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Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
(Capcom/
Tatsunoko Productions)
In a time when the economically over-inflated menagerie that is so often the video game industry is being almost continuously redefined (let’s face it, folks; the ‘chart-topping’ games of our collective youth(s) haven’t exactly aged well, now have they?), many once prominent formats that had, for various reasons, slipped from the limelight, have again found themselves the focus of intense renewed interest. Unfortunately, despite even the most sincere of intentions, a disproportionately vast array of such endeavors are often inexplicably marred by substandard production values, less-than-faithful character recreations and confusing, illogical controller interfaces. This, however, is most definitely not the case with the highly-anticipated Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, the latest adrenaline-fueled ‘…fighting game…’ offering from corporate behemoth Capcom.
On the stellar Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (2010, ESRB: Teen, MSRP: $49.99), an expertly assembled, side-scrolling ‘crossover fighter’, the game commences with the gamer (i.e. you, the increasingly faithful reader) choosing from a multitude of Tatsunoko and Capcom characters to created a tag team. Offering a staggering wealth of options from the Mega Man, Street Fighter and Yatterman series’, the gamer is immediately plunged headlong into a series of seven stages that, dependent on the skill-set of the individual, eventually lead to a ‘…boss fight…’ (Yami from Ōkami). The carefully orchestrated insanity that ensues, while obviously intentionally reminiscent of its wildly-successful predecessors, is uniquely riveting without being redundant, yielding an all-encompassing experience that is initially as addictive as it is visually appealing.
Fortified throughout by a bevy of stunning, painstakingly detailed levels, and a tidal wave of delightfully frantic carnage, the game wastes little--if any--time driving home each focal point with a truly sickening ease. Wisely intertwining both Survival and Time Attack modes and a Shop containing additional unlockable characters (most notably Frank West from Dead Rising, who not surprisingly, is rather ably assisted by Zombies), alternate character costumes, character profiles, illustrations and movies amid what can only be described as a refreshingly forthright delivery, the game quickly exceeds all expectations. While arguably not ‘…on par…’ with the curiously overlooked Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Cross Generation Of Heroes (issued in 2008 for both Arcade and Wii), the overabundance of pulse-pounding action is more than ample compensation.
An absolute must-have for any die-hard Street Fighter enthusiast (or, for that matter, anyone with a genuine and sincere interest in the ‘…Dream Tag Match Battle…’ sub-genre), the majority--if not all--of the decidedly intense gameage contained herein is seemingly guaranteed to leave even the most jaded and unimaginative of enthusiasts only wanting for more. While most certainly not as technically in-depth or precise as many of the most recent Capcom offerings (most notably the brilliant Dead Space: Extraction), the end result(s) are indeed nothing short of extraordinary. Easily the most intensely diverse yet user-friendly offering amid the already oft-coveted Capcom Vs. series, the game’s 2.5D graphical plane effectively bridges the more than considerable distance between the side-scrolling primitiveness of the past and the vast, over-complex inanities of the present.
Is it groundbreaking? Is it revolutionary? Absolutely not; but then again, that’s not really the point, now is it? Although the proverbial average gamer may ultimately find the overall length--or general lack thereof--of the otherwise deftly-executed Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars to be less than thoroughly satisfying (particularly when the veritable plethora of undeniably ingenious ‘Mini-Games’ aren’t accurately taken into consideration), one must, at the very least, sincerely admire the nostalgia-inducing trips down memory lane it so effortlessly inspires. Accordingly, if you’ve once again found yourself in search of a delightfully action-packed alternative to the painfully mindless din and clatter that is so often the mainstream, then this, my friends, might just be the slightly ‘…Old School…’ cure for whatever it is that ails you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Select Gameography
Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (2010)
Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Cross Generation Of Heroes (2008)
SVC: Card Fighters DS (2006)
Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroes (2002)
Marvel Vs. Capcom: Clash Of Super Heroes (2000)
Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter (1997)