365//365: Day 227 – Tekken Tag Tournament (PS2) [PP]

Tekken Tag Tournament was the best way to introduce the franchise into the PlayStation 2. The core gameplay remains intact, providing satisfying 3D fighting with a diverse cast of characters. Controls are responsive and there’s no substantial difference in how each of the characters play. As the name implies, Tekken Tag Tournament features tag team gameplay, only seen again in the GBA title Tekken Advance. It’s a shame that this feature wasn’t used more often, as the strategy of each fight changes, giving the franchise a fresh new take. While the gameplay doesn’t change up as significantly as it does with a title such as X-Men vs Street Fighter when compared to Marvel Superheroes, there’s still enough of a difference in tactics and strategy to make the player think and play accordingly. The visual leap was pretty impressive, as backgrounds look gorgeous, with some stages featuring foliage in the foreground. You’ll feel some Tekken 3 deja vu on occasions, but for its era and as a title that’s never been. As with each installment of the series, the effects consistently match each  attack blow for blow, with vocal cues that are appropriate, and appropriately cheesy when need be. Unfortunately, the  music is completely forgettable. It’s not incoherent or poorly composed, but there’s nothing that gets you hooked further into the battle. Thankfully the tight gameplay, tag elements and competitive multiplayer components sing a song of success. Easily found, low priced, fans of the genre that own a PS2 are recommended to pick up this title if its not in your library of games.

Even for an early PS2 game that's based of the CD ROM media, Tekken Tag Tournament is filled to the brim with quality and quantity across the board.

Rating: 8.5