Tekken Tag Tournament 2 features Fight Lab mode

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 has a Fight lab tutorial mode, Namco Bandai has announced.

At Namco Bandai's Global Gamer Day in Las Vegas, Tekken series producer Katsuhiro Harada outlined details of the tutorial mode being introduced for the fighting game, due for release in September this year.

Taking charge of the Combot character, players progress through a Fight Lab storyline that sees combat knowledge acquired by the mechanical warrior via a series of mini-games. The team has taken inspiration from the popularity of the Tekken Bowl mode that featured in earlier editions of the series in order to teach the finer techniques of Tekken to newcomers - and offer a route to personal customisation for both veterans and novices alike.

"In past instalments we've had Tekken Bowl and other mini-games and we found people really enjoyed it," Harada explained.

"However you can't learn the technique and mechanics from it. In Tekken Bowl we don't think you can learn how to play better."

By presenting the core mechanics of the game as a series of missions that involve side-stepping flying objects or carefully executing aerial juggles, Harada hopes to remove the barriers of entry for those intimidated by the hardcore fighter series.

"To novice players, they're playing various mini-games that we've prepared and enjoying them while gaining customisation items and techniques. Then they've gone through the mode a certain amount, and they've gained more Tekken knowledge and ability in the game."

Progress through the Fight Lab section also lets players apply cosmetic upgrades to their Combot, as well as incorporate favoured moves from other famous characters in the game in order to build a unique character. Once customised and developed, players can use this unique character to battle through both the single-player campaign, and the online matchmaking component of the game.