Tekken 3
1998 · Fighting · PlayStation
Overview
Tekken 3 was the definitive fighting game of the PlayStation era — faster, more responsive, and more visually accomplished than any fighting game previously available on home hardware. The roster of 23 characters included series veterans and new additions including Eddie Gordo's capoeira. The game sold 8.3 million copies and is often cited as one of the greatest fighting games ever made.
Deep Dive
Tekken 3 ran at 60 frames per second with smoother animations and more polygons per character than the previous PlayStation Tekken games. The arcade version had been available for two years before the PlayStation port, which was considered a near-perfect conversion. The game's Tekken Force mode — a side-scrolling beat 'em up — and Tekken Ball mode added content beyond the fighting game itself.
Developer Story
Tekken 3 was developed by Namco for arcade hardware in 1996 before a PlayStation port in 1998. The PlayStation conversion was given sufficient development time to produce what reviewers considered the finest fighting game port on the platform.
Did You Know?
- Tekken 3's PlayStation port was considered by fighting game players to be the most accurate arcade-to-console conversion of its era, running at 60fps with minimal compromises.
- Eddie Gordo's capoeira fighting style was so popular with new players that it caused tension in competitive scenes between casual and technical players.
- Tekken 3 replaced most of the Tekken 2 roster's main characters with their children or successors — a narrative device that allowed character design refreshes while maintaining story continuity.
- The game's Theater Mode — unlocked after completing the game — contained all the game's movies and character-specific bonus content.
