Like all the best ideas, Tatsunoko Vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars makes you wonder why it wasn't done before. In case you're unfamiliar with what Tatsunoko Production actually is, here's a taster. Neon Genesis Evangelion, Samurai Pizza Cats and the frankly brilliant Gatchaman (the original Battle Of The Planets) are some of the prolific anime studio's output over some 40 years. Much of it has gained a fanatical following over here, so the thought of pitching key characters from those series against some classic Capcom brawlers is a deeply intriguing one.
It's not a new idea. We've seen the Vs Marvel and Vs SNK games, but Tatsunoko is much more novel because the characters associated with it aren't as well known in a videogames sphere. Ken The Eagle with his cape and razor boomerang? Yes please. He's loads more interesting than yet another generic beefed up superhero. Cybernetic neorider Casshern? That fella's utterly beserk - we'd have him over The Hulk any day of the week.
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If the character roster isn't quite as well-known to western audiences as past games, the stellar combat should be. In a fitting tribute to its source material, nothing is held back. Damage routinely reaches dizzying 10-digit proportions. Casshern's cyborg canine sidekick can be called upon to spew nuclear dogbreath over opponents; the 200-tonne robot Gold Lightan forces the game to recalibrate its sights to fit him in - and then a laser beam the size of Big Ben challenges the camera a little bit more.
Broad Humour Like anything involving cigarette lighters which unfold into 30-foot high killing machines, Tatsunoko Vs Capcom is a game with a sense of humour almost as broad as Chun-Li's thighs. But despite all this tomfoolery, the game is a slick and streamlined affair. Weak, medium and heavy attacks are simply designated to three of the face buttons and directional motions govern just how many millions of units' damage will be done. Every character has nine special moves, three core ones and then three variations of each, and they're not hard to unleash. But endless special moves might make Tatsunoko Vs Capcom lose its lustre if there's not some system in place to prevent them being spammed all the time.
Four-player tag team matches add to the chaos, and you're able to pair Capcom and Tatsunoko characters together on the same side. Eighting's development team spent days watching series after series of classic anime to transform the cartoon heroes into videogame smash-up merchants, and that's been time well spent. It's hard to see how this game can be played without a grin. With a step into the world of TV cartoons, more possibilities abound. Capcom Vs Ulysses 31 anyone?
