Earlier this month, Bandai Namco announced that it would be releasing special controller for home versions of its upcoming Pokémon fighting game, Pokken Tournament. But to the disappointment of American Pokken fans, the controller was stated to be a Japan-only item. A listing for the controller on Amazon this Thursday alleviated those fan concerns. The Amazon page states the controller will be released here on March 18, 2016.
At $25, the controller is relatively inexpensive. It’s also made by Hori, who is a veteran in the Japanese gaming peripheral industry. There is one catch, however: the controller can only be used for Pokken. Its button layout is made to resemble the button layout used on Japanese Pokken arcade cabinets, which has left many fans scratching their heads. The decision to include auxiliary buttons next to the Start and Select buttons rather than on the controller’s shoulders, for example, makes the controller a bit of an ergonomic anomaly.
While no official release date has been given for the overseas release of Pokken Tournament, many fans speculate that it will be somewhere around the March 18, 2016 release date. Those interested in pre-ordering the controller can do so here.