Even though it came out in July, I still haven’t played Pokkén Tournament, the coin-op video game that sticks Pokémon into a fighting game developed by Tekken publisher Bandai Namco. Don’t get me wrong, like anybody with a soul, I’ve got a soft spot for Pikachu. It’s just that I’m happier to see the beloved Pokémon mascot dancing, not fighting.
But I think I may have to swing by the arcade now that the game has a masked wrestler Pikachu that’s a perfect mix of equal parts adorable and awesome.
Bandai Namco has had a tradition of periodically updating the rosters of its arcade fighters, something that stretches all the way back to the original Tekken in 1994. Pokkén Tournament is getting the same treatment, and one of its new challengers is Masked Pikachu.
Sure, Masked Pikachu displays the trademark lightning attacks of the Pikachu species. But in keeping with the costume, the character also plays to the crowd and pulls off powerful wrestling moves, dishing out dropkicks and even piledriving Charizard!
And of course, when Masked Pikachu is ready to end the match, there’s no better way to do it than by going off the top rope.
Hey, wait a second, let’s take another look at Masked Pikachu’s tail. Is that…
Yep, that’s the heart-shaped cleft that only female Pikachus have! In other words, Masked Pikachu is not only ridiculously cool, but a girl as well, and just rocketed past Chun-Li and Mai Shiranui to the top of my personal list of favorite fighting game females.
Source: YouTube/Bandai Namco Entertainment, h/t Kotaku U.S.A.
Images: YouTube/Bandai Namco Entertainment (edited by RocketNews24)