As 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.[6] 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 be featured, similar to past Tekken games.[7]
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.[8][9]
The game has not the "Rage" system from Tekken 6, but a new tag partner Rage system like the "Netsu Power" in Tekken Tag Tournament. It appear when an on-screen character gets attacked a certain amount of time 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.
[edit]Plot
Like the original Tekken Tag Tournament, being a non-canon game, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 features no storyline. It is more of a "party game", 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.
[edit]Characters
In Tekken Tag Tournament 2, almost every character speaks in their native language. This has been noticed as Lili speaks French, Eddy Gordo and Christie Monteiro speak Portuguese, Leo Kliesen speaks German and Miguel Caballero Rojo speaks Spanish. Still, there are some characters that do not speak in their native language (e.g. Xiaoyu still speaks Japanese despite being from China).
The arcade version features all 41 playable characters from Tekken 6 (Alisa Bosconovitch, Anna Williams, Armor King II, Asuka Kazama, Baek Doo San, Bruce Irvin, Bryan Fury, Christie Monteiro, Craig Marduk, Devil Jin, Eddy Gordo, Emilie "Lili" de Rochefort, Feng Wei, Ganryu, Heihachi Mishima, Hwoarang, Jack-6, Jaycee/Julia Chang, Jin Kazama, Kazuya Mishima, King II, Kuma II, Lars Alexandersson, Lee Chaolan, Lei Wulong, Leo Kliesen, Ling Xiaoyu, Marshall Law, Miguel Caballero Rojo, Mokujin, Nina Williams, Panda, Paul Phoenix, Raven, Robert "Bob" Richards, Roger Jr., Sergei Dragunov, Steve Fox, Wang Jinrei, Yoshimitsu and Zafina) return along with Jun Kazama from Tekken 2, True Ogre from Tekken 3, Jinpachi Mishima from Tekken 5 and Unknown from Tekken Tag Tournament, all with updated character designs. Devil Kazuya also makes an appearance, but as part of Kazuya.
The console release of the game will feature over 50 characters, this includes the return of Combot from Tekken 4, who will appear as a customisable training dummy for the new "Fight Lab" feature.[10] So far Combot and Unknown are confirmed as console exclusive playable characters. Lee's alter ego Violet makes a non-playable appearance as the instructor in the game's "Fight Lab" mode,[11] while Crow, a generic soldier from the Tekken Force mini game of Tekken 3 who was also playable in Tekken Card Challenge, appears in the "Fight Lab" mode as an enemy, whether he is playable is unknown.[12]
[edit]Development
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.[13] 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.[14] On Twitter, producer Katsuhiro Harada has 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 has tentatively been postponed to Autumn 2011.[15] At the World Cyber Games 2010, Harada stated that the upcoming console version will feature additional console-exclusive returning characters and bonus gameplay modes.[16] 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.[17]
[edit]Tag Tournament 2 Unlimited
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Unlimited is an update to 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.[2] It was released to Japanese arcades on March 27, 2012 and the console version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 will be 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.[18] 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.[18]
Console version
The console version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 will be released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in September 2012. The console version will be based on the Ultimate version, and feature new characters in addition to the 44 already in the arcade version of the game, as well as new stages and an entirely new Practice Mode called "Fight Lab" featuring Combot as a customisable training dummy. The new "Fight Lab" mode will serve as a practicing ground for both beginners and advanced players with customisable bots.[5]
Promotion
The Tekken Hybrid Blu-ray Disc collection, released on November 22, 2011 contains the Tekken: Blood Vengeance CGI movie and an HD version of the original Tekken Tag Tournament, as well as a Prologue version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 for the PS3. The contents of the prologue version of the game mainly revolve around elements from the movie, and features only include four characters, Alisa Bosconovitch, Devil Jin, Devil Kazuya and Ling Xiaoyu.[19]
Prior to the release of Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Namco allowed players in North America for first time to try the full game at the Team Mad Catz booth during the 2012 MLG Winter Championships event.[20]