Lucario | Geekscape

Not Quite ‘Tekken’ And Not Quite ‘Pokemon’, ‘Pokken Tournament’ Is A Completely Different Monster

by Josh JacksonMarch 9, 2016

Gamers such as myself have been patiently waiting for the release of Pokken Tournament since it was first revealed in 2013. While Super Smash Bros. is great and all, the idea of a fighting game dedicated to Pokemon designed by the the team behind the Tekken series seemed like the greatest thing I never knew I wanted. Luckily for us, we didn’t have to wait until the March 11th release date to get our first taste of how our favorite monsters fare in the fighting arena, as we found ourselves at the Pokken Tournament preview event to give the game a spin. Whatever it was that I was expecting, that all went out the window when I picked up the Game Pad and played a couple of rounds, because it was unlike any fighter I’ve played to date.

More specifically, what makes Pokken Tournament so unique is its Shift Change mechanic. Fights start off in a 3D diagonal perspective reminiscent of the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm games where each fighter will have full range of motion within the circular arena. That’s when some of your favorite Pokemon like Charizard, Lucario, Machamp and Pikachu among others will vie for positioning by confusing opponents with their projectile, homing and quick attacks. However, when specific hits are landed either as a one off or in a combo, the perspective shifts to a 2D plane, changing the way the fight is approached with the change in conditions. Of course, hitting certain attacks in 2D will shift the battle back to 3D, so if you or your character is better in 3D, you’ll want to switch back as fast as possible.

Making matters more interesting are the assist characters that can jump in during a match. By choosing a predetermined pair before the fight, each round asks players to choose which one of the two they want to bring out as their partner. Some like Emolga and Frogadier are straight attackers, while Pokemon like Eevee will give stat boosts for an extra advantage in battle. In Pokken Tournament, it’s not just enough to fight well, because synergy with your support character will be the difference between two evenly matched combatants.

Managing your supports, laying in your standard attacks, knowing when to unleash your Mega Evolution, (and the super move that comes with it), and utilizing guard breaking throws are just some of what you’ll find yourself mastering in the retail version of the game, and that’s on top of the many counter mechanics I’ve yet to fully explore! Feeling much deeper than what you would expect from a Pokemon spinoff while being friendly enough to pick up and play without much trouble, I expect that fans new and old will love their time in the arena when Pokken Tournament is in our hands. Look out for our full review in the coming days, but one thing’s for sure from our short time with the game; it’s nothing like you’ve played before.

Amiibo Surprises Galore! Early 2016 Brings New Amiibo And Functionality To The Table!

by Matt RodriguezJanuary 21, 2016

Make ready your Amiibo-tapping fingers, because a wave of new details have just been announced! Nintendo is continuing to feed our Amiibo fever by launching new Amiibo, unveiling release dates, and even providing details on how some of the new figures will work!

First, details regarding the Wolf Link amiibo and its functionality in the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD. The physical version of the game includes both the Wolf Link Amiibo and the game, and it launches March 4 at a suggested retail price of $59.99! As described in our earlier article, the other currently available Legend of Zelda Amiibo figures will also activate special effects within the game, so it may be worth picking them up at the same time (if you don’t already own them)! Also, it has been announced that the Wolf Link amiibo will be compatible with the Wii U Legend of Zelda game launching later this year, although we still don’t have details on Amiibo functionality or release date for that title.

Next up, March 18 will see the launch of several new amiibo from the Animal Crossing series! Namely, the new Amiibo that will be available are Timmy and Tommy, Kapp’n, and Rover. Digby, which was previously only available with the Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival bundle, will also be available as a stand-alone amiibo. All of the currently released physical Animal Crossing amiibo, including the upcoming ones, are based on major NPC characters (such as shop owners) in the Animal Crossing universe, and are largely used in Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival, although several of them can also be used to unlock Super Mario Maker costumes. Also, later on in March, the third wave of Animal Crossing Amiibo cards will be launched, expanding the catalog of available cards to a whopping 300! Animal Crossing cards are based on the NPC villagers that can move into a town with the main character, although there are card versions of the major NPCs as well–these cards are used mainly with Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer where you can build a home for each villager and save the created home to the card. They can also be used in Amiibo Festival, although only with side-games. For more information on specific functionality with amiibo, please check Nintendo’s amiibo compatibility list.

Another game that has been announced with Amiibo functionality is Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Both the Mario and Sonic Amiibo can be used with this game, and these will activate a “daily power” that will boost each individual character. Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games has a launch date of March 18, at a suggested retail price of $39.99.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Pokémon, some of the Pokémon Amiibo will be available again at select retailers. Prepare for the return of Charizard, Jigglypuff, Greninja, and Lucario! Note that it doesn’t mention Mewtwo, but based on my own travels, Mewtwo stock doesn’t seem hard to find (yet). Who knows–maybe amiibo functionality with a new Pokémon game is right around the corner!

And finally, Amiibo compatibility has been confirmed for Star Fox Zero, launching exclusively on Wii U on April 22. More details on Amiibo functionality with the title will be revealed at a later date. The Star Fox franchise is one of Nintendo’s strongest, following several anthropomorphic animal space pilots on their various intergalactic missions. After our recent expeditions on the planet Mira with Xenoblade Chronicles, and the resurgence of Star Wars with Episode VII, we are looking forward to jumping back into the deep reaches of space with Fox and his crew, using the Wii U’s GamePad as our cockpit!

How do you feel about this new wave of Amiibo news? Has it forced your Amiibo fever to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit? Please let us know in the comments!

‘Pokkén Tournament’ Gets A Bad-Ass New Trailer!

by Derek KraneveldtFebruary 19, 2015

Briefly: We still don’t know if we’ll ever get a chance to play it, but Pokkén Tournament sure looks to be shaping up nicely.

A new trailer for the game debuted at this year’s Japan Amusement Expo, and while it reveals no new characters (and few other surprises), the 60FPS video offers a gorgeous look at the upcoming fighter.

Take a look at the trailer below, and let us know what you think. Currently, Pokkén Tournaments is confirmed only for Japanses arcades. Don’t you miss arcades?

The Creators Of ‘Tekken’ Bring ‘Pokemon’ To Arcades With ‘Pokken Tournament’!

by Josh JacksonAugust 30, 2014

Remember that image from late last year featuring Lucario face to face with Blaziken in a 3D space? After months of speculation, and even our own E3 predictions expecting as much, The Pokemon Company has officially unveiled Pokken Tournament, a 3D fighting game that is heading to Japanese arcades in 2015!

Developed by the team behind the popular Tekken series, Pokken Tournament will promises to bring that fighting pedigree to the world of Pokemon. With Lucario, Blaziken and the king of the Starter Deck, Machamp, there are still questions that are left unanswered. Will there be more than just fighting types included? When will it be released? And when, (not if,) will the game receive a console release, especially outside of Japan?

It might be a long time before we find out the answers, but for the time being, we can watch the game’s reveal trailer to our heart’s content. Check it out below, then tell us who you’re hoping makes the jump to the fighting game world!

Lucario Returns To ‘Super Smash Bros. For Wii U/3DS

by Josh JacksonFebruary 7, 2014

After what felt like an eternity, a new character has been confirmed for Super Smash Bros. And it’s a character that many people pegged as likely to get cut.

Lucario, the fighting/steel type Pokemon and mascot of Generation IV will be making his return to the Smash arena. Making his debut in Brawl, it seems that little has changed with the character’s moveset, which is highlighted by the fact that it gets more powerful as it takes damage. With that said, I’m fully expecting to see Lucario’s mega form in some shape or form. Maybe it will transform while using its Aura Storm Final Smash?

But wait… what about this guy?

With its inclusion, some fans are worried that the much requested Mewtwo won’t make the cut for two games in a row. I’m a huge Mewtwo fan, but I’m not worried at all. Why? First of all, while Lucario was seen as a replacement for Mewtwo when Brawl released, the two play completely different, (aside from a similar looking charge move in Aura Sphere and Shadow Ball.)

Second, Mewtwo was supposed to be included in Brawl originally, but was only partially completed due to time constraints. It’s hard to imagine that after so many fans clamoring for Mewtwo’s return combined with him almost making it last time, that he would still get cut.

Lastly, (and most importantly,) both Mewtwo and Lucario serve as giant advertisements for Pokemon X and Y. None of the new monsters feel suited for a fighting game, but both of these characters represent Gen VI without having to design characters from scratch. Mewtwo was the poster child for Mega Evolutions leading up to release, being displayed as a teased legendary evolution months in advance while Lucario was the premier Mega Evolution within the story of X and Y, going as far as stating that it was the first Mega ever discovered.

Expect to see this battle play out in Smash Bros.

So Mewtwo fans, I don’t think we have anything to worry about. For now, check out Lucario’s screenshots below. Do you think anyone will actually get cut? Who do you want to see get added going forward? Sound off below!