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With many cross-over games floating around these days like Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright and Pokemon+Nobunga (renamed Pokemon Conquest) many series are merging together for incredible new games. With that in mind we have the latest fighting game Street Fighter X Tekken. Despite the fact that I don't own this game, my friend thankfully let me play it enough, and thus this will be my first non-Nintendo system game review.

The game runs on a Street Fighter gameplay system in which you are playing on a flat area in which characters can only move forward and backwards. But you'll combo and use special moves to deplete your opponent's health like any other fighting game. Depending on what character you use from which series will change how you'll have to use them

Since it's a Street Fighter engine, all Street Fighter characters will utilize their old move sets from any previous games. There are a few small tweaks to their move pools and the only characters who are sort of new to the modern Street Fighter is Rolento, Poison, and Hugo. If you've played Super Street Fighter IV, expect nothing new for each of the other non-mentioned fighters. Megaman and Toro also follow this format of gameplay

Tekken characters have two different styles of play. They all have special moves which can be initiated much like Street Fighter characters or they can combo into them by pressing specific buttons. Also many of their special moves are chain moves in which you build your attacks specifically by what buttons you press. And of course, they wouldn't be Tekken characters if they do not have combo chains. This are independent combos that will are not able to be linked into specials. Pac-man and Kuro also follow this style.

For the namesake of the game you select two characters to fight as. You can pick 2 Street Fighter or 2 Tekken characters as a team or mixed it up by choosing one from each universe. In battle you can change partners by pressing both medium attack buttons. This is important because if one partner goes down, the player loses the round, so it's important to switch when low on health. All teams have a gauge that fills when you are attacking or are attacked. If you build two gauge bars you can activate a super combo, a flashy but powerful move. Every character has a special way of activating this. If you have a full gauge of three however, you can activate a cross art, which is a tag team special move which depletes half of the enemy health gauge on most characters. This is done by doing a quarter circle sweep with the control stick towards the opponent then pressing both medium attack buttons. The other is Cross Assault in which you call out your partner to the field to attack your opponent at the same time. This is done by doing a quarter circle away from your opponent then pressing the medium attack buttons at the same time with a full gauge. Chances you won't use this unless you're playing with a friend.

Story wise, all characters follow a similar story; they are all headed to the South Pole to seek out a mysterious alien object called Pandora's Box. Each team has their own specific goals as to why they are headed there. Some are there to gain power (like Bison and Juri) others want to make money off of it (Paul Phoenix and Marshal Law.) In the end they arrive at the Box and different things happen, some very serious, others very comical.

Now Pandora's Box serves an important role in gameplay as well. Should one of your characters fall bellow 25% health you can activate Pandora's Power. It sacrifices the character you used activate it in order to give your partner unrivaled power and speed. However the price is heavy because you have 8 or so seconds to finish your opponent or else you lose the round. It's a last ditch effort to secure victory, but keep in mind you can still take damage when in Pandora Mode so even more so, it's a risky price to pay to use its effects.

The music is awesome, many of which are remixes of both Street Fighter and Tekken themes. Some of the background themes are very upbeat like Pitstop 109 to very Grim like Pandora's Box. If you have the PS3 version Toro and Kuro have special theme which play when one of them are used regardless of what stage you're on.

Nonny's rating-9/10: For a fighting cross-over game, Capcom did a good job keeping its fans happy for not only Street Fighter fans but also Tekken fans. Expect some new change ups even to old familiar characters. Namco has a lot to live up to with their planned Tekken x Street Fighter game.

Tips: Though an general rule for fighting games, memorize special moves and combos. It gives you more options when fighting rather than solely doing Hadoukens.
Nonny's non-DLC teams:
Street Fighter Team: Ryu and Juri
Cross Team: Poison and Nina
Tekken Team: Lili and Asuka