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 Question: Can a fast paced fighting game full of epic maneuvers still be fun if you don't know who over half of the characters are?
Answer: YES!
Proof: Tatsunoku VS Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes for the Wii.
One of the few gems that is keeping my Wii alive with a sliver of blue light, TVC is a Japanese release in the grand tradition of Capcoms other 2D VS fighters (Street Fighter VS X-Men, Marvel VS Capcom.) Tatsunoko is the latest company to pit their roster against Capcom staples such as Chun-Li, Viewtiful Joe and others. It's also the first VS release in a while, and makes me really really want a MVC3 very soon.
The roster of this game isn't huge. Maybe a dozen or so characters from each respective company make up the entire character list. Most of the Capcom favorites I recognize (MegaMan, Roll, Ryu, etc.) while pretty much all of the Tatsunoko clan is new to me. I at least recognize Gatchaman, but have no idea who anyone else is. I'm not Japanese. I do know that Tatsunoko is responsible for Speed Racer (the cartoon) but he's not in the game. Oh well. Each match is 2 on 2, with the exception of two very large characters who are so big they don't need a tag partner. I'm not sure who either is. One looks like a LEGO transformer, the other, ED-209 from Robocop. There's a good range of balance of play types too. I prefer Ryu's ranged attacks and the Gatchaman lady's close range yo-yo kicking style. If you're familiar with the other VS games, this will feel right at home....well, like a Japanese exchange student who has come to live in your home. You can still play together, you just can't understand anything he says.
Of course, on the Wii, there are several different control schemes. Fighting sticks, GC controllers and the Classic Controller are all supported with traditional fighting controls. Quarter-circles and charge moves still go hand-in-hand with the genre. The way I play, and the one I find most interesting, is with just the Wii Remote. Personally, this play style didn't work for me in Smash Bros., but I found that TVC seemed to do it right. It's easy to get into, but provides more depth than it shows on the surface. Basically you have two attack buttons, 1 & 2. 1 is a basic attack, and holding a direction on the D-Pad provides a different move. For example LEFT+1 is forward punch, RIGHT+1 is forward kick, and so on. The 2 button works the same way, but with special moves. Ryu's Haduken is just a simple press of 2, while BACK+2 is the spin kick. 1+2 together are the super moves, which are more seizure inducing than ever in size, color, and hit count. Some are basically tiny cut scenes that deliver a beating and toss out half of your life. This control scheme makes it easy to explain to newcomers of the genre or to the Wii, but still provides a bit of strategy and familiarity with seasoned gamers. The only fault I find with it is that the B trigger is used for tag and assist. So sometimes I'll try to leave a block and then assist, but accidentally tag, and vice versa.
The combos aren't as ridiculous as MVC2's, but still put very well into place. It's fairly simple to learn a few combinations that connect well, then tag and continue the fury. Also, multiple supers can be used by activating another during one characters. While Ryu is doing a super move, just press 1+2 together again to call in Gatchaman's super attack. Once in a while the word BAROQUE appears on screen, and from as far as I can tell, it's sort of an advancing block, or combo breaker. Similar to parrying in the Street Fighter 3 series, but not as difficult.
When you're taking a break from all the fighting, why not try out some TVC mini-games! What would a Wii game be without a few waggle mashing, rhythm based button mashers. These are actually pretty fun (seeing how many fireballs Ryu can throw, racing mechanical wolves) and earn you points to spend on new costumes, unlockable characters and background music.
I can only hope that Marvel VS Capcom 3 comes to all platforms, and is ten times crazier than this game. I want a huge roster, endless combo chains, and strobe light effects on every single move. But for now, TVC has the complete fighting game package. Fast paced, wonderfully replayable and multiplayer action. Easy to jump in and out of. Silly little mini-games that kill some time. The adorable cuteness and confusion that make up almost every product out of Japan. Just wait until you beat the Arcade mode, who's final boss is a nice little cameo, and see an ending cut scene. Morrigan playing Wii with Japanese business men? Yeah, something like that. And it's fun to play with your friends and just yell GATCHAMAN! a lot. If like the Capcom VS. series, live in Japan, or just feel like importing, go play TVC now.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes is available for import through Play-Asia for $72.90.
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I've always wanted to be Gachaman...