Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom:  Ultimate All-Stars is a game that few thought would ever see the light of day.  The original TvC game, Cross Generation of Heroes, was a Japan-exclusive release that was made with that nation's audience squarely in mind, due largely to half of the roster being made up of characters from the library of animation studio Tatsunoko Production.  However, with effort made on the part of both Capcom and Tatsunoko, miles of red tape were cleared and an enhanced version of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom was developed for an international audience.
 

While the roster of Tatsunoko characters will largely be unknown to most westerners, the lack of familiarity shouldn't be off-putting to those interested in the game for its gameplay.  Descended from the line of over-the-top Capcom Versus titles that spawned the popular Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Ultimate All-Stars is a fast-paced, frenetic fighting game that emphasizes tag team gameplay and flashy special and super attacks.  The basic controls feature three attack buttons for light, medium, and strong attacks, and a partner button that's used to call in the player's partner character for an assist or to switch out and take control.  Compared to more standard fighting game fare like Street Fighter IV, the jumps are higher, the hadoukens are bigger and the damage is greater, but there are layers of depth and technique that belie the hyperactive exterior.  A new technique called a Baroque allows the player to sacrifice the red health of their active fighter to temporarily boost their attack strength and extend combos, while a Mega Crash can be invoked at the cost of health and super meter energy to break out of an opponent's combo.
 
The biggest new feature added to Ultimate All-Stars is easily online play.  While the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection has its limitations, Capcom did an excellent job in crafting a solid online experience, with leaderboards to track progress and user profiles that allow for a degree of customization in the form of icons that can be unlocked offline.  The game features the standard Friends roster built through the exchange of Friend Codes, but players also have the option of tagging each other as rivals, which are tracked on a separate list.  Functionally, Rivals matches are similar to Friends matches, only without having to exchange twelve-digit numbers; a definite plus.
 

The game's online ranking system is determined by acquiring Battle Points, similar to the method used in Street Fighter IV.  By defeating opponents, players gradually earn BP and rise in rank, earning new titles.  Standard unranked matches can also be fought that don't add to the player's BP total, but a separate Win/Loss record is tracked for these matches, as well.  In the matches I've played online, some minor lag has popped up here and there, but thus far I can't say it's been a crippling issue.  Most of the time, it's been pretty smooth sailing, though my matches have thus far been found using the domestic search filter.  Overall, the game's online is a welcome addition, and credit should be given to Capcom for building as robust a system as they have within the confines of Nintendo's online service.
 
Ultimate All-Stars features a roster of 26 fighters.  The vast majority of the roster is retained from Cross Generation of Heroes with only one Tatsunoko character removed due to licensing issues.  The five new characters exclusive to Ultimate All-Stars need to be unlocked by playing Arcade Mode, but as a whole, the cast provides for host of diverse match-ups.  Characters like Capcom's Batsu and Tatsunoko's Yatterman-1 provide good entry points for newcomers, while others, such as Saki and Doronjo have more esoteric movesets that require more practice in order to use effectively.  Each side of the roster is also represented by one giant character; the PTX-40A from Lost Planet:  Extreme Condition and the titular figure of the anime Golden Warrior Gold Lightan.  These oversized fighters are forced to fight by themselves, but their size and power make up for being outnumbered.  Notable balance issues in Cross Generation of Heroes such as infinites have also been removed, evening the playing field to a great degree.  The balance remains more relaxed than in a standard fighter like Street Fighter IV, but its relaxed in favor of the game's pacing and never feels like it's broken.
 
Like many Wii games, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom supports multiple control styles.  Players can, if they so choose, play the game using either the Wii Remote/Nunchuk combo, GameCube controller, or a sideways Wii Remote using a neutered control scheme.  However, the most preferable way to pay is with either a Classic Controller or an arcade stick accessory such as those produced by Hori or Mad Catz.
 
Regardless of your familiarity with the Tatsunoko characters, if you enjoy fighting games, particularly those of the more manic Versus variety and own a Wii, this is a game that you should really check out.  With a full range of features, easy-to-pick up gameplay and a quality online component, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom:  Ultimate All-Stars is one of the best, most unique fighting games of this generation on any platform.