Sites are posting reviews of the Pokémon/Tekken mash-up known as Pokkén Tournament and things are looking… pretty decent, actually. The game will debut on the Wii U later this week (and require a Day 1 patch of almost 400mb), but you can read what the professionals are saying while you wait:
Pokkén Tournament takes a lot of what we know from old fighting gaming favorites and sticks them into a blender, delivering a unique take on both Pokémon and on fighting games in general. Sometimes all those ingredients spill over a container that’s a little too full – there is a surprising amount to learn beyond the beginner’s level, and that may alienate some Pokémon fans without fighting game experience. Pokkén Tournament does do a good job, though, at alleviating this bloat of mechanics with single-player modes to help ease into the action. – 8/10 IGN
If you like Pokémon and fighting games, or just want to play Pokémon in a new way, you’ll enjoy Pokkén Tournament on the Nintendo Wii U. – 4/5 PCMag
Shifting back and forth from the wider space of 3-D combat into the tighter confines of monster-on-monster fisticuffs feels fluid, like a ballet with more explosions. The dynamic camera sweeps in, out, and around the fighters, creating a palpable sense of space and making these intimate battles all the more spectacular. – A.V. Club
Not all sites were quite so hyped with the title however, and some took issue with the lackluster roster:
What’s present in Pokken Tournament feels like a very solid foundation for what could be a great fighting game series. Even then, the embarrassingly low number of characters, coupled with no current plans for future DLC, makes for a disheartening aspect of the final title. Overall, its unique take on combat, well adored IP, and enjoyable battle mechanics all show promise, but the overall lack of content fails to build the game as anything more than a promising first step. – 3/5 GAMERANT
Pokken Tournament tries its best to cater to a more casual fighting crowd, but in its efforts to do so rapidly becomes mundane after repeated playthroughs. There’s little lasting appeal here and no real incentive to get better, ironic given that the game is based on the property made famous by wanting the very best, like no one ever was. – 6/10 Shacknews
<3 PJ