There aren't many games that generate as much interest as Tekken. Like Quake, Mario, FIFA and others, the latest instalment is often anticipated for months or even years in advance. These like to think of themselves as kings of their genres - better than all the rest. Before being declared greater than all their peers - and more importantly their predecessors - they are scrutinised under a stronger microscope than most games. In the beat-em-up genre, in which Tekken is a key player, the competition is as fierce as you can find, so to rise to the top is an exceptional feat. And because Tekken 3 has already been in the arcades for some time, the conversion from that System 12 board to the relatively modest hardware the PlayStation offers is difficult. Comparisons are inevitable.
The people responsible for the conversion have done an outstanding job. While the graphics are unlike its arcade cousin, they are as good if not better than could be realistically expected. There are, of course, additional gameplay modes and an additional character - Gon. This dinosaur is popular in Japan and is featured in the Japanese weekly Morning magazine and has his own comic book.
Initially there are 10 default characters to fight with - Ling Xiayou, Jin Kazama, Hwoorang, Eddy Gordo, Forest Law, Paul Phoenix, Lei Wulong, King, Nina Williams, Yoshimitsu - and after meeting certain conditions an additional nine characters become available. These are Kuma, Julia Chang, Gun Jack, Mokujin, Anna, Bryan, Heihachi, Ogre and the True Ogre. With perhaps over 70 moves including 10 hit combinations (there is support for the dual shock controller so you can "feel" those hits) there is certainly enough gameplay here to keep even the most avid beat-em-up fan happy.
Another feature of Tekken 3 is that - unlike Tekken 2, in which battles took place on a fixed axis - here the characters can dodge left and right to avoid attacks.
Apart from the usual modes of gameplay like Team battle, Vs mode, Practice, Time attack and Survival, Tekken 3 has three new modes - Tekken Ball, Tekken Force and Theatre mode. In Tekken Ball you play a sort of beach ball game and damage your opponent by hitting them. Tekken Force mode takes players out of the fighting ring and puts them onto the street to face an onslaught of enemies in four original levels of side-scrolling action. Theatre mode allows you to play ending movies from all Tekken games. At the outset only survival mode is available. So you have plenty to play for.
While Tekken 3 might not be a huge improvement on Tekken 2 it is better, and that is saying a lot. If you're a real beat-em-up fan you should have no hesitancy about including this game in your library. If you're not then you are unlikely to be convinced otherwise.
Graphics: 89% Gameplay: