Tekken Tag Tournament 2

          

Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Cover art for the console version
Developer(s)	Namco Bandai Games
Publisher(s)	Namco Bandai Games
Director(s)	Yuichi Yonemori
Producer(s)	Katsuhiro Harada
Series	Tekken
Platform(s)	Arcade, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U
Release date(s)	Arcade  September 14, 2011  March 27, 2012 (Unlimited) PlayStation 3, Xbox 360  September 11, 2012 AUS September 13, 2012 JP September 13, 2012 EU September 14, 2012 Wii U November 21, 2012
Genre(s)	Fighting
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	7.2
Media/distribution	Arcade board, optical disc
Arcade system	Namco System 369

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (鉄拳タッグトーナメント2 Tekken Taggu Tōnamento ) is the eighth main installment in the Tekken fighting game series, and is the successor to the 1999 game, Tekken Tag Tournament. The game was released in Japanese arcades on September 14, 2011 and received an update, subtitled Unlimited, released on March 27, 2012 in Japanese arcades. A console version based on the update was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in September 2012, and will be released for the Wii U during winter 2012.

Gameplay

The new engine allows up to four characters appear on the screen at the same time.

As in the original Tekken Tag Tournament, matches involve each player selecting two fighters to fight with. Players are able to switch their fighters out at any time, allowing the inactive character to gradually recover some life they might have lost. At certain points, an inactive character's life bar may flash, giving them a temporary boost in strength if they are tagged in. If the life bar of either of a player's fighters runs out, that player loses the round. If time runs out, the player who has the most cumulative life remaining amongst their fighters wins the round.
The gameplay expands on the tag mechanics featured in the first Tekken Tag, allowing for extended tag combos and combined moves. New techniques include combined tag throws which, if timed properly, can be escaped from. Tag combos (referred to as "Tag Assaults") can now be done simultaneously with both characters participating in the combo at the same time. The game also inherits gameplay features from Tekken 6, such as "Bound" hits (hits that slam an airborne opponent to the ground and stun them so combos can be extended) and walled arenas. Character-customization is also featured, similar to past Tekken games.
Features suggested by Harada include recording in Practice mode as well as a Tutorial to bring new players into the fold more smoothly than has been possible in the past. The game features a "stage gimmick" system. An example of the system shown in Famitsu has the player slamming his opponent into wall, which breaks and the opponent goes flying, landing in a new area where the fight continues. As the opponent falls, the tag partner is waiting at the bottom to continue the combo
The game features various modes, allowing players to choose between 2 vs 2, 1 vs 1 or 2 vs 1 battles, options for four players to play in a single match, and various online modes. Along with returning modes such as Arcade, Versus, Team Battle, Time Attack and Survival, a new mode called Fight Lab allows players to train a Combot through various challenges.

The game also features various items that can alter the gameplay, ranging from weapons such as firearms and hammer hats to superficial items such as specialized KOs, and also allows players to customise their fighters with various accessories.

The Wii U Edition will feature an exclusive Mushroom Battle mode in which various mushrooms from the Mario series litter the arena, causing players to grow or shrink in size or take extra damage. The Wii U Edition will also include exclusive costumes based on Nintendo franchises, such as Mario, Metroid, Star Fox and The Legend of Zelda.

Plot

Unlike the original Tekken Tag Tournament, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 features a storyline after Tekken 6, although it is still not canon. The main story mode is "Fight Lab". Just like last time, it is more of a "dream match", giving fans the opportunity to play as almost every character in the series up to that point, including some of those that had apparently been missing in the main Tekken storyline, in addition to the character roster of Tekken 6.
Violet is working on a new version of Combot. As soon as Combot is complete, Violet begins its simulation test. After the simulation test, the Combot explodes and destroys the lab. So Violet decides to use the other functioning Combot to complete the tests.

Characters

 

Further information: List of Tekken characters

The arcade version features all 41 playable characters from Tekken 6 (including Panda except now with her own character slot) along with Jun Kazama from Tekken 2, True Ogre (known in-game as just Ogre) from Tekken 3 and Jinpachi Mishima from Tekken 5 all with updated character designs. Devil Kazuya from the original Tekken also makes an appearance but as an in-game transformation of Kazuya and Unknown from the original Tekken Tag Tournament also reappears as the unplayable final boss, though she becomes playable in the console version via downloadable content. The game also introduces a masked character named Jaycee who is in fact Julia Chang's alter-ego. She retains her fighting style of Chinese Kenpo, with added Lucha Libre moves.
The console release of the game features a total of 59 characters, this includes the return of Kunimitsu, Michelle Chang and Prototype Jack from the original Tekken, Angel and Alex from Tekken 2, Tiger Jackson, Forest Law, Dr. Boskonovitch and Ancient Ogre (originally known as just Ogre) from Tekken 3, as well as Tekken 4's Miharu Hirano, Violet and Combot, the latter of which can be customized with various moves from other characters. Also, a slim version of Bob from his Tekken 6 ending and Sebastian, Lili's butler, make their debut as playable characters.
Unlike previous installments, certain characters who originally didn't speak in their native language, now do. Characters include Lili and Sebastian who now speak French, Eddy and Christie speaking Portuguese, Dr. Boskonovitch speaking Russian, Leo speaking German and Miguel speaking Spanish. This change doesn't affect all as there are some characters that still do not speak in their native language (e.g. Lars, Xiaoyu and Alisa).

Development

Promotional poster for the original arcade release.

Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada teased a new announcement on his Twitter feed on September 17, 2010. "TGS Sep 18(Sat) at Tougeki Booth. I'll announce something :D," tweeted Harada. It was rumored to be something related to Tekken X Street Fighter or Tekken 7. The game was announced to be Tekken Tag Tournament 2, sequel to last-gen's Tekken Tag Tournament, on September 18, 2010 at the Tougeki event as promised. On Twitter, producer Katsuhiro Harada stated that the game engine will be different from the one used in Tekken 6. The release of the arcade version of the game in Japan was originally planned for summer 2011, but due to complications derived from the Great East Japan Earthquake, the arcade release was tentatively been postponed to Autumn 2011. At the World Cyber Games 2010, Harada stated that the upcoming console version will feature additional console-exclusive returning characters and bonus gameplay modes. Also on Twitter, Harada suggested that the release of the console version of the game would take place between the releases of Street Fighter X Tekken and Tekken X Street Fighter.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Unlimited

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Unlimited is an update to original arcade release, Tekken Tag Tournament 2. It features a number of new items and customization options. It also gives the game a balance update from characters and items. It was released to Japanese arcades on March 27, 2012 and the console version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is based on this arcade version.
In the Unlimited version, the player can switch a ratio between Tag mode and Solo mode ("2 vs 2", "1 vs 2" or "1 vs 1"). There is also a "Pair Play" mode, which allows four players to fight simultaneously in pairs of two, much like the "Scramble Mode" in Street Fighter X Tekken. The Unlimited version also features the "Rage" system from Tekken 6 for Solo mode characters, and the new tag partner Rage system from the original arcade version of Tag Tournament 2 for Tag mode characters only. "Rage" gives characters more damage per hit when their vitality is below a certain point. Once activated, a reddish energy aura appears around the character, and their health bar starts to flicker in red. The "Netsu Power" appears when an on-screen character gets attacked a certain amount of times and the off-screen character's lifebar flashes. If the on-screen character tags out while the off-screen character's lifebar is flashing, the tagged character becomes slightly stronger.

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