Tekken 3

PlayStation (Namco 1998)

The big G-S-G-S-G

General opinion: A decent enough fighting game
Story: Could be more of it
Graphics: Good
Sound: Ok
Gameplay: Not bad

Total:

The Review

I've only recently gotten into fighting games. I used to think they were all the same and too monotonous. Well, they are really. But there are a few really cool ones out there too. Tekken 3 I only picked up because I was taking my old PSX along on holiday, and didn't have any decent multiplayer games. It's a fun enough 3D fighter, and probably one of the very best for the first PlayStation. But, even so, it's not one of my most memorable gaming experiences. Keep in mind, however, that this is the opinion of a fighting game newbie and not a veteran in the field...

Martial arts masters from around to the world are being hunted by a mysterious being called 'Ogre'. Heihachi Mishima, leader of the Mishima Financial Empire, organizes a new tournament to lure it out... That's the story in a nutshell. There are some twenty odd characters to choose from, though half of them must be unlocked by beating the game with the original characters. They're not bad, but not among the most original I've seen, and could benefit from a bit more story...

Even though the game contains supernatural and science fiction elements, it is mainly grounded in (fairly) realistic martial arts. This might appeal to some, but to me it isn't terribly exciting. In my view this type of game works best with larger-than-life characters with interesting stories and cool supernatural moves etc., all of which are more often found in 2D fighters (like the excellent Guilty Gear series).

As for gameplay, all 3D fighter's tend to be fairly similar on the surface. Beat your oponent in two rounds, nothing new here. Controls are quite simple, you have buttons for left and right arms, and left and right legs. The moves of the characters are mostly inspired by real life martial arts, with a decent variety ranging from kung fu to capoeira.

One thing to say about this game is that it's fairly easy to approach. In Easy mode it didn't pose much of a challenge even for a fighting game novice like myself. There is much more depth to gameplay, of course, for those who want to delve into it. The lists of moves for each character are simply huge. As for myself, however, I've hardly learned a single one...

The graphics of the game are nothing to complain about, even though they are naturally crude when compared to later games of the genre. The soundtrack didn't make a big impression on me, for good or for bad... There's an abundance of different game modes, from the usual arcade and versus modes to a weird volley ball game. So plenty of fun there, although these games are naturally most fun as multiplayer games. All in all, Tekken 3 is a worthy 3D fighter, and certainly worth considering as a multiplayer game for the PSX. But personally I think there are cooler games available for newer consoles, such as the Soulcalibur series, or 2D fighters like Guilty Gear X2. And, as all the games in the genre are, after all, pretty similar, there's not much here to attract an occasional player with access to newer and cooler games... How about it, for once I wrote a review where I'm not raving about how great the game is. ;)

Ben B. Bainton, 5 August 2006