[Editorial] Who Needs Pokkén Tournament on Switch When it has ARMS?

With the final ARMS Global Testpunch, it’s time for an impressions piece/Editorial as I ask “Who Needs Pokkén Tournament on Switch When it has ARMS?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Pokkén Tournament on the Wii U and I played it a lot when it came out and I’ve played it a couple of times this year as well, but as great as a game as it is, it and ARMS are very familiar. Granted one features iconic Pocket Monsters, whereas the other is a game about characters in masks with very long arms that can wield all kinds of weaponry, but they two share plenty of similarities. Only I feel ARMS has more to offer the Fighting genre.

Sure the characters aren’t iconic, but some of them soon will, as each one is memorable, different and quirky and each bring something special to the table. ARMS also has an interesting set-up, arsenal and stages, plus it is just so much fun to play. I played every single session and while I did not get on so well with using the Joy-Con Grip position (I found the motion controls to be a complete nightmare that resulted in me losing way too many battles,) but the Pro Controller really is a great way to play.

The punches are fluid, the music urges you on and the action is just chaotic, especially when there’s more than just two of you in a single brawl and you’re all duking it out to be the victor. Or maybe you’re going 1-on-1 doing Hoops. Hoops is simply a fantastic mode to play, no matter what character you are, although to be fair, slam dunks don’t get any better than Ribbon Girl putting Master Mummy in his place and by place, I do mean through the net.

And if basketball isn’t your style, there’s Skillshot, which I loath, detest and wish would descend into the lowest pits of Hell and then descend every further, or there’s V-Ball (think Volleyball, but in this case the ball is a bomb and when it touches the ground, it will go boom!) But whatever mode you choose to play, ARMS has something that will appeal to everyone, even if it is just Twintelle (we all know what I’m talking about), so for me, as I do love this upcoming release so much, I can’t see the point of Nintendo bringing Pokkén Tournament to Switch.

 Yes the Switch port can have the characters denied to the Wii U version of the game, but that wouldn’t make it the definitive version as the arcade version has all fighters, so even more characters would need to be added and who better than Gen 7? Sun & Moon is out so it would make sense to allow at least one Pokémon from Gen 7 to make an appearance and with Incineroar and Bewear being very good choices, Pokkén Tournament would surely benefit from them, but what is the point?

Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is already out on Switch. ARMS releases on Switch next week and soon, Smash Bros. will come to Switch so does the console really need Pokkén Tournament? I think not as the Switch does have the Fighting genre well covered, so if you have to bring one Pokémon themed game to Switch, either make it Stars (or “Celestial” as one rumour would have us believe), make it something entirely new, or just make it Pokkén Tournament sequel and have done with it.

But that is how I feel about this. ARMS is an incredible game that will go on to dominate the Fighting genre and make its mark on the genre much like Splatoon did for the Shooter genre. Plus the fact ARMS is similar to Pokkén Tournament and unique at the same is all the more reason why a Pokkén Tournament port is unnecessary.  Should you feel differently though, feel free to say why and explain in the comments.

Until next time, keep on gaming!