There are a number of fond memories I hold dear from my childhood and teen years. Things like Transformers, Super Big Gulps at the local 7-Eleven and burgers at Johnny’s. Oh those tasty, succulent burgers. So when Capcom announced the Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars fighting game would be coming to North America (this game was originally released in Japan as both an arcade and Wii game over a year ago), I said to myself, “hot diggity... I gotta get this”. If you grew up in the 80s, then you may be familiar with Tatsunoko – a storied Japanese animation studio that produced such animated classics like Speed Racer and Gatchaman (otherwise known as G-Force when it was brought to North American televisions in the mid 80s). And if you’ve been gaming for the past decade or two, then you’ll also likely be familiar with the Capcom properties such as Street Fighter, Mega-Man and Darkstalkers that are well represented within the game.
So naturally I picked up a copy of the game recently and let me just say that I have not been disappointed. As soon as you begin the game, you are presented with a character selection that is rich and boasts a well rounded roster of Tatsunoko and Capcom favourites. Anywhere from Ryu to Ken the Eagle, you have a lot of options to choose from. The game itself plays very well and offers up a good range of challenge for skill levels of all types from the beginner to casual to hardcore fight gamer. In fact, my son has an absolute blast every time he plays the game using the Wii remote and nunchuk because it is quite easy to control the fighters and execute their moves - this includes special moves and combos. Capcom has done a great job in making this an accessible game for all and this is clearly evident in the controller options that are made available. For very basic and easy use, you can utilize the Wii remote and nunchuk combo where movement is through the analog stick and a simple press of the A, B or Z buttons does the job. However, for those that are veterans you can hook up either a Wii Classic controller or an older Gamecube controller. Both of these will provide you with the standard d-pad and 6 button controller layout that’s synonymous with fighting games.
When it comes to overall production, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom absolutely hits the mark with crisp and vibrant visuals that have a 3D flare and character models that are nicely executed in a cell shaded style. In my opinion, the graphics are some of the best I’ve seen in a Wii game. On the audio front, the Japanese style background elevator music is a very nice complementary touch while the Japanese voice acting exudes the right emotions and tonality in its delivery. Finally, to round it all up, the game offers some extras/features in the form of unlockable characters and mini game and a shop where you can spend earned in-game currency called Zenny to purchase character add-ons, videos and gallery art.
In terms of game modes, you have the standard arcade and versus options as well as an online component. The online play provides two main modes – ranked battles and free play. In the latter you don’t earn any points or build up rank. I was impressed with the online play as it was easy to find matches and the gameplay was quite smooth with no noticeable lag or hiccups. Additionally, the online play easily found opponents to go up against with minimal wait times. You also have the ability to select between North America and the entire world for online opponents.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is a solid fighting game that provides great fun and variety for gamers of all levels. That in itself is a rare achievement. Couple that with a great roster of characters and the fact that it only retails for $49.99 (CAN), this is a game I would absolutely recommend to Wii owners who’ve been looking for that definitive fighting game. Trust me, it won’t disappoint.
