Street Fighter X Tekken Roster | Release Date

Street Fighter X Tekken (SFXT) is a highly anticipated tag team crossover game from Capcom that features characters from both the Tekken franchise (Namco) and the Street Fighter series (Capcom). The cast includes famous names like Ryu, Chun-Li and Nina Williams in fighting environments that blend 2D and 3D elements. All characters retain their powers, and Tekken characters will be able to evade projectile attacks. In addition to standard game play, Fight Request allows players to go online and challenge all comers.

Game play in SFXT will be familiar to Street Fighter fans who have used that game’s 6-button layout. Tekken players have the option of choosing the 4-button layout of their system. The player can use both the 6 and 4 button layouts without extra configuration. Street Fighter elements like Super Combos and EX Attacks (from Street Fighter IV) are also included.

The game’s tag team element lets players switch characters in and out of fights normally, or in the midst of combos with techniques like “Switch Cancel.” The three-sectioned “Cross Gauge” meter at the bottom of the screen displays how much power the character builds up. The player can use the Cross Gauge to execute certain special moves and power up attacks. The following techniques use the Cross Gauge:

“Super Art” spontaneously releases a character’s Super Art talent, such as Kazuya’s Devil Beam. (Tekken characters retain their Super Arts.) “Cross Art”, perhaps the game’s most destructive technique, lets both characters summon their Super Arts powers against on enemy. Cross Art drains the Cross Gauge, but yields massive devastation.

“Cross Assault” lets the player attack with both of their characters at the same time, using tag combos to defeat an opponent. Once the Cross Gauge is depleted, the second character leaves the game. “Cross Rush” unleashes a potent combo that, upon completion, also tags in your partner.

Button mashers can also get in on the fun. Pressing the heavy attack buttons together will yield “Launcher” moves that send the player’s opponent high into the air while simultaneously tagging in their character’s partner. Combos including ‘juggling' the enemy while airborne can be performed. Players can bypass the Cross Gauge by using the “Super Charge” technique. Hold down a special move button to charge it up to 3 levels, and it’ll automatically become a Super Art. Whoever wins the most rounds wins the match.

As a crossover game, SFXT features characters from the Street Fighter franchise and the Tekken series from Namco. Each character will have their rival(s), such as Ryu and Kazuya or Ken Masters and Nina Williams. Characters (along with their tag partners) expected to appear in Street Fighter Tekken X include:

Hugo (Bellowing Giant). His tag team partner is Poison.

King (The Silent Jaguar) and Marduk (Brutal Vale Tudo Fighter)

Raven (Shadow Dancing Raven) and Yoshimitsu (Inheritor of the Demon Sword).

Sagat (The King With No Equal) and Dhalsim (Guided By The Holy Flame).

Steve (Stinging Hook) and Hwoarang (Free Wheeling Kicks).

Cammy (Unrelenting Soldier) and Chun-Li (Legs Of Justice)

Abel (Seeking His Past) and Guile.

Ken (The Eternal Rival) and Ryu (Master of the Hado).

Kazuya (Controller of the Devil) and Nina (Cold Blooded Killer).

Bob (The Perfect Body) and Julia (Nature Loving Beauty).

Rival character matchups in SFXT include Ryu and Kazuya, Ken and Nina, Guile and Marduk, Abel and King, Chun-Li and Bob, Cammy and Julia, Sagat and Hwoarang, Dhalism and Steve, Poison and Yoshimitsu, Hugo and Raven, Ibuki and Kuma.

At E-3 2011, Sony announced that Cole McGrath, the protagonist of the “Infamous” series, will be included in the roster as a playable character exclusive to their PlayStation Vita handheld game system. Confirmed missing from the cast of SFXT will be Dan Hibiki (Street Fighter) and Anna Williams (Tekken).

Street Fighter X Tekken is expected to be released in March 2012 and will be available for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PS Vita game systems. (As always, the release date is subject to change.) For the record, Street Fighter X Tekken is pronounced “Street Fighter Cross Tekken.”