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Tekken 6 Review
Written by Robert Workman on Friday, December 4, 2009
Four-button gameplay works on the PSP, huge assortment of characters and modes, earn cash to buy collectible goodies, terrific visuals and sound, AdHoc multiplayer, loads much quicker than the console versions.
No Campaign Scenario mode or online Infrastructure play.
Playing a fighting game for the PSP is sort of like going on a blind date with a girl and her overprotective, chaperoning mother. You'll have a good time, but something doesn't feel right. Thankfully, Namco Bandai set the standard with SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny, and it turned in a repeat performance with a quality port of Tekken 6.
For the most part, this game is similar to its console brethren. Several fighters are available, including past favorites (King and the fast-kicking Law) and new faces (the incredibly lethal robot, Alisa, and the large but badass Bob). Each one has their own techniques, parries, combos, throws and other attacks. We've taken a preference to the stronger characters in the game, such as King; his spinning body throw is still effective. However, there's nothing wrong choosing some of the more versatile characters in the game, such as the exotic Zafina or the agile Xiaoyu.
Where most fighting games for the PSP have broken controls, Tekken 6 works wonderfully. The d-pad is the best way to go, allowing you to use dodge moves, counters and blocking techniques with ease. We also love the four-button interface, with two assigned to both punches and kicks. Throws and combos are easy to do, and if you hit a snag, Practice mode lets you improve your skills.
Along with the Arcade and Practice Modes, Tekken 6 also has Ghost Battles mode, where you choose your next opponent and earn cash after beating him or her up. You then use your earned profits in a virtual store, purchasing items and alternative hairstyles for characters. (King looks glorious in a tweed hat.) A Challenge mode is also available, if you feel like stepping up and testing your Tekken skills.
In addition, Tekken 6 has multiplayer. Namco Bandai failed to include infrastructure play, but playing locally against a friend in AdHoc is still a lot of fun. You can get a group of buddies together and pass the systems back and forth, seeing who's the best handheld Tekken master.
On a side note, Campaign Scenario, one of the bigger modes in the console version, is absent, but you won't miss it. That mode is gimmicky anyway, made up of cheap bad guys and a ludicrous story.
Although it can't compare to the superior looking arcade version, PSP Tekken 6 holds its own. Fighters animate beautifully, whether you flip King around for a quick head slam or use Anna's lethal hand strikes. The backdrops are equally impressive, ranging from quiet grassy fields to husting, bustling city landscapes; they're a nice step up from the previously released Tekken: Dark Resurrection. The music and sound effects are also first-rate, even though they're nothing new for the Tekken universe.
Finally, Tekken 6 loads much faster than the console versions, giving you more time to pick a fight with your friends. There's even an install option that makes it go faster. If you download the game for PSP (or PSPgo), then it won't matter, but if you have the UMD version, we suggest giving it a try.
Namco has done great things with Tekken 6 on the PSP. It's enjoyable both alone and with friends, it looks and sounds terrific and has the one thing most portable fighting games lack, and that's enjoyable gameplay. Perhaps Capcom should take notes.
