iOS Review: Tekken Card Tournament

I have a real love/hate relationship with this game. I want to spend money but it would be like throwing a penny down a well.

Breaking the top 10 for iPad free last week in the United States and number 1 in dozens of other countries, Tekken Card Tournament has entered the card collecting arena. (Appannie) Following in the footsteps of games such as Rage of Bahamut, it combines simple Rock, Paper, Scissors strategy game with addictive (and expensive) card collecting mechanics.  It leverages the strong IP and brand recognition of 8 classic Tekken Characters which encourage players to buy in and promises a real world tie into physical cards in summer 2013 on its iTunes page.  The graphics are 3D and would make a great stepping stone along the way to creating an actual Tekken fighting game, which many consumers are eagerly awaiting.  There are strong monetization features in this game such as multi-day events, 190 cards to collect (at as much as $6 for 5 random cards) and energy refills at $0.25 per match.

+ Basic rock, paper, scissors strategy that anyone can play
+ New players get a good amount of free credits and coins
+ Rewarded loyal players with 150 credits ($3) when servers crashed
+ Events such as 4 day tournaments are great for top players
+ Strong brand recognition encourages retention and monetization

– Up-res on the iPad is a little “blocky” in some places
– Level ups don’t give any rewards or free stamina
– No bonuses or incentives to invite friends
– PVP and tournament rewards are a bit unclear
– Market feature is nice but not a true secondary market

Some ways to improve user experience: (1) Players can only realistically use the character they start with. It is really disappointing to buy several premium packs and get zero playable cards. Rig the first pack (or all packs) to include at least one card which can be immediately used. (2) The fusion system offers a 25% discount over buying a card of the next rarity outright.  This seems like a good deal but its value may not be readily apparent to players who need three copies of a common card and 5,000 to fuse but only earn 100-150 per coins for each match they win. Giving away common cards more easily through regular game play and re-balancing (reducing) the cost of first level fusing may encourage more players to use the system and feel like they are making progress on their decks.

Game Design 7 –  Fun strategy added to Rock, Paper, Scissors. 
Game Balance: 5 – Hard to get cards you can actually use
Monetization: 8 – Too expensive for most but perfect for whales
Art & Theme: 7 – Resolution is a bit low on newer tablets
Retention: 6 – Many won’t retain but others will be highly engaged
Social: 4 – No bonus for invites but can create a team later on
Target Audience: Competitive Cards
Overall: 6 – Great way to use existing tech to extend a powerful brand