New "Pokemon" Game to Teach Responsible Pet Ownership...Just Kidding, It's a Fighting Game From the People Behind "Tekken"

A Pokemon fighting game? From the people behind Tekken? Meet Pokken Tournament.

Photo Removed
Complex Original

Blank pixel used during image takedowns

Photo Removed

For multiple generations of fans Pokemon has inhabited a very special cross section of nostalgia, collectible card game, and illegal dog-fighting.

This morning The Pokemon Company has announced a partnership with Bandai Namco to release Pokkén Tournament. A Japan-only arcade title that has done you the favor of removing all of the discovering, training, and caring for wild Pokemon and will just be bringing you all of the battling. Instead of looking like underground dog-fighting, Pokemon will now look more like bare-knuckle boxers brawling for a Grey Hound bus ticket. Bandai Namco are the same people behind the long-standing Tekken fighting franchise and Pokkén Tournament is framing itself as an action-fighting game hoping to appeal to both casual and hardcore fans of the Pokemon brand. There's currently no word on a Western arcade or console release, but Nintendo would be insane to not port this over to the Wii U as soon as possible considering the dearth of fighting games (aside from Smash Bros.) on the console.

Latest in Pop Culture