In January of 2010 the worlds of anime and fighting games collided with the release of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars. Does this game deserve to be in the same class as other Capcom fighting games, or is it just another in a long list of shovelware titles for the Nintendo Wii?  Grab your controller and hit START to find out!

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
System: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Capcom

Introduction

In the tradition of Capcom’s vs. series, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom brings together various characters from Capcom and characters from the animation powerhouse Tatsunoko in glorious battle.

Gameplay
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom is the 7th entry into Capcom’s fighting game vs. series and the first entry to use 3D rendered graphics instead of the, up until then, traditional 2D sprites.  While the character and backgrounds are fully 3D rendered, fighting still happens on a 2D plane. Players select two characters for tag team fighting and then battle it out against the CPU or a friend. Controlling the combat can be done a multitude of ways. Players can use the Wii Remote (on it’s side during actual gameplay), the Wii Remote & Nunchuk combo, the Wii Classic controller, the GameCube controller, and there was even a Tatsunoko vs Capcom Arcade stick released as well. So no matter what controller style you’re used to, this game has you covered.

As far as the actual gameplay, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom is really no different than any other of Capcom’s offerings in their vs. games.  Players select their fighters, then try to drain the life bar of the opposing team in a best out of 3 round competition. During the fight a “Hyper Combo Gage” will fill up, allowing your team to execute various hyper combos that unleash total damage on your opponents.

Graphics
As stated earlier this game was the first in the vs. series to use fully 3D rendered graphics and even on the, not super powerful, Wii console. The colors are bright, animation is clean and fluid, and the action is fast and furious. If it wasn’t for the controller in your hand, you’d forget you’re even playing the game on a Nintendo Wii. Capcom made sure to squeeze every last bit of power out of the console to make sure this fighting game entry is as good as the games that came before it.

Game Modes
Arcade-
As straight forward as it gets. Fight against CPU-controlled opponents.  Beat each round of fighters to advance to the next round.  Defeat all the characters to clear Arcade mode.

Versus-
Grab a friend and throw them a controller for some player against player action.  Then taunt them without mercy as you beat them into submission.

Training-
Hone your skills and perfect your fighting style under a variety of conditions.

Survival-
Do you have what it takes to survive a gauntlet of opponents? Try to defeat as many as you can with limited health.

Time Attack-
See how quickly you can defeat your opponents.

Shop-
Purchase items collected from playing the other modes.

Gallery-
View characters and illustrations.

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection-
Connect your Wii console using the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection to battle players around the world.

Play Data-
View gameplay information and ranking.

Options-
Change various game settings.

Conclusion
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is a worthy entry into Capcom’s vs series and I would highly recommend adding it to your fighting game collection. With a multitude of game modes and characters (over 20 in total), Tatsunoko vs. Capcom might just breathe new life into your Nintendo Wii console that is sitting collecting dust.