Seven immediately selectable characters (plus one hidden after you beat the game with everyone) fill this tiny cart to the max. Not much has been changed from the console versions except for a simplified control scheme and sprite-based characters. The controls allow anyone to pull off moves in only a matter of a few button presses no matter how inexperienced they may be. Still, there's something missing....

Replacing 3-D characters with sprites has worked remarkably well. The animation is on the choppy side and the characters are a mess of pixels up close, but every move has been captured with uncanny accuracy. The mode-7 styled backgrounds lack a lot of detail, but keep the game moving at a rock solid frame rate. Still, something is missing.....

Amazingly, aside from a few notes, the soundtrack is absolutely stunning. Each track is instantly recognizable from the console version with only small bits and pieces missing. Each characters trademark grunts and yells are packed in with almost no loss of quality. Still, something is missing....

Seven modes are crammed into the cart. We have a tag mode, versus mode, time attack, arcade, etc., but still, something is missing... Extras. There aren't any. None, zip, nada, zero. One secret character (who is an absolute pain to unlock) is not what Tekken fans want. It's doubtful a force mode would've been that hard to put in. There are very few reasons to come back to this game after you've beat it, a crying shame since everything else works on every level.

If you need your fix of Tekken wherever you go, this should fit the bill jut fine. If you want to beat the living crap out a few people on the road, this should fit the bill just fine. If you want a game that shows off some of the cool effects the GBA can pull off, this should fit the bill just fine. If you're looking to spend hours upon hours unlocking extras like you did at home, well, you can't. It's a shame this puts the game into the "must rent" category.