Bandai Namco
Tekken 3

Few, very few video games can boast of having revolutionized their genre.

Tekken 3 is one of them.

In my first review on Debaser, I will try to explain why Tekken 3 has revolutionized and improved the fighting game genre like no other game (except for Street Fighter II) had ever done before.

First of all, the graphics: for the time, stunning, incredible, one had never seen models and animations so refined in a three-dimensional fighting game. The backgrounds are also excellent, and together with an amazing soundtrack, they manage to immerse the player within the experience.

As already mentioned, the soundtrack is really very beautiful. Perhaps we're not at the level of Tekken 2 (which can boast one of the best OSTs EVER), but the level remains very high, thanks to convincing melodies oriented towards electronics (how can we not mention the fantastic King’s Theme or Law’s theme?!?!?). The option to switch between the original arcade OST and the PS1 conversion, at least in the Sony console edition, is also very welcome.

Despite an audio-visual department that receives top marks, Tekken 3 finds its greatest strength in the game mechanics. What can I say? Perfect fighter balance, perhaps not a large number of combos but all useful in various situations (understood Tekken 6 and TT2?), INCREDIBLE game speed for a 3D fighting game, excellent variety thanks to modes such as Survivor Mode, Team Battle, the classic Arcade, the new Tekken Force, the legendary Vs Mode, Time Attack, and the very unique Tekken Ball, which almost seems like a standalone game. The maneuvers regarding juggles are also well balanced, being useful but never overly powerful, and the 10-hit combos are less effective than in Tekken 2.

One could talk at length about Tekken 3, praising its mechanics that border on perfection for a fighting game, a technical department that still holds up well today, the absurd story and the highly unique final films, and the variety offered. The truth is that Tekken 3 is not only the best fighting game released for PS1 (or even in arcades), but it is seriously a candidate for the best game of the fifth generation.

For style and charisma, maybe Tekken 2 wins, but in terms of mechanics quality and fun, Tekken 3 is an authentic masterpiece, one of the best fighting games ever created, and a very fun experience that hasn't aged at all (try it with friends to believe it :P).

Now excuse me, but I have to go defeat that bastard True Ogre for the thousandth time...