Tell someone you’re in the mood for a fighting game and they’ll likely go on about how good they are at Mortal Kombat X, or how likely they are to wipe the floor with you in a good, spirited session of Super Smash Bros. However, Pokken Tournament has a strong opportunity to change how people look at fighting games forever. Pokken will feature a full-flowing 3D environment, using characters that stand out from the fighting norm. And, no, not just Pikachu. Here are five reasons why Pokken Tournament will be such a game changer when it releases for Wii U early next year.

Nintendo Would Have a Big Fighting Seller Outside of Smash Bros.

When it comes to fighting on the Wii U console, usually the main go-to choice is Super Smash Bros. With the introduction of Pokken, however, Nintendo would have another strong fighting franchise to build upon, and it wouldn’t take away from the hardcore Smash crowd since it plays so differently. On top of that, Pokémon fans will be thrilled to get a new game that actually throws them right into the action, instead of wandering from town to town.

The Roster Is Unique

Although it’s nowhere near complete yet, Pokken Tournament already has a number of familiar Pokémon characters that fans are sure to love. These include the likes of Pikachu (an obvious favorite), Charizard, Lucario, and Shadow Mewtwo. However, the roster also has a number of oddball favorites thrown into the mix, including Weavile, Gardevoir, Blaziken, and Suicune, which are sure to be favorites amongst casual players and hardcore fans alike. Now if we can just get Jigglypuff teaming up with Psyduck (PSY!), we’d be in business.

It’s Pokémon Meets Fighting

For years, fans have been crazy about Pokémon games, but outside of the few characters introduced in the world of Smash Bros., they haven’t seen any particular amount of action. Sure, the fights in the traditional Pokémon games are great, but players have been dying to actually take control of these characters, instead of waiting on commands given to them. Pokken Tournament allows them to do just that. It’s the kind of hands-on experience that a lot of these fans have been waiting for and it’s sure to attract a few fighting fanatics in the process.

The Combat Style Is Different

As we’ve said before, most of the 2D and 3D brawling games out there have a certain mantra with them, giving you a limited amount of room to meander and set up techniques to take on your opponent. Pokken Tournament is different in this regard, as it’s more of an open-environment third-person brawler, where you can actually run around on a stage (instead of inching along like you would in Tekken or Virtua Fighter) and plan your next attack. Think the openness of a Power Stone game, but with better concentration on one-on-one battles and requiring your own set of skills instead of the sheer luck of finding weapons. Hey, with flame attacks from Charizard, who needs them.

It’s a Fighting Game Kids Can Get Into

The problem with most fighting games these days is that they have too “hardcore” of an audience. But that’s not the case with Pokken Tournament. This game has the sort of appeal that can cater to both “hardcore” gamers and kids alike, and provides the gameplay that any given player can get into and master. It’s not likely to be a darling at these fighting tournaments, but Pokken‘s legacy will grow plenty between the brawlers that can’t get enough action and the fans that just want to wipe the floor with Mewtwo once and for all. Pokken Tournament releases for the Wii U in spring 2016.

Cover image source: The Pokémon Company via IGN