Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is a 2010 crossover fighting game developed by Eighting and published by Capcom for the Wii video game console. It is the seventh Capcom-designed installment in the Vs. video game series consisting of Marvel vs. Capcom and Capcom vs. SNK. After a seven year hiatus during the decline of the fighting genre's popularity, it was originally released in 2008 as the Japan-exclusive Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes; fan reception convinced Capcom to localize it for North America and Europe, with help from Japanese animation studio Tatsunoko Production on international licensing issues.
In Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, players engage in combat with teams of two characters—owned by Capcom or Tatsunoko Production—and attempt to knock out their opponents. The game is set in a 2.5D environment; characters fight in a two-dimensional arena, but character models and backgrounds are rendered in three-dimensional graphics. The game is designed around a simplified three-button attack system, which was inspired by the simplistic control schemes commonly used by both the Vs. series and the Wii.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom is a fighting game in which one or two players control characters with different attacks and fighting styles, and engage in one-on-one combat to deplete their opponent's life gauge.[5] The gameplay is set in a 2.5D environment where the characters are rendered in three-dimensional graphics, but their movements are restricted to a two-dimensional plane; they may only move left and right, and upward through the air.[6] Each player selects a team of two characters, and may switch between them during combat.[4] When characters switch, the incoming one performs a special attack upon entry, and the previous one can regenerate health.[7] Characters not in play may be used to assist, and to perform powerful team moves.[5][8] A match ends when a team has no characters left, or when the timer reaches zero—in which case, the team with the most remaining life wins.[4]
The arcade release of Cross Generation of Heroes has a control scheme consisting of a joystick and four buttons.[6] Wii versions of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom have five control options: the Classic Controller, Nintendo GameCube controller, third-party arcade sticks, and two simplified control schemes—intended for inexperienced players—for the Wii Remote.[5][9] Players use controller inputs to perform attacks; the most basic attacks are executed by pressing one of three attack buttons: light, medium, or strong. Players may augment basic attacks with joystick or control pad directional inputs; for example, a standard strong attack can become a sweep when the down input is added.[10][11] Basic attacks can be strung together to perform combos.[10]
