is a crossover fighting game developed by Eighting and published by Capcom. The game features characters from both Capcom's video game franchises and various anime series produced by Tatsunoko Production. It was originally released in Japan for arcades and the Wii video game console in December 2008 as Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes. Following high demand from international fans, Capcom worked with Tatsunoko to resolve international licensing issues and a second version, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, was released for the Wii in North America, Japan, and Europe in January 2010, featuring additional characters and online multiplayer.
In Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, players engage in combat with a team of two characters or with a single giant character and attempt to knock out their opponents. It is the seventh Capcom-designed installment in their Vs. fighting game series, which includes the Marvel vs. Capcom and Capcom vs. SNK series, and the first to be fully rendered in 3D graphics. The game is set in a 2.5D environment; characters fight in a two-dimensional arena, but character models and backgrounds are rendered in three-dimensional graphics. The game is designed around a simplified three-button attack system, which was inspired by the simplistic control schemes commonly used by both the Vs. series and the Wii.
The game received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its approachable gameplay for newcomers and depth for veteran players. However, reviewers had mixed experiences with its online component, and found Arcade mode lacking in replay value. According to the game's producer, Ryota Niitsuma, development difficulties and a lack of Wii fighting games were the reasons for its platform exclusivity; however, multiple critics questioned if that was the best choice. Capcom announced in April 2010 that the game was a commercial success.
Gameplay
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom is a tag team-based fighting game in which players control characters with different attacks and fighting styles, and engage in combat to deplete their opponent's life gauge. The gameplay is set in a 2.5D environment where the characters are rendered in three-dimensional graphics, but their movements are restricted to a two dimensional plane; they may only move left and right, and upward through the air. Each player may select a team of two characters and can switch between them during combat. Alternatively, players may select one of two "giant" characters, who cannot be played as part of a team. When characters switch, the incoming one performs a special attack upon entry, and the previous one can regenerate health.Eighting/Capcom (2010), p. 18. Characters not in play may be used to assist, and to perform powerful team moves.Eighting/Capcom (2010), p. 20. A match ends when a team has no characters left, or when the timer reaches zero—in which case, the team with the most remaining life wins.Eighting/Capcom (2010), p. 7.
The arcade release of Cross Generation of Heroes has a control scheme consisting of a joystick and four buttons. Wii versions of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom have five control options: the Classic Controller, Nintendo GameCube controller, third-party arcade sticks, and two simplified control schemes—intended for inexperienced players—for the Wii Remote. Players use controller inputs to perform attacks; the most basic attacks are executed by pressing one of three attack buttons: light, medium, or strong. Players may augment basic attacks with joystick or control pad directional inputs; for example, a standard strong attack can become a sweep when the down input is added.Eighting/Capcom (2010), pp. 19, 21. Basic attacks can be strung together to perform combos.
Each character has unique "universal techniques"—special attacks that are more powerful than normal moves—that require complex control inputs.Eighting/Capcom (2010), pp. 24–35.Eighting/Capcom (2010), pp. 16–17. Similar inputs are used to perform even stronger versions of special moves called Hyper Combos and Team Hyper Combos; these deal damage relative to the size of the player's Hyper Combo gauge, which increases when the character inflicts or receives damage.Eighting/Capcom (2010), p. 22. Certain universal techniques are usable by all characters; for example, each character possesses one that launches opponents upward, rendering them vulnerable to an "air combo".Eighting/Capcom (2010), p. 19. Other common universal techniques include the "Baroque Combo", which sacrifices the regenerable portion of a character's life gauge, but allows players to extend combos and deal more damage; and the "Mega Crash", which creates a temporary barrier around the character to knock back opponents, but partially drains their Hyper Combo and life gauges.
Modes Cross Generation of Heroes, the 2008 Wii version of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, has an Arcade game mode: the player fights against artificial intelligence (AI)-controlled opponents to reach the final boss character, Yami from Ōkami. Time attack and Survival modes are also available, and require the player to defeat every character in the game. While Survival limits health regeneration, Time attack challenges players to win in the shortest time possible. Other modes include Vs. Mode, in which two players engage in combat, and Original Games, which sees up to four players competing in character-specific minigames. Using money obtained throughout the game, the player may purchase unlockable characters, alternate character costumes, minigames, character profiles, movies, illustrations, and background music. Once purchased, the latter four are viewable in a gallery. The arcade release of Cross Generation of Heroes omits the game modes, and instead features a character selection screen from which a player may compete against either AI opponents or a second player.
Ultimate All-Stars has largely the same features as the Wii version of Cross Generation of Heroes, with the exception of Original Games; instead, it features a top-down shooter minigame set in the Lost Planet world called "Ultimate All-Shooters". Unique to Ultimate All-Stars is Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support for Vs. Mode competition over the Internet. Online multiplayer matches may be played either with registered friends or opponents, or randomly selected participants. Players can choose from randomly selected opponents to be of a rank similar to their own. Rank is decided by battle points, which fluctuate when a ranked match is won or lost. Once a match is completed, players can add a consenting opponent to a Rival Roster for future matches.Eighting/Capcom (2010), pp. 12–13.
Playable characters Tatsunoko vs. Capcom features playable characters drawn from Capcom video game franchises like Street Fighter, Mega Man, and Viewtiful Joe and Tatsunoko Production anime franchises such as Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, Yatterman, and Casshan. The original arcade version of Cross Generation of Heroes features 18 characters, which was increased to 22 for its Wii release; this was increased again to 26 for Ultimate All-Stars, though one character from the previous version was not included. The rosters of both Cross Generation of Heroes and Ultimate All-Stars are evenly divided between Tatsunoko and Capcom characters. The game's two largest and most powerful characters, Tatsunoko's Gold Lightan and Capcom's PTX-40A, cannot have partners; by extension, they cannot perform universal techniques that require a partner. Non-playable characters, derived from Capcom and Tatsunoko intellectual properties, make cameo appearances during certain attacks; for example, Casshan is assisted by his robotic dog, Friender, while Doronjo is accompanied by her lackeys Boyacky and Tonzura.
Tatsunoko characters
Capcom characters
Development Cross Generation of Heroes
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom was conceived when Tatsunoko Production asked Capcom to develop a game with Tatsunoko characters. In-company discussions at Capcom about it started in mid-2006; Capcom producer Ryota Niitsuma was interested in producing a fighting game, and agreed with other Capcom employees that Tatsunoko's characters would be better suited for a Vs. game than a Street Fighter game. The resulting project was the seventh Capcom-designed entry in the Vs. series and the first in over seven years. In the 2000s decade, fighting games were less popular and plentiful than in the mid-1990s, with multiplayer competition shifting towards other genres.
The research and development team started work in parallel with Street Fighter IV. "Capcom [hoped to] bring back the fighting genre into the mainstream market [...] with a serious fighting game for very hardcore fans, and another with a slightly lowered barrier to entry," Niitsuma said. Eighting, Capcom's hired developer, took on the job in early 2007. Tatsunoko vs. Capcoms design was a departure from the complex attack systems of the Street Fighter series, and of certain Vs. titles. The game is built around a simplified three-button attack system (light, medium, and strong); it was inspired by the control systems commonly used by both the Vs. series and the Wii, which allows intricate moves to be performed with basic control inputs.
On May 22, 2008, Capcom announced the game, titled Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes, for release in Japanese arcades. The arcade cabinets' system board was proprietary hardware based on the Wii. Beta units were sent to test locations in Tokyo (July 10–13) and Osaka (July 25–27). By September, the game was 70% complete, and a Wii version was announced for Japanese release. Capcom gradually revealed the game's cast until release.
When choosing candidates for the Tatsunoko and Capcom character rosters, the development team was free to nominate any character it wished. However, the team faced limitations on its Tatsunoko candidates; Niitsuma explained, "[We] had to consider licensing issues. Once we had that list we had to figure out how to make a balanced fighting game. On top of that we wanted a good balance between male and female characters." Selection emphasis was placed on main characters, rather than on villains. Certain characters were denied by Tatsunoko Production without explanation to Capcom. "We weren't privy to a lot of their decision making process. They didn't share a lot of reasons with us. When they said no and we asked why, they wouldn't tell us, but would give us another suggestion," Niitsuma said. They disallowed characters from Genesis Climber MOSPEADA or Samurai Pizza Cats, despite the high number of fan requests for the latter. The eponymous characters of Tatsunoko's Muteking, The Dashing Warrior and Nurse Witch Komugi were among those planned for inclusion, but were eventually scrapped. The finalized Tatsunoko cast consists of characters that the team enjoyed in their youth. The development team hoped to include Phoenix Wright and Franziska von Karma from Capcom's Ace Attorney series, but, while the latter's use of a whip made her easy to incorporate, the team struggled to find appropriate attacks for Phoenix. Since Phoenix doesn't move from the waist down in his original game environment, the team considered adding tires to his desk and having the entirety move as a single character. However, this was abandoned due to potential collision issues. Though they envisioned an attack that used his catch-phrase "", with the letters themselves used to attack the opponent, they found that localization would have changed the Japanese four-character phrase (in kanji) to a ten-letter word in English, unbalancing the game. According to Niitsuma, during an interview with Siliconera, the inclusion of the race car driver and title character from Speed Racer was discussed but could not be incorporated as he lacked a viable moveset and the vehicle itself wasn't feasible. Arthur from Ghosts 'n Goblins, and Ingrid from Capcom Fighting Evolution were also scrapped.