Pokken Tournament is a game fit for both casual and hardcore fans of pokemon and fighting games alike. Many critics are praising it's easy to learn but deep mechanics, but are annoyed at the small roster
Pokken Tournament
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Pokken Tournament Review Summary
Critic Reviews for Pokken Tournament
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.
It seems destined to be undervalued, but this is a pleasant surprise - a fine fighter that's just about essential for Pokemon fans.
A Pokémon fighting game may not seem like the most obvious spin-off idea, but the end result is a surprisingly fun and inventive multiplayer game.
Getting to punch, kick and burn things as a Pokemon is a delight, but it doesn't feel fair when playing with others.
Pokkén is a fun fighter with familiar Pokémon characters and surprising depth, but it failed to become a fighter I see myself playing for years to come
Bandai Namco has crafted a fighting game that is deep and rewarding, while also being accessible.
Pokken Tournament is fun for a bit, but I'm not convinced that it has any staying power as a fighting game. It's further hurt by its thin single-player mode and limited roster, which hurts its potential with casual fans. As attractive and faithful to the license as it is, it has plenty of room for improvement. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel.
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 crafted 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.