Kreation Verse has unveiled its Japanese anime-style mobile fighting game TAT Rumble, coming this summer on iOS and Android.
Tomoya Ogawa, CEO of Kreation Verse told GamesBeat in an interview last week at the Game Developers Conference that the game is aimed at mobile gamers bored by repetition, outdated control
schemes, and burnt out intellectual properties.
TAT Rumble is a mobile fighting game designed to deliver exhilarating combat, anime-style character art and classic 2D fighting super move animations designed by legendary artist Tatsuro Iwamoto, known best for his work on Capcom’s Ace Attorney series.
The game was developed by Kreation Verse and led by Ogawa and game director Karin (yes, a single name), known for their work on Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle (published by Bandai Namco Entertainment). TAT Rumble will challenge players to compete in the Twelve Anonymous Tournament, a global no-rules martial arts tournament where the best fighters from around the world compete for power, wealth, and fame.
It blends collectible art, fighting and strategy gameplay with digital cards, and slot machines, or Japanese-style Gacha.
“Our game concept is around collectible art,” Ogawa said. “It blends with fighting for the gameplay with detailed cards. It has a collectible card game type of mechanic.”
The game uses non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to verify that your item owned is of a limited quantity. NFT elements are available on top of the Web2 free-to-play game. Users can play completely for free if they wish. But they can also convert a Web2 item into an NFT, and the number of NFT items is limited. The NFTs are an ownable, tradeable capital asset. But Ogawa said the company has no plans to launch a token of its own. The NFT’s purpose is to prove ownership, and it will be available on the Ethereum blockchain.
“This is an opportunity to leverage the interactive medium of gaming with the aim of fostering closer connections and engagement between users and artists through gameplay, with the eventual goal of incorporating characters from other beloved artists,” said Ogawa. “TAT Rumble brings the intensity of classic Japanese fighting games to the mobile platform with intuitive controls, stunning visuals, and a roster of unique and powerful characters. Players can master a variety of fighting styles, unleash devastating combos, and climb the leaderboards in a vibrant and ever-evolving competitive scene.”
The story
This legendary tournament has returned after a mysterious two-year hiatus and is organized by Rufus Inc.,
a company that created a new genetics technology called Martial Byte. This new technology allows Rufus Inc. to collect the fighting skills of legendary TAT Masters and transfer them to another person, including mobile players of the game.
This technology, made available to the masses, has resulted in more tournament attendees and interest in
the event than ever before! Now, mobile gamers can use Martial Byte to create their own character as they embrace their inner fighting champion.
The design and gameplay
TAT Rumble embraces its Japanese roots with anime-style character art designed by Iwamoto. It blends the best of Japanese animation culture with nostalgic 2D pixel art gameplay and classic 2D fighting super move animation together for a beautifully designed mobile title that is sure to please both anime and gaming fans.
Plus, Gacha mechanics let players earn daily rewards, and collect and own art from the game. With the cutting-edge technology, Martial Byte, players can download the digitized techniques of legendary fighters that allow any person to gain their extraordinary power and the required skills to step into TAT’s
legendary arena. Master fighting on-the-go with controls designed for quick, fierce, definitive matches on
mobile devices. Perform devastating combos and special moves with ease, allowing players of all skill levels to jump into the pit.
The 12 champions
TAT Rumble will feature 12 unique characters known as the TAT Masters who will unleash the fury of a seasoned combatant with the aid of the Martial Byte. Each character boasts unique fighting styles and custom animations, special attacks, and customization options to fit all styles of play. The champions include Jack.
Known for his discipline and self-control, Jack’s use of strategy and combat tactics make him a difficult opponent to defeat. His father died participating in the championship match held 10 years ago, and Jack is determined to uncover the truth about what happened.
There’s also Eva, a loveable influencer and a deadly master of savate, Eva sends her opponent flying as if she can control gravity. Most believe Eva’s participation in this year’s Tat is just a stunt to gain more followers, but rumor has it she has her sights set on winning it all.
The slot machines
TAT Rumble uses a unique gameplay mechanic for active combat during fighting matches – slot spins for fighting moves (seen at right). Players can hone skills and earn exclusive rewards by completing daily challenges and competing in TAT tournaments.
The game has a combination of classic fighting and slot machine effects, or Gacha. There’s a combination of skill and chance that applies in determining the outcome. If the results were all random, that would be considered gambling. But it’s not gambling, and so perhaps 70% to 80% of the results are dependent on the strategy that you choose, Ogawa said.
TAT Rumble will be available for download in the U.S. and Canada on iOS and Android this summer.
Kreation Verse is a Japanese and American startup founded in 2021 with a mission to bring Japanese
culture and content to a global audience.
The team has worked on the title for almost a year and it has seven people. The company itself started three years ago, with a development team based in Tokyo. The company has raised $3.6 million to date, including $2 million last September from a variety of large investors in Japan. Investors include Global Brain, OVO Fund, XTech Ventures and W ventures.
NFTs
The company will update the game with monthly events, and that will help get users to come back and generate some revenue. Ogawa knows that there isn’t much love for either NFTs or Gacha in the U.S., but he does believe that gamers love good content, and that’s what they will get with the anime-style gameplay, he believes. The game is the same both in the U.S. and in places like Japan.
“It can be totally free to play,” he said. “I can get an NFT as a collectible or tradeable asset, but it’s not mandatory for most of the gameplay. We integrate NFT conversion into the gameplay and game cycle. We focus on the gameplay or IP content first.”
Those users who pay for the NFTs can export them to any marketplace and put them up for sale if they wish. But the priority is to show that the content and the live ops are a fun experience. Ogawa said there will be perhaps 30 minutes to one hour of gaming a day for players.
The company believes NFTs will inspire loyalty among the existing Web2 users. The company is launching in the U.S. and Canada first because it wants to optimize for the global market, not the Japanese market, which has its own quirks.
“The US is a tough market, but we can start focusing on the U.S. to learn how the game will work in the global market,” he said.