The tournament mode doesn't suit the game's structure. The game mechanics are already difficult, and adapting to different strategies in each round becomes even more challenging, requiring a lot of trial and error. I think it would be better if the game had an arcade mode.
Are you familiar with the towers in Mortal Kombat? Normally, in Mortal Kombat, you can continue from where you left off whenever you want, but in most games you only get 3 lives. When you run out of 3 lives, you either start again or buy 3 more lives with tokens. Alternatively, you can gain lives by watching ads.