Pokken Tournament Reviews
The experience that this game provides has been long overdue, and I praise it for doing such a terrific job. Considering the series currently contains 720 Pokémon, it's understandable that about 80% of them don't even appear as background scenery. Even with the presence of dozens of support Pokémon I can't help but think it could have been even better if the playable cast was larger.
Pokken Tournament is the newest addition to the Wii U's excellent catalog of multiplayer games, and it is more than capable of holding its own against the other games in its company.
Pokken Tournament shines when it comes to playing with friends, but the game's grind filled single player and dumb AI make for a pretty unimpressive package overall.
Pokémon games are almost always a hit and Pokkén Tournament ranks up there with the best.
I'm a little confused whether Pokken Tournament is meant for a casual crowd, a hardcore crowd, or perhaps even both. The mechanics are simple enough for anyone to simply pick up and play, and potentially master, but the game does seem to have some slight nuances to give it an edge in the competitive space. Considering Pokken Tournament is already schedule to headline EVO 2016, it seems that both Nintendo and Bandai Namco are considering the game to certainly be competitive enough to appeal to the hardcore fighting game market. However, my time with it didn't really showcase that, at least not on that level.
While it is a little rough around the edges, it's an interesting fighter and a welcomed addition to Nintendo's collection of one first-party fighting games.
A welcoming sportsmanship sets Pokkén Tournament apart
There's a lot of promise here, but Pokken Tournament can't decide what kind of fighting game it wants to be and that hurts the overall experience.
Bandai Namco's Pokkén Tournament makes the fighting genre accessible to a younger audience, but does little to accommodate more experienced players.
What you see is pretty much what you get here – Pokken Tournament is a solid multiplayer experience that should make both Pokemon and fighting genre aficionados take notice.
Pokken Tournament is an amazing fighting experience that provides a good entry point for those unfamiliar with the genre.
Pokkén Tournament ran the risk of seeming like a bog standard fighter with Pokémon skins, but Bandai Namco and The Pokémon Company have served up a unique Pokémon setup that delivers a fun, flexible, and easy-to-learn experience for fighting fans. With so much history behind the franchise, there was a lot riding on getting it right, and this sits firmly within the legacy as a must-have Pokémon entry to add to anyone's collection. Despite there being clear conventions from fighters in its roots, Pokkén Tournament feels more like an exciting new take on Pokémon battles rather than an attempt at a standard Pokémon battle-fest.
Pokkén Tournament is a very solid Pokémon spin-off. Giving players the chance to actually control the pocket monsters themselves in battle has long been something fans have wanted to see, and this title certainly provides.
The Pokémon Company has another successful spin-off. Pokkén Tournament is the best fighting game of 2016 so far.
You start to grasp and understand it, which will make you a better player as a result. While there are things that local play and Ferrum League could have done better, I was just impressed with this game throughout. Pokemon is a delight already, but mixed with fighting? Well, that is a match made in heaven.
[T]he series' growing scope has resulted in more than a massive product line: as the Pokémon franchise continues to inflate, so does its message. And with new entries coming into the universe on an almost yearly basis, the Pokémon fiction has been forced to adjust its thematic throughlines in order to make room for new creative ventures.
Beneath the stunning visuals there's an interesting deal of mechanics to learn which brings a fresh approach to the fighting genre. It's just a shame there's not more to do, and only having 16 characters is a bit of a let-down when you know the franchise has hundreds more. Pokken Tournament is a must get for any Pokemon fan, replacing the slow battles of the main series and providing us with the fast, energetic duels we've come to see in the Anime and Smash games.
Pokken Tournament is a fun Online/Local multiplayer arcade fighter though, experiencing the game with others can be a party but also sets the question of “How long before I head back to Smash Bros.?”
Pokkén is one of the most enjoyable, original titles that Nintendo has released in a long time. As a new spin-off to Pokémon, it's a welcome addition to the franchise, and the game offers its own unique niche as a fighting game.
"Hits like 10 000 volts."
Review in Finnish | Read full review