Platforms - 3DS
Genre - Fighting
Aust. Classification – MA15+

Publisher - Namco Bandai

Finally a Tekken game to play on the 3DS! I have been waiting for this since the announcement that it would include the full length 3D movie Blood Vengeance. So here we have Prime Edition.

It seems like a bit of a stripped back version of the excellent Tekken 6 with a 10 level arcade style mode, along with a Survival and Versus mode all of which can be played with the entire cast from Tekken 6. The smooth and almost perfect combat has thankfully survived the transition to the handheld. Unfortunately the notable absence of any story mode in any form is something that will disappoint a lot of fans. This is a mode I, and many others, have come to expect from any Tekken release as a given (with the exception of PS3's Tekken Hybrid) and the lack of any character creation, unlocks or customisation was also disappointing.

Like the combat I was equally as impressed with the visuals, the character detail was excellent and all the characters look the same as they did on T6 with only a couple of exceptions. For obvious reasons though some things had to be sacrificed, so the fighting arenas have resorted back to old ways of the PS2 i.e. the stage moving on a separate plane to the background. The virtual surround audio was also great, creating that aural illusion I love when it is done well on this console.

Survival mode is the usual endurance type mode where you must try and defeat as many enemies possible before the health meter runs dry, this does get topped up occasionally after a certain amount of successful victories so it is a bit forgiving in a mode where I didn't expect there to be any leeway, something I personally found more enjoyable because of this. There is a good solid Internet and Local multiplayer mode as well for repeat play and this is probably where the games appeal will last the longest.

What makes this game special is the aforementioned full length CGI movie Blood Vengeance; it is here where the 3DS's true visual potential is seen. The 3D CGI compliments the glasses-less 3DS technology perfectly. It just looks stunning and the audio is amazing. I watched this movie twice on the bigger screen and twice here as well. I knew 3D movies like Shrek etc would be great on this platform to keep the kids happy but this movie proved to me that more mature movies will cut it as well.

Overall the game loses its appeal quite quickly and its lack of content left me feeling a bit empty with the Versus multiplayer holding my interest the longest. However with its solid combat and with the amount of characters to choose from and with the movie included, as a total package it is definitely value for money and makes this game worth every cent of its RRP, in my opinion.