Pokken Tournament Now Available on Wii U

Written by Brandon Hofer on March 19, 2016

News: The new Pokemon fighting game is now available on Wii U and was a joint effort between Nintendo and Bandai Namco.

Pokken Tournament is now available for the Wii U. Developed in collaboration with Bandai Namco, the creators of the acclaimed Tekken fighting series, Pokkén Tournament employs multiple move sets and abilities for each character, offering hard-core fighting game fans and people new to the genre the chance to master the game.

"Pokkén Tournament will appeal to Pokémon fans, fighting game players and even casual gamers looking for an action-packed game," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. "It's another example of the unique experiences players can only get on Nintendo systems."

Each Pokémon in the game – 16 total fighters in all! – possesses unique moves (composed of weak, strong and special attacks) that are specific to that character. Pikachu, for example, can use Thunder, which strikes down opponents with a bolt of electricity, while Lucario unleashes his patented Aura Sphere, enveloping fighters in energy. Playing as a Pokémon and performing these special moves is both satisfying and a dream come true for lifelong Pokémon fans. In addition to the main 16 playable Pokémon, 30 additional Pokémon can be called upon to support the player in battle. These support Pokémon include some beloved characters like Diglett and Magneton, and can turn the tide of battle by temporarily helping when called.

In the game's single-player mode, players can level up a Pokémon's stats like Attack and Defense as they battle other fighters in various leagues. Players can even personalize their trainer card with their preferred Pokémon fighter, customized clothing for their avatar and an online greeting. This online greeting will be used when battling other Pokkén Tournament players in the game's online mode. In addition to playing online, players can battle friends and family members in local multiplayer matches. When playing local multiplayer, one player plays on the Wii U GamePad controller, while the other uses the TV screen and either a Wii U Pro Controller, Classic Controller or the Pokkén controller (sold separately).

Pokkén Tournament also includes amiibo support. Tapping any amiibo figure or card (sold separately) will unlock items in the game. As a bonus, players who purchase the physical version of the game at launch will receive a Shadow Mewtwo amiibo card bundled with the game. When used, this special card instantly unlocks Shadow Mewtwo as a playable character.

Pokkén Tournament is now available at a suggested retail price of $59.99, and can be purchased in stores, in the Nintendo eShop on Wii U and at Nintendo.com. For more information about the game, visit http://www.pokkentournament.com. Will you be picking it up? Tell us what you think below.