series in 2016. It was also announced last year that Pokémon Go would be added to the 2022 World Championships as well, along with Unite, so it sounds like this year, the e??vent ??is going to be bigger than ever.

In addition to the news about Worlds and the tournament mode, the producer letter also announced that Pokémon Unite will soon support additional languages, including Bahasa Indonesia, Brazilian Portuguese, Hindi, Russian, Thai, and Turkish. The Pokémon World Championships already welcomes players from all around the world, so hopefully these language updates can help even more players?? be part of the franchise's largest event of the year.

This is all we know so far, so make sure to keep an eye out for any more updates about Worlds and Pokémon Unite's new tournament mode. And ?of course, jump in-game and start practicing, because qualifyin??g rounds are just around the corner, and August will certainly be here before we know it.

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En Gardevoir

Eyebrows were raised when, back in 2014, it was announced back that Nintendo and Bandai Namco were tagging up to create a fighter styled on the Pokémon franchise. But with Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada at the helm, it seemed likely to be a hit. As expected, Pokkén Tournament delivered upon release - offering fun, goofy, and e?xciting throwdowns between an entire army of colorful critters.

In the following years, however, the Pokkén Tournament brand has all but vanished, with 2016 Nintendo Switch port Pokkén Tournament DX being the last we heard from the franchise. With Pokémon still riding high and pulling in profits decades after launch, a sequel to the 3D fighter would seem a no-brainer. But according to Harada himself, it's all up to the folks at Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.

"We have a good relationship with Nintendo and Pokémon Co., Ltd., and POKKÉN has had a great response, so I would like to make it again," said the shades-wearing maestro on Twitter, responding to a fan. "But it's not what we decide, it's ?w??hat they decide."

Obviously, Pokémon as a brand serves many masters, and so putting together a new Pokkén Tournament isn't quite the same from a technical stance as Harada just rocking up to Bandai Namco with a new Tekken under his belt. Ultimately, Pokkén Tournament was an experiment, one which fared well on home formats but bombed in Japanese arcades. With the fate of any sequel in the hands of Nintendo, it's something of a dice ?roll as to whether ?Pikachu and pals will ever see a rematch.

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Plus Mimikyu support!

The first of wave new DLC, announced earlier this month as part of Nintendo Direct, launches today on Pokkén Tournament DX for Nintendo Switch.

Aegislash is a technical, stance-based fighter who can adjust their strategy on the fly, switching between Blade Form when on the attack and Shield Form whe??n it's time to retreat and regroup. A short trailer, released by The Pokémon Company, showcases the new fighter's incredible range.

Aegislash isn't coming alone, bringing two new support Pokémon to the roster, Mega Rayquaza and the infectiously-lovable Mimikyu. Wave Two of the DLC will feature Pokémon OG Blastoise, accompanied by new support characters Mew and Celebi. The latter tri??o are expected to arrive on ??March 23.

Pokkén Tournament DX is available now on Nintendo Switch.

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Guy in a penguin costume?

When I first showed my friend Mega Man 3 many years back, he couldn't stop laughing at how much Snake Man looked like "a guy in a snake suit." And that's kind of how I feel about this highly emotive character model for Empoleon in Pokken Tournament, as he basically just looks like a dude with Dragon Ball powers? who?? wandered into a Pokemon pit fighting organization.

In this bit of footage Bandai Namco shows off the water and steel mast??er, who was only just recently announced for the arcade edition of the game. Boo, no Wii U DLC! Boo!

Speaking of Mega Man, I can't help but see Wave Man's crown every time I look at Empoleon.

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EP...Empoleon

So he's finally here, performing for you,

Empoleon in Pokken Tournament, yes the leaks were true,

Put your hands together, if you want to clap,

But only for arcades, which is kind of crap.

Yep, on December 15, Empoleon is crashing into Pokken in Japanese arcades. As always, there's no talk of the well-received and high-selling Wii U version. It's crazy given all of the Pokemon love this year that there isn't a majo??r expansion being announced -- again, will we see a Switch definitive edition?

Will we see basically every major Wii game get remixed and re-released (Splatoon and Mario Kart are already a go, and Smash is rumored). Find out in 2017, when Nintendo tells us basically an??ything about the Switch.

Pokken Tournament [Twitter]

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After Croagunk

Pokken Tournament can't stop, won't stop! At least in arcades, where it's getting tons of new DLC in the form of extra fighters. Wii U isn't getting anything just yet, while we wait f??or more information, or a potential Switch port.

As per the official Twitter account, Bandai Namco has announced that they'll reveal yet another character on December 1 -- which, like the past, will pro??bably include lots of footage by way of a livestream event.

Al??l signs point to Empoleon, the final evolution of the penguin Piplup. It's been rumored for weeks due to a datamine effort that uncovered all the other reveals, and I hope it's right! A Water/Steel type would be a cool addition.

Pokken Tournament [Twitter]

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Haha what the hell

Given that a reliable leak gave us Scizor and Darkrai, it stood to reason that Empoleon, the third leak, would be announced for Pokken Tournament. But we were possibly trolled by Bandai Namco, as the newest character on the block is none other than Croagunk. Yes, Croag?unk.

Nintendo Everything grabbed some footage from the reveal stream that you can see below, which goes over his moveset and shows off some of his wacky animations. Croagunk has a minor role in the TV show (he basi??cally punches Brock in the face when he gets creepy), so this makes some sort of sense. That, and Empoleon could still make it in at some point??.

Either way he's only coming to the a?rcade edition in Japan, so unless there's a Nintendo Switch version in ?the works for next year, Wii U owners are missing out again.

The post The leaks were wrong: Pokken Tournament welcomes…Croagunk?! appeared first on Destructoid.

GOTY version on the Switch?

It feels weird reporting on all this rad Pokken Tournament news and having Nint??endo and Bandai Namco staying completely silent about th?e Wii U version, but here we go again.

As revealed by?? the game's official Twitter account, another mystery Pokemon is set to grace the arcade edition, following Darkrai and Scizor. They'll be revealed on November 1, and based on the [correct] le??aks given so far, it will be Empoleon.

Even though it sold well on the Wii U, perhaps the Bandai/Nintendo collective are staying silent because of an impending Switch port? It would almost be too soon, and having to re-buy the game instead of merely picking up some DLC piecemeal a la Smash Bros. would be a bummer, but it would probably sell well a?nd give the Switch a debut fighting game in the process.

Pokken [Twitter]

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On October 20, with a Mega Evolution

Bandai Namco teased another Pokemon for Pokken Tournament, and now we finally have a confirmation -- Scizor! Nintendo Everythin??g grabbed some footage f??rom the stream that you can watch below.

Leaks several months ago pointed towards Darkrai, Scizor, and Empoleon -- so far, the former two have been accurate, so it stands to reason that the big penguin will  make it in at some point. The real question though, is whether or not this will eventually come to Wii U. An??d why not? It sold really well considering the installbase.

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Hand me a token!

You would be forgiven for thinking that Pokkén Tournament was a finished game. No D?LC was ever announced for the game and the eventual port to Wii U kind of solidified that the roster was comple?te. The arcade original launched with eight fighters before getting updates that expanded the roster to 16.

On October 13, we can make that total 17. No information has been given on what the new Pokémon will be, but fans on NeoGAF are speculating. Empoleon or Scizor seem to be the prime suspect??s, th??ough anything could happen.

The tweet comes from the official Japanese account for Pokkén and is as follows:

That roughly translates to, "The identity of new battle Pokémon will be revealed October 13, Stay Tuned." Previously, Darkrai was added to the arcade version with no mention of a Wii U update. If anything, I'm going to guess Nintendo is pushing all development towards an NX port of the game instead of trying to update the current release. That wou?ld be a little short-sighted, but this is Nintendo we're talking about.

I also have to wonder why Hitmo?nchan and Hitmonlee are not in the game. How do you miss out on including a Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee reference in a fighting game?

POKEBOMB: New Pokémon being unveiled for Pokkén Tournament (Arcade ver.) on Oct 13th [NeoGAF]

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Video game, TCG & Pokken champs crowned

All weekend long, hundreds of Pokémon?? players from around the world converged on San Francisco, CA for the eighth annual Pokémon World Championship. After three days of good-spirited competition, eight have been crowned as the greatest Pokémon players in the world. If you missed it, The Pokémon Company has put together a montage? that won't tell you anything about who won, but is incredibly inspirational.

Pokémon Video Game World Champions

• Masters Division: Wolfe Glick from the United States
• Senior Division: Carson Confer from the United States
• Junior Division: Cory Conner from the United States

Pokémon Trading Card Game World Champions

• Masters Division: Shintaro Ito from Japan
• Senior Division: Jesper Eriksen from Denmark
• Junior Division: Shunto Sadahiro from Japan

Pokkén World Champions

• Masters Division: Masami "Potetin" Sato (won with Chandelure)
• Senior Division: Josh "Woomy!gun" Simmonite (won with Charizard)

Fun fact: Glick won using an OG 3DS model. Congratulations to them all. Even if I'm n??ot huge into Pokémon, I think it would fun to attend one of these events. I may get my chance next year as it was announced the 2017 World Championship will be held in Anaheim, CA.

The Battles Are Over in the City by the Bay [Pokémon]

The post Here are your 2016 Pokemon World Champions appeared first on Destructoid.

Most people didn't think it would do this well

When I visited Japan several months after its release and played Pokken Tournament i??n multiple locations, I didn't really see any major activity.

Most fighting game fans were playing Street Fighter and Guilty Gear, and while the multi-cabinet setups (at least 10 per floor) were full, the dual Pokken systems were often deserted. So when I heard the news that Pokken shipped over one million copies on Wii U as of today, I was pretty ecstatic that it?? found an audience on consoles.

It could stand to have a little more content and a more varied campaign, but as a fighting game, it has the fundamentals. The good news is that despite the fact that Bandai Namco was hesitant to commit to DLC, it has since changed its tune, starting with the addition of Darkrai. ??It has also been up??dating it frequently, patching out infinite combos and bugs, so kudos to the development team for the success.

News Release [Bandai Namco via Gematsu]

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Only announced for Japan arcades at the moment

Bandai Namco has just announced that the new mystery Pokémon that will be joining the cast of Pokkén Tournament is none other than Darkrai (one of my favorites!). Right now he's only coming to Japanese arcades on July 20, and there is no indication that he'll be added to the console edition. Files for Darkrai, Empoleon and Scizor were recently datamined on Wii U so it could happen.

The whole thing was streamed by Bandai Namco last night, and there's official footage of the new 'mon. His dark ty?pe shines through with his animations, and he seems to have a wide array of technical abilities at his disposal, including zoning control and gap closers.

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For arcades

While Pokken Tournament's creators have downplayed the idea of DLC in the console edition, they've just announced that another character will be joining the game's roster in the Japanese arcade rendition. The new fighter will be announced on July 14 by way of a NicoNico stream, and it ?is confirmed t??o be a full-on playable character, not just a support. It'll be added in pretty quickly too as it already has a July 20 release date.

I still play from time to time (with the hawt controller), and the Wii U release has been supported as recently as June. Hopefully this series can continue to live on for a lon??g time and s?ee a healthy sequel, possibly on the NX.

Pokken [Twitter via Siliconera]

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Including Shadow Mewtwo

[Update: Here's the full patch notes!]

According to Serebii, Bandai Namco has announced a new patch for Pokken Tournament -- Version 1.3.

It will primarily deal with balancing, and changes to every character is o??n the table. Specifically, Lucario, Pikachu, Machamp, Gardevoir, Weavile, Suicune, Charizard, Gengar, Blaziken, Pikachu Libre, Sceptile, Chandelure, Braixen, Garchomp, Mewtwo and Shadow Mewtwo??, as well as a handful of support Pokemon. Exact changes will be communicated at a later date.

With the success this game has had, I know fans will be happy to hear that the game is still being supported. The developer has noted that the plan is to not provide DLC, but I can't help but think they're going to backpedal at some point given how well Pokken has been received by the community. I mean, it would be a complete waste at this point not to do it.

Pokken Tournament [Serebii]

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*Based on physical retail sales only, obviously

Pokkén Tournament on Wii U has outsold Street Fighter V on PS4 in the US. 

The news -- which originates from the NPD Group US Games Industry report for April 2016 -- was shared on Twitter by industry analyst ZhugeEX.

Pokken Tournament for Wii U has now outsold Street Fighter V for PS4 in the US at retail. pic.twitter.com/U0oPTDtoB6

— ZhugeEX (@ZhugeEX) May 13, 2016

The numbers -- which aren't specified -- don’t include digital sales, which means retail sales on Steam, the Wii U eShop and the PlayStation Store are not counted here. But when questioned further on this, ZhugeEX added: “based on the physical numbers, it won’t ?make much of a difference”.

Hmm.

If you've spent time with both Pokkén Tournament and Street Fighter V, do this surprise you? Or is it inevitable that a Pokémon game with a huge cult following would boast bigger sal?es?

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The 3DS games, Pokken and the TCG are all on show

Watch live video from pokemo??nvgc_eu on www.twitch.tv

If you’re a fan of Pokémon, you might want to get your arse over to Twitch very shortly. For the first time ever the three European Nationals are being streamed onli??ne, and the first event held in Liverpool, England will be starting within the next half an hour.

The stream embedded up top is the main event, tournaments for Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. If you want something a bit different, you can find the stream for the trading card game tournament here, and the Pokkén Tournament stream here.

Laura is at the event this weekend, working hard on getting you the ins and outs of pro-level Pokémon. Oh, and she can get that free Shiny Machamp that's on offer to attendees, which I am incredibly jealous of.

The post Come and watch the ??Pokemon UK National ?Championships here! appeared first on Destructoid.

So you wanna be the master of Pokemon?

As we all know, this year is Pokemon’s 20^th anniversary. As part of the celebrations, ?this year’s National Championships in the UK, Germany and Italy will all be streamed via Twitch for the first time.

Three different, English-language streams wi??ll be run for different events at the championships:

• The trading card game will be streamed on twitch.tv/pokemontcg_eu.
• Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire and X & Y championships can be found on twitch.tv/pokemonvgc_eu.
• Pokken Tournament will be aired on twitch.tv/pokkentournamentEU.

These streams will cover all three of the European national events. The first will be the UK tournaments, held in Liverpool on May 14-15, then the week after will see the German tournaments in Kassel on May 21-22. Finally, the Italian event will be hosted in Milan on June 11-12.

Finally, if you’re lucky enough to be able to physically attend one of these events, you’ll be able to get a special Shiny Machamp for X, Y, Alpha Ruby or Omega Sapphire. Free shiny Pokemon and a weeken??d watching others fight it out are always good things in my book!

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Next month in Japan

Pokken Tournament still get some play in my house, and really turned out to be a fun little fighting game. It's a bummer that the new good gamepad can't be used for anything else, but for those of you that live and die by Pokken, you'll get your money's worth.

Now, collectors everywhere may be perking up t??o grab a special Pikachu version, which was just newly revealed from HORI. It's up for a June release in Japan, and will cost 3,758 yen. The pad has since been confirmed for North America, but not details are available ju?st yet.

I think I'm going to skip out on this one -- the original pad works well enough, and you strangely can't use two anyway due to? the game's limitations (one combatant ha??s to use the GamePad).

Serebii [Twitter]

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Also the Reshiram support

Pokkén Tournament is a pretty fun little fighter, but? Bandai Namco is keen on tweaking it a bit based? on player feedback, as evidenced by a new upcoming patch.

For starters, Shadow Mewtwo will be toned down, mostly rem?oving his infinite combos. "Various bugs" are also going to be addressed, and Reshiram, one of the most commonly complained about supports, will be altered.

No DLC is planned for the game, and if it does??n't sell like gangbusters there li??kely won't even be a chance for it.

Pokken Tournament [Serebii]

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I had to do a double take but it's legit

Nintendo has always made it clear that prospective Pokken Tournament buyers would only get the Shadow Mewtwo card if they bought the game physically, but it's going the extra mile with a new promotion. Provided that you have signed up for the Nintendo Store, anyone who bought the game digitally can now send in a support ticket to try to get a physical copy of the card. You just need your Nintendo Network ID and the serial? number. Note that this offer is only available in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

I checked this and it is definitely real. There's no way Nintendo would subject their entire support center workforce to this trickery. If it did though it would be one hell of an April Fools' joke -- though nothing will likely top Google's mic drop fiasco.

Shadow ??Mewtwo amiibo Card Offer for Pokkén Tournam?ent [Nintendo]

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No purchase required

Nintendo's history with peripherals that only support several games is nothing new. Raise your hand if you had a massive Four Swords party with four GBAs and a GameCube!

The same thing goes for the Pokkén Controller, recently released by Hori. This is a gimmick to end all gimmicks, so I wouldn't even think about getting one unless you've already put some serious hours into Pokkén Tournament.

Like the GameCube adapter functionality for Smash, the Pokkén Controller is a bit of an odd duck. Not only can it only be used for this one game, but it also doesn't even sport basic Wii U functionality. There's no power button to turn the console on or off for one, and you can't navigate the main menu with it -- the controller isn't even recognized until you load up Pokkén Tournament. To go a step further, the game doesn't truly shift its UI to accommodate, as t??here's no "+" button on the pad, but it still prompts you to press it anyway.

The pad is comfortable though! It may not look like it, but the design feels great even after extended periods of use, the buttons are responsive and don't feel cheap (especially the select, start, ZL, and ZR buttons in the middle). The big L and R buttons are comfortable, especially for triggering synergy abilities, supports, and guards. Hori's controller works for every mode in terms of solo play, including online battles, but if you're playing a local match one person must use a GamePad (in other words, do not buy two!).

And that's basically the gist of it! There's nothing inherently wrong with this unit outside of the fact that you're spending $25 for one game. For reference, I had zero problems with the GamePad, Pro Controller, or even the ProCube gamepad -- so don't feel like you need it to enjoy Pokkén.

The post Review: Pokken Controller appeared first on Destructoid.

Disconnect and you'll lose in-game money

Pokkén Tournament is out now available , and unlike some games, is actually punishing rage quitters.

Before heading online, Bandai Namco's new fi??ghting game urges players to refrain from disconnecting in the middle of a match, as it's "rude" to others and there's ??a "penalty" for doing so.

Should you refuse to heed the warning, Pokkén Tournament will confiscate some of your Poké Gold, the in-game currency players can use to? purchase cosmetic items. 

Pokkén Tournament punishes rage quitters [Eurogamer]

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Hopefully it comes to the US too

As of last night, Nintendo added a demo for Pokken Tournament to the Wii U eShop in Europe. It was not previously announced. It clocks in at roug?hly 1GB, features solo play only, two supports, and four characters (Gengar, Lucario, Charizard, and Pikachu).

If you're on the fence (most of you probably should be), ??giving the demo a shot is a safe bet. You can pretty much get the gist of everything you're going to get mechanically, as the four characters pret??ty much epitomize the styles of play on offer.

[Thanks John!]

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OTGs and Victinis

When I first heard of the existence of Pokkén Tournament, I wasn't completely sold. That is, until I actually played it in Japan. At that point, I couldn't?? wait to ge?t my hands on it again.

Having spent nearly two weeks with it on Wii U I'm basical?ly of the same opinion when it comes to its core fighting systems, but my enthusiasm did die down a bit over time due to a few console-centric issues.

Pokkén Tournament (Wii U)
Developer: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Publisher: The Pokémon Company, Nintendo
MSRP: $59.99
Released: March 18, 2016

Pokkén is a strangely deep fighter that grew on me over time. Sporting three different attack buttons, as well as a jump, a block, and a support button, there's plenty to play around with. The supports in particular have ties to the Marvel series, with the option to customize your loadout to spring anti-air attacks, or combo-inducing hit confirms. The best part? There's a full training mode that goes over the basics, as well as combo training specific to each?? character. Plus, an optional adviser helps coach newer players between rounds with?? small little pointers, like which support to take against each opponent. It may have a high skill ceiling, but it's accommodating.

Each character has a distinct look and feel, with significantly different play styles that are immediately apparent. For example, Pikachu feels super zippy and vulnerable, but Machamp is a hulking bruiser with strong, deliberate attacks, and armor. Then you have the technical characters like Gengar, who try to fool opponents with mixups and teleportation attacks, and fighters that have a strong keepaway and ranged game like Chandelure and Suicune. Despite the fact that there are 16 fighters, I can't? help but feel like there should be more.

Although they operate differently, two are clones aesthetically (Pikachu Libre and Shadow Mewtwo), which is a letdown in and of itself. There's also an uneven mix in terms of representation, with barely any Gold & Silver era 'mon at all, and the team seemingly focused on making most of them "formidable" or "aggressive" Pokémon, so the tiny Pikachu sticks out like a sore thumb. To an extent there's nothing you can really do to satisfy the crowd in this department (someone is going to be disappointed their favorite isn't in), but I do wish there were more drastically different characters, specifically some of the smaller creatures the series has to offer. It technically has the same roster as, say, Street Fighter V, but it's not nearly as varied.

The engine takes a while to get used to, mostly because of the unique camera perspectives. Pokkén is a 3D fighter that t?akes place on a circular plane, with constantly shifting camera angles. The first type is the "field" camera, with a wider view, which focuses on ranged attacks. Specific combos or abilities in melee range will cue the "duel" phase, which shifts to a closer view, boosting the initiating player's synergy gauge (super meter, basically). Initially I didn't even notice it, but after playing through the tutorial, it really started to co??me into focus. Certain characters who prefer a long range skirmish will generally want to avoid the duel phase, and other more rushdown-centric fighters will relish it.

I'm mixed on the mechanic, mostly because of how washed out the visuals are on Wii U (which surprised me) and how awkw?ard some of the transitions feel, especially on the GamePad. While the levels themselves are endearing, with plenty of cute characters doing silly things (like chasing humans around the perimeter of the map, or exercising in absurd ways in a gym), they look dull all around, with drab colors dotting the landscape and a lack of detail for most character models. I was surprised at how it looked overall given the sharpness of the arcade edition, and although the framerate is mostly stable, I did notice some dips (especially in multiplayer).

If you're tired of fighters that have a bare bones level of content, Pokkén is a great respite. The entire "Ferrum League" campaign is built around a replay factor, and reminds me of some of the great retro fighters of old. There's actually four leagues in all to play through, which provide these sort of fake "ranks" and matchups against CPU opponents, giving you the illusion of playing through a real tournament. Although Pokkén doesn't really have a full story in tow per se, there's a big final boss s??howdown and everything, and a ??sense of tangible progression.

There's also literally hundreds of things to unlock, as well as a full currency system that always makes it feel like you're earning something. I'm talking new titles, avatar items, new supports, stat upgrades, and even several extra characters. I spent days on end playing the Ferrum mode and still felt like there was plenty to do. Players can also use up to five amiibo per day to expedite the process.

Of course, Pokkén supports local play, just like any ol' fighter, which works like a charm, placing one player's camera on the TV screen, and the other on the GamePad. It does work for the most part, but I found that my neck was strained after a few hours of play on the latter, and that the colors look even more draining on the tiny screen, so I recommend switching between them at certain intervals with a friend. I also had a chance to test out online play for several matches, and everything seemed to be relatively lag free -- we'll provide updates if this changes after release. For reference, I did not get to test out the new Pokkén controller yet.

Pokkén Tournament is more than meets the eye, and it would be foolish to judge it just based on the Pokémon? name alone. Bandai Namco has crafte??d a deep brawler that deserves to be up there with a lot of the competition, but some logistical issues specific to the Wii U hold the game back a bit more than I'd like.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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It's easy to pick up but has a curve

Pokkén Tournament ??might be an easier to game for newcomers to acclimate to at first, but it will have some advanced maneuvers to satiate hardcore players -- I mean, it kind of has to if it's going to make a push for tournament play, right?

In this newest video Nintendo gives you a better look at said combos, wh??ether it's from faster characters or the slower bruisers like Machamp. One even involves an assist, which is giving me Marvel?? flashbacks.

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But The Pokemon Company had other ideas

Pokkén Tournament, or at least the collaborative project between The Pokémon Company and Bandai Namco that eventually became Pokkén Tournament, wasn't always a fighting game.

According to Bandai Namco fighting game chief Katsuhiro Harada, speaking with The Verge, the studio initially wanted to partner up on a Pokemon-themed version of Taiko: Drum Master. The Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara had other plans, though, and instead insisted that any cross-over with Bandai Namco involve the developer's Tekken franchise.

Since Pokkén Tournament has been in Japanese arcades for the better part of a year and is gearing up for a console release next month, I suppose we know which party got its way in this negotiations. 'Taiko Pokémon Master' remains on the cutting room floor amidst? a thousand ?other collaborations like this, the sort of which that fans can typically only dream about.

Maybe the companies will pick up the idea someda??y and decide run with it. I'd? be into it.

How the minds behind Tekken and Soulcalibur transformed Pokémon into a fighting game [Verge]

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February 27

According to Nintendo, Pokken Tournament is now part of the Pokemon World Championship event. Starting th??is month on February 27, prospective players can head over to select GameStops (list below) to qualify. At that point they'll head to to the Nintendo World Store in New York on March 17, then the top two head to Ohio from July 1-3, at which point they may go to the World Championship.

It s???eems odd that the game isn't even out yet, so people who have visited Japan have a big advantage. Though if you win the GameStop round, a "pro" gamer will coach you before the New York round.

• 2201 Preston Road, Plano, TX
• 1841 Chamblee Tucker Road, Chamblee, GA
• 3972 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA
• 8115 S. John Young Parkway, Orlando, FL
• 6451 W. Diversey Ave., Chicago, IL
• 242 Bellevue Square, Bellevue, WA
• 32 E. 14th St. – Union Square, New York, NY
• 3914 Rivermark Plaza, Santa Clara, CA

The post A Pokken Tournament…tournament is happening at GameStop this month appeared first on Destructoid.

Shadow Mewtwo is a badass

The half Tekken, half Pokémon fighter Pokkén Tournament just go??t a new cinematic trailer in which Lucario spawns a glowing lightsaber-like staff and Shadow?? Mewtwo is creepy. 

As someone who is a big fan of the pocket monsters and enjoyed a few Tekken games, I can't muster excitement for this one. It just doesn't look like it has the depth I'd like in my fighting games, plus it has that weird controller that can only be used by the second player.

But most of all, it is missing the objectively best Pokémon: Mr. Mime, Snorlax, Miltank, Wigglytuff, and Danny DeVitochu.

The post Get ready for Pok??ken Tournament with this cinemat?ic trailer appeared first on Destructoid.