Pros: Easy to jump into, large selection of characters, great graphics for PSX
Cons: Steep learning curve, really just another fighting game
The Bottom Line: As fighting games for the Playstation go, Tekken 3 is one of the best. A good way to learn the game without shelling out tons of quarters at the arcade.
Tekken 3 is perhaps the best fighting game of it's time. As far as depth and scope, the only game that can rival the Tekken series is the Virtua Fighter dynasty, which has much less fan support and fewer character options, but better graphics, and better gameplay in my opinion. Tekken 3 was by far the most widely supported and hailed game of it's genre, and every other game until Tekken 4 was held up to this one game more than any other for comparison.
The object is simple and common enough; pummel your opponent into a bloody pulp, as hard and as many times as possible. What makes this such a good game is the combination of parts that create the whole; it's built from two successful precursors; the fighting styles are generally modeled after real life styles, and in many cases actors are motion captured for the moves; it features a wide variety of characters, each with thier own style and immedeately apparent personality; the graphics are top notch, along with animations; the gameplay is solid, yet the combos and game engine are so complex that no player had totally mastered the game even years after release. It really combines everything that makes a fighting game great into one wonderful package.
The button and command layout is deceptively simple. Four buttons: Left Kick, Right Kick, Left Punch, Right Punch. Press LK and, surprise, your character throws a left kick. Press forward and left kick and you'll get a variation, back and left kick another variation, down and left kick yet another, down/forward, another, up/forward, etc, etc. Each basic attack has variations of joystick movement and button presses that are roughly correspondent to what your character actually does. However, the game's depth goes much further than that. There are devastating combos created from tricky hand maneuvers that can deplete 75% or more health. There are juggle and throw combos that are near-unescapable, and are totally unescapable if you aren't familar with the exact command required. In fact, in order to be at all proficient or competitive at the game on any level, one must learn to master all of a character's moves and combos, in order to be able to utilize that character in any situation. Reversals and throw escapes must be learned and performed in a split second. A character's most intricate combos must be executed instantaneously or you'll miss the opening. Nothing short of mastery of a character will let you compete beyond the intermediate ranks.
While all of this makes for a very interesting, deep, challenging, and exiting game, it also detracts much from it for newcomers. The game is impossible to learn when a skilled player is around, for they will relish in beating you sensless while you just try to figure out how you did that grab. many moves and combos can't possibly be learned on your own, for they're too complicated... you must turn to a more skilled player (who may not offer advice) or a hint guide. This makes the game very unattractive to a newcomer, and its steep learning curve is almost unbearable to anyone trying to get into it, really making the game frustrating and just no fun. Games that are no fun suck. However, once the game is mastered with a character or two, it really becomes exiting. The play is fast and furious, and each character has special signature moves... some of them will elicit screams, cries, or moans if an audience is present.
The graphics are top-notch. Not only are the characters wonderfully created, they are uniquely modeled and clothed, and the animation is superb. When being grabbed, limbs hang like a wet noodle. When the enemy jumps into the air, your character's head follows to look at them. Flashes of light and smatterings of blood indicate special moves, blocks, or contact. The backgrounds are simple bitmaps, but well-drawn and they move seamlessly to follow the action. The best programmers would be hard-pressed to do anything better with the Playstation technology.
The sound is excellent. The characters let out grunts and cries as they are hit, and some will use a short yell when attacking. You can hear bones crunching during some grabs, and some characters, like the andriod Gun Jack, make sound when they simply move. The background music isn't anything special, but it's non-invasive on the game and well-paced.
The concept is nothing special either. Another hand-to-hand fighting game, attempting to be as realistic as possible. By now we all know the typical martial arts styles used in these games... Kung Fu, Karate, Judo, Jeet Kune Do, Tae Kwon Do, Boxing, Wrestling, streetfighting, etc. Tekken 3 does add a bit to the mix, with the new to the fighting game entry of Capoeira, the Brazilian dancing martial art, and it does go to great lengths to be as authentic as possible, but it all still seems typical of the genre. The button layout is unique to Tekken, but is getting somewhat old, and even with the updated sidestep and other minor basic engine updates, the game doesn't seem all that different at it's core from the other Tekkens. In short, it lacks the pizzaz to stand out in the concept area, but it's other strong points still make it an excellent game.
Replay value is typical for a fighting game. It really depends on who you have to play against. The fact that the original arcade game had time-locked hidden characters made it interesting, but most of them were significantly weaker than the original set of characters. The console version has it's own variation on this, wherein beating the Arcade Mode unlocks a new character each time, forcing you to at least become familiar with many diferent characters. A practice mode also allows you to test your skills and train your combo and string attacks. Other modes, such as Tekken Ball and Story Mode are interesting, but the play of these modes is somewhat alien to the actual game and as such they are simply diversions for a short time.
As a fighting game, Tekken is the cream of the crop, if only because it is rock-solid. Anyone who is a martial arts fan will find some amusement in seeing patented techniques on display (many of Bruce Lee's famous punches are featured in the person of Forrest Law), and since it's sometimes fun to let your agression out on a bunch of pixels, why not do it with the best fighter around? While those who don't care for fighters may not enoy the intricacies, if you're into fighting games you must have this game.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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