9.0

Tekken Tag Tournament 2

Welcome back to The King of Iron First Tournament (aka Tekken) and Namco Bandai have definitely hit the ball out of the park with their latest instalment of this popular fighting series that originated in 1994. Best of all, the gaming mechanics of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 successfully combine old school mechanics with 21st next-generation controls and graphics which creates one of the best Tekken experiences in a considerable amount of time.

The game has also been released in Australia and New Zealand as a standard release (just the game) plus a special Limited Edition that includes an exclusive metal case, 4 DLC characters (Angel, Kunimitsu, Michelle & Ogre( a bonus Snoop Dog Stage and more importantly, a bonus 150 Swimsuit Bikini Bundle. The ANZ Limited Edition is definitely for the fans! It's pretty darn cool!

At its core, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a pure 3D fighter game which allows gamers to play offline plus online (up to 4 players). If you played Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, then you'll love Tekken on the XBox 360 which share the same frantic and sometimes overcrowded gaming environments. It’s like a fighter on Ritalin.

Unlike the previous Tekken games that forced some unnecessary gaming elements into the game, this current game is all about fighting an it’s great getting back to basics. But with "tag" in the name, this title is not just about the one-on-one fights but rather, it features some intensive team play thanks to the great tag mecahanics.

Whether you're playing locally or online with up to four players, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 boasts some really fun tag battles, especially with the inclusion of Pair Play. Pair Play allows up to 4 players to control a character in what Namco Bandai dub as the ultimate team battle which creates this almost WWF fighting experience. Interestingly enough, it works well.

The game also boasts over 50 playable characters plus a new mode called Fight Lab which is like a story campaign mode where you play the suave Combot. This mode does somewhat serve as a tutorial as you play through the 5 missions which even allows you to customise Combot's appearance and even his moves. For the uninitiated, Combot was introduced in Tekken 4, a robotic character who has the ability to learn different fighting styles. It's these little references that may Tag 2 so much fun to play.

In terms of game play, gamers can easily pick up this title and start playing, however there is a hidden complexity to the game which includes the various manoeuvres of each fighters and the refined tag team mechanics. Needless to say, learning each of the fighters special moves can be quite a daunting task, however as you progress, things soon start falling into place. Of course, you will get your favourites and breaking this addiction can sometimes be tricky. The practice mode is also another spot for newcomers to learn the art of the King of Iron Fist Tournaments.

As mentioned, players can still jump into the solo play via the Arcade Mode, however where this current version of Tekken works is through its 2v2 tag play. As opposed to the solo play, tag play definitely changes the gaming mechanics by including new combined manoeuvres with your characters. As opposed to your standard attacks, you can combine launchers, bounds and tags to produce some really cool manoeuvres. Or you can push the tag button to get your partner to perform a devastating dual combo attack. As with most fighting games, when your health reaches zero, you lose the round but in tag, if one of your opponents is down, you also lose the round. Sometimes tagging in a fighter with full health can change the battle and makes a great tactic if you're on the rops.  

In Arcade Mode, you basically need to fight through a variety of fighters until you get to the big bad boss at the end. If you manage to defeat them, you are awarded to an impressive cinematic for the character you have chosen to fight which links up to the overall Tekken story and history of this franchise. The CGI cinematics look amazing.

There is even a Ghost Battle Mode that allows players to fight an almost "human-like" AI controlled character but when you take the game online, things definitely take a different turn. Online play is equally as good on XBox Live and thankfully all the fighters in the game are rather balanced, even with their pros and cons, even if Nina Williams is up against Ogre. Another bonus while playing Tekken online is that I did not experience any lag whatsoever and there is even an option to find matches based on connection or skill level.  Add in friendly and ranked matches and there's plenty for everyone.

There is even a free service called World Tekken Federation which monitors all your fighting which can be accessed on your PC or smartphone. It even gives you some useful hints to your fighting style, especially if you had a string of losses. Tekken also uses an in-game currency which you receive from winning and even losing matches that can be used to purchased new hairstyles, clothing and items.  

Graphics/Audio

Graphically, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a great looking game on the 360 with some stunning attention to detail. Not only do the characters move with this real-world grace, the over the top physics used by the various martial art styles looks like this amazing Hong Kong action movie that you control. Texture details look decent as do the facial features but star of the graphics are the environmental special effects. Depending on the environment, the fighters clothes change in real-time such as water and dirt effects.  It just comes together perfectly with the gameplay. Then you have the pumping soundtrack and unfortunately rather clichéd voice acting but it's all part of the Tekken franchise.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a game that you'll come back to time and time again due to the strong gaming mechanics and great graphics. This 3D fighter with all its detail manages to keep the game almost locked in at 60 frames per second which creates this true arcade experience in the comfort of your own home. With gameplay to die for, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a game that all fans of 3D fighters will love. Check it out now!

Key Features 

• MULTIPLAYER MATCH – challenge your friends in a 2-on-2 tag-team battle, 1-on-1 or 1-on-2 

• PAIR PLAY – up to 4 players can each control a character in the ultimate team battle 

• FIGHT LAB – all new mode to customize Combot’s appearance & for the first time ever, his moves 

• LARGEST PLAYABLE ROSTER – more than 50 characters to choose from 

• NEW STAGES – fight in your favorite countries around the world 

• ENVIRONMENTAL FX – clothing condition alters in real-time with water & dirt effects 

• NEW MOVES – each character expands their fight arsenal with exclusive new Tag-Throws & Tag-Combos 

• ONLINE FEATURES – all-new features bring the community together like never before 

• OFFLINE BATTLE MODES – re-live the classic arcade mode, train in a first-class practice mode, customize your team/character appearance & much more