It seems like a Nintendo Direct cannot go by without mentioning a Pokemon title, and the most recent Direct was no different. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will be getting DLC packs soon and a brand-new Detective Pikachu game is on the horizon. There are likely even more Pokemon games in development, but one spin-off seems to have been forgotten. While it may have had a presence on two Nintendo consoles, it seems like the days of Pokken Tournament are over.
There are so many different Pokemon spin-offs that bring the franchise to new genres, but some of the most exciting ones have been left behind. Pokken Tournament was one of these exciting ones as it brought the series to the fighting game genre for a new type of Pokemon experience. While it was not perfect, it still offered something unique and challenging for fans to enjoy. It may not have been as popular as other spin-offs, but that does not mean the concept should be left to gather dust.
Pokken Tournament Shouldn't Be Forgotten
Pokken Tournament was a brand-new fighting game set within the Pokemon franchise. Unlike the mainline series, this game was developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment, and it put players in direct control of the Pokemon themselves. They could take control of 23 different Pokemon in Pokken Tournament DX, and each one offered a unique gameplay style for players to master. It had everything that fighting game fans could expect from a game like this, but with a Pokemon twist.
Pokken Tournament pit two fighters against each other on stages that looked like Pokemon Stadiums. Each fighter would control a Pokemon, and they would be able to use that Pokemon's abilities to decimate their opponent. They could engage in typical fighting game shenanigans and then finish their opponent off with special movies or Mega Evolutions. On top of that, they could also call in Support Pokemon to lend a hand if things got too rough.
The gameplay of Pokken Tournament was unique because it split the fights into two distinct phases. The battle would shift between the two phases depending upon what was happening, and each required different gameplay styles. The Field Phase let players move around the battlefield freely while the Duel Phase locked them into the typical fighting game perspective. Both phases had their benefits and helped make a very different type of fighting game.
While it does not seem like Nintendo has any future plans for Pokken Tournament, there was a time when it was going all in on the concept. The game first came to Japanese arcades in July 2015 before launching worldwide on the Wii U in 2016. This was one of the few major Pokemon games that the Wii U got during its tenure, and that made it a pretty big deal. It would end up outselling Street Fighter 5 in the US and would even get nominated for Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards.
It seemed like Nintendo had a major hit on its hands, and it would further expand Pokken Tournament with the launch of the Nintendo Switch. The studio would port the game over under the name Pokken Tournament DX and add to it considerably. Five new fighters and some new game modes were introduced, and two DLC packs would expand the roster even further. At the end of 2018, the game had 23 playable Pokemon and seemed to be here to stay. However, that would drastically change once the second DLC pack released.
Since 2018, Nintendo has done nothing with the Pokken Tournament concept. The concept worked very well and was successful at first, but it seems like the studio has no interest in capitalizing on it, and that is a shame. The game was unlike any other Pokemon spin-off before it, and it does not deserve to be abandoned like this. With a new Nintendo console allegedly on the horizon, there has never been a better time to revisit this exciting series.
Pokken Tournament DX is available now for Nintendo Switch.
