Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom

The Wii has a very broad range of games with which to please just about anybody- except for two areas. One of them is simulation racing, and the other is fighting games. Smash Bros. Brawl may hold your interest for a while if you can get people to play with you, but its lack of effective online really means you will have to look somewhere else for long term enjoyment. There have also been a few other good but not great fighting games in the Dragon Ball Z and Naruto games. With the arrival of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom all of this has changed. While everyone loved Marvel vs. Capcom for its fast arcadey fisticuffs, it wasn't the most balanced game around. You could easily get lost in the amount of power-ups spraying the screen at any given moment. This entry balances things out a bit more so that both experienced players and newcomers alike can find enjoyment. It is like a Nintendo game in its ability to be easy to pick up but difficult to master, keeping just about anybody who picks up the controller satisfied. While the Tatsunoko characters might not be as recognizable as Marvel's, this is easily the better game.

Gameplay

If you have played Marvel vs. Capcom you will basically know what to expect. Fast, intense action. The main difference here is a better balancing among characters. No one character shows up too much online, which is evidence that nothing is broken. Despite some moves being challenging to dodge, there is always a solution to any problem. Speaking of online, it was done very well. I have hardly experienced a hiccup while playing and often find a match within 20 seconds. What may seem like a simple fighter at first glance (it only uses four buttons) is actually steeped in strategy. Determining when to use your specials, or how to tag in can often make or break you. Another layer of strategy can be found in the baroque technique, which allows you to break a combo and start a new one mid strike. Also, I anybody has you stuck in what seems like an endless combo use the mega crash, an attack that will send your opponent flying. The only thing I didn't like was having to beat the arcade mode a million times to unlock all of the characters. I would have preferred they spread them out over the various modes present, like time attack and survival. The secret unlockable minigame is a nice addition when you need some downtime from all of the fighting.

Presentation

A beautiful game that really stands out amongst the Wii library. The animation is great and some of the specials are amazing to see. A few of the levels change the lighting up, and many of them feature moving backgrounds making the varied locales more interesting to fight in. I was kind of disappointed in the comic panel endings for each character, but its hardly that much of a complaint. It just seemed slightly low budget compared to the rest of the excellent presentation. As far as sound is concerned, the game features serviceable upbeat tracks and Japanese voice acting. Some of the children's voices are slightly annoying to my ears at times, but not that bad. I really liked the final boss tracks due to them being pulled from one of my favorite games that almost no one played outside of the hardcore internet community. I remember when this game was first announced for arcades people were talking about it being ported to Xbox 360 and PS3 because it looked so good. It won't disappoint in this department.

Conclusion

This is one beautiful game-but the real joy in playing it comes from its gameplay which easily makes it the best fighter on the system. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom is pure fun that anyone can get into, but you will want to stick around to master it. I highly recommend a purchase.