Street Fighter X Tekken (pronounced “Street Fighter Cross Tekken”) is a crossover street fighting game developed by Capcom and released in March 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, in May for Microsoft Windows and in October for the PlayStation Vita. The game features characters from both the Street Fighter franchise and Namco‘s Tekken series. In the game, each player selects two characters respectively and face other as duos in tag team fighting matches, with the objective to knock out one of the members from the opposing team (deplete the opponent’s health). In addition to the game’s multiplayer modes, the game also features a single-player Story mode with a plot revolving around a mysterious object called the “Pandora”.
The game is the product of a partnership between Namco and Capcom that previously produced the role-playing game Namco × Capcom. As Street Fighter X Tekken was made by Capcom, (with Namco being involved more in the licensing of the Tekken cast), the gameplay is based on the 2D gameplay of Street Fighter, with projectile moves such as the Hadouken, as opposed to the Tekken series. Namco is currently producing their own take on the crossover, Tekken X Street Fighter, which will follow their 3D style of gameplay. Unique features in Street Fighter X Tekken include: the Gem System, which allows players to equip special gems to power-up various character attributes and Pandora Mode, in which a character’s strength and abilities are temporarily augmented.
The game was well received by critics, who complimented the roster and deep game mechanics. Nevertheless, it fell short of Capcom’s sales expectations. In addition, Capcom’s release of downloadable content (DLC) for the game was met with criticism when it was revealed that the company was charging for access to characters that were already on the game disc.
Developed by Capcom, the core gameplay is similar to that of the Street Fighter series, incorporating elements such as Super Combos and EX Attacks. Players each choose two fighters from the Street Fighter and Tekken series. Both sets of characters are controlled using the Street Fighter six-button system, but the Tekken characters are able to perform Tekken style combos using the primary four buttons in a similar fashion to the Tekken four-button system.[5] These fighters can be switched out normally, or during certain combos. As fights go on, players build up power in a three-sectioned meter at the bottom of the screen referred to as the Cross Gauge, which allow the player to perform various techniques depending on how much of the gauge is filled, such as EX Attacks, Cancels, Super Arts and various Cross techniques detailed below. Additionally, each fighter possesses one special attack that can be charged into an EX Attack or Super Art without any cost to the Cross Gauge. As opposed to the other crossover fighting games released by Capcom, in which the player must eliminate all the opponent’s fighters to win, victory conditions are more similar to Tekken Tag Tournament, in which the first player to have one of their fighters’ health bars reduced to zero loses the round, thereby the player who wins the most rounds wins the match.
The tag team element of the game is heavily emphasized, with players being able to switch between the two characters in their team in a variety of manners.[6] Switch Cancel allows players to switch partners in the middle of a combo, whilst Cross Rush combos involve launching the opponent into the air before swapping partners and continuing the combo. Cross Arts, which require a full Cross Gauge, allows players to chain together each character’s Super Combo in one straight attack, whilst the Cross Assault mechanic allows players to simultaneously control both characters in their team until the Cross Gauge runs out.
The game also has two new game mechanics: the Gem System and Pandora Mode. Players equip up to three gems to their characters, which provide different stat boosts depending on the type of gem. Six varieties of gems exist: attack, defense, speed, vitality, assist, and Cross Gauge. Each gem and its effects are designated by a specific color, and will activate as the players fulfill certain conditions during battle. When a character on a player’s team has less than 25% health remaining, that character can be sacrificed in order to activate Pandora Mode, which gives the remaining fighter increased strength and an infinite Cross Gauge. However, this state has a time limit and the player automatically loses if he/she cannot defeat the opponent before the Pandora state runs out.[7]
The game features a basic color edit mode.[8] It also has various online options. Two players can battle on the same team, one controlling each character, and face off in four player matches. Scramble mode allows four players to fight simultaneously in pairs of two. The game also supported online training modes which can be played competitively or cooperatively with two players, as well as support the Fight Request feature.