Perfect 10s - Tekken 3

Perfect 10s

Tekken 3

There was a time when the Tekken brand was inseparable from the PlayStation brand. Sega had Virtua Fighter and Sony had Tekken; this was just a fact. The first Tekken sold PlayStations with its ‘arcade perfect’ visuals while the first Virtua Fighter helped create the myth that the Saturn couldn’t do 3D. The second Tekken sold PlayStations by refining the gameplay and refining the FMV videos to create the appearance of the perfect fighting game package while Virtua Fighter 2 looked incredible, played incredible but felt like a somewhat empty experience.

By 1998 the PlayStation was rolling, the Saturn was dead in the water and Tekken had played a major part in Sony’s victory.

Enter Tekken 3.

Tekken 3 picked up where Tekken 2 left off, opening with a wonderful FMV sequence to carry the Tekken story on a generation. Returning characters had aged and new characters added fresh blood and fresh balance to the mix. No character felt overpowered and each was distinctive with large pools of moves, designed around their individual fighting styles, that included combos, juggles and counters, all performed smoothly and speedily. Slick.

On release the game looked incredible. Any concerns over Namco’s ability to convert the game from the System 12 arcade board to the PS1 were immediately laid to rest as the fighters lunged in and connected with big hits that resonated out of the screen. Yes, on closer inspection some textures were a little blockier than the arcade version but never had a port been so very close to arcade perfection.

The game is packed with features including two new game modes that ensure that Dualshocks groan at the thought of playing through this game again. Tekken Ball and Tekken Force – beach volleyball and Double Dragon respectively – are both, oddly, brilliant in their own right. Rewards come thick and fast: hidden characters and awesome FMV endings (including Gon’s never-ending ending) are just two that should be mentioned.

In all, Namco made a game that (still) feels complete and that is a rare thing. Tekken 3 took what had gone before and ran off far into the distance, laying down a challenge to all other fighting games. 

Has it been bettered since? It’s difficult to say. Soul Caliber 2 and Street Fighter 4 have come very close. Subsequent Tekkens have not.

But on a generation of hardware notable for fantastic fighting games, Tekken 3 was the finest example and you can’t say fairer than that really.

Tekken 3: 10

Keep it FMV. Keep it OMG.