Pokken Tournament DX will serve as a second chance for the Wii U’s Pokémon themed fighter to catch fire when it releases this September with a handful of new characters joining the fight. While almost all of them were additions to the arcade versions, one character that will be completely unique to DX is Decidueye, the final form of Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon‘s Rowlet. When I got the chance to try out the winged archer during Nintendo’s E3 demo, I realized that his ghost shots brought a lot to the table when it came to keeping opponents at bay in its own way.
If you couldn’t tell from its Robin Hood-esque motif, Decidueye is primarily a ranged fighter, using its bow and arrow to keep opponents at a distance. I found it to be a powerful fighter up close as well, using its large wingspan to push opponents back to a safe distance when getting pressured. More importantly than just its standard fighting abilities however, are its arrows unique ability to hold the opponent in place. Staying true to its signature attack in Sun and Moon, Spirit Shackle was a ghost type arrow attack that prevented enemies from fleeing battle. In Pokken, this attack acts as a trap, keeping opponents locked into place for Decidueye to get in a few extra hits. Considering that most characters are rewarded for fighting fast and aggressively, fighting Decidueye would force you to second guess the idea of charging forward with reckless attacks, since one wrong move means you’re giving up free damage to the archer.
From my brief time playing with Decidueye, I found that its biggest weakness was its lack of chainable attacks. While many of the other fighters can deal huge damage with multi hit combo strings, the owl was only able to put together a handful of hits before it was left vulnerable. If it’s unable to keep opponents at bay, the player will have to rely on their wits, baiting, and a well timed counter to create some distance. Otherwise, there’s not a whole lot you’ll be able to do to push the foe away. Basically, it plays exactly how you would expect a ranged fighter to play in a one on one fighter.
I’m looking forward to spending more time with Decidueye and the rest of the cast to learn more about the ins and outs of their playstyles, but from what I’ve seen so far, the game’s newest character is a welcomed addition to the cast. Will it be enough motivation to double dip for Wii U owners? That, I’m not quite sure of yet, but I have a few more months to be convinced.
Let us know what you think of Decidueye being added to Pokken, and let us know who else you’d want to see in the comments!