The Pokémon Company just announced its new project: Pokkén Tournament. It’s a fighting game in which Pocket Monsters square off and fight.
Tsunekazu Ishihara, the head of the Pokémon Company, said on a NicoNico broadcast he wanted to offer an experience that players haven’t had until now. This, it seems, is the result.
The game was first hinted at during The Pokémon Game Show in August 2013. New trademarks were also discovered around that time for “Pokkén Fighters” and “Pokkén Tournament.”
Namco Bandai is developing Pokkén Tournament (ポッ拳トーナメント), and the Japanese title has the character “ken” (拳) from Tekken (鉄拳).
“Whether you are a casual player, a regular player or a hardcore player, anyone who likes Pokémon can have fun,” said Namco’s Katsuhiro Harada. The head of the Tekken Team said that Pokkén Tournament is actually “closer to an action game.” He added that Namco used its “know how” to develop the game.
According to SoulCalibur producer Masaaki Hoshino, “For adult Pokémon fans, because we got our best developers, we made the best graphics, and created the best action game, so please! Please look forward to this!”
From what the developers and Ishihara said, it sounds like the game is also aimed at a very wide and casual adult audience. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing! From what Harada said, it sounds like hardcore players will be able to enjoy the game, too.
The game is slated to hit Japanese arcades next year. No word on a console release or a Western release.
月刊ファミ通feat. ポケモンスペシャル [NicoNico]
ポケモン新プロジェクト発表! [Pokemon]
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22 responses to “Pokémon Fighting Arcade Game Announced In Japan”
Pokemon tekken… Sir, you have my attention.
I can already see the comparisons
Machamp=goro
Hitmonlee=sagat
Hitmonchan=dudley
Hitmontop=eddie
Blaziken= ken
& there are plenty more comparisons when this game comes out
Hoping this is not arcade exclusive…I’m too scared to go to arcades in Sydney, about 90% of my guy friends have been mugged or beaten up there….
It is an arcade exclusive for now, and not only that it is also a Japanese Arcade exclusive.
Where the hell are the arcades located in Sydney ? The popular ones here in Brisbane are in the CBD and usually flooded with kids and teenagers. I have never gone to an arcade fearful that I will get beat up.
Lol, well, i havent been to one in ages, and the stories of being beaten up are from years ago back in high school and uni days. They used to have a couple on George St in the city opposite the cinemas, which is where alot of the rolling happened. Also in Market City. I think that one is still there.
Recently I had my phone stolen while playing claw machines at the Capitol Theater. All my carefully constructed playlists, and fremium app cities gone in an instant :'(
Ah sorry to hear that. I don’t frequent the arcades much its usually just when i’m waiting for a movie and have some time to kill, I just sit on Street fighter or Tekken.
That’s where a lot of Asian gangs used to hang out at. They haven’t been doing that in a long time though.
There used to be Galaxy World on George Street, but that closed a couple of years ago. Across the road from there is still Timezone where the cinemas are, but it’s pretty small. Then way down the road (and a street or two over) is City Amusements.
They’re all kinda meh though, don’t really have much worth playing. For me, anyway.
Well, if that rumour about the Nintendo Fusion is correct, then this game will get a release on Nintendo’s next console.
That would actually explain why they didn’t announce it for the Wii U (they probably would have if it was coming to the Wii U).
I highly doubt that Nintendo would abandon the Wii U so quickly. Especially after the sales have started picking up.
Even Mario Kart 8 didn’t boost sales by that much, but we’ll have to wait until Smash Bros and Zelda come out before we’ll know for sure.
Still, if this does come to home consoles, that will happen around 2016 at the earliest, and by then the 3DS and Wii U will be nearing the end of their lifespans and Nintendo will need to release a new console.
All I need to know is: can I be Hawlucha?
It’ll be great with 619 fighters to choose from! There’s literally hours of gameplay just choosing which character to be.
Of course I jest, they wouldn’t put all of them in, would they?
Gotta fight them all
I wonder if they’ll somehow use evolving as a mechanic and I’m more curious to see how the less humanoid pokemon look when fighting.
Maybe like in game transformations, or when you’ve been lowered to a certain level of health. Hell, there might even be an “Evolution Bar” thing
My guess is that they’ll probably go the Mega Evolution route, as they’re essentially mid-fight transformations that mostly buff a Pokemon, rather than directly evolving into a new form (as in, we’ll probably see [Lucario->Mega Lucario] over [Riolu->Lucario]).
Hawlucha would have to be a boss pokken. Flying and fighting together? That’s OP if they only include fighting types
Cool a game i love in a Genre i will get my ass kicked in. seems interesting.
Could you imagine if this was released on a console, and additional fighters could be imported via DLC/Amiibos? Every few months Nintendo could just release a new set of pokemon amiibos. Printing money.
Release this on Wii U and I’m buying a freakin Wii U. Just shut up and take my goddamn money.