Tekken 3

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Main other{{#invoke:infobox|infoboxTemplate | child = | subbox = | bodyclass = ib-video-game hproduct {{#ifeq:|yes|collapsible {{#if:|{{{state}}}|autocollapse}}}} | templatestyles = Infobox video game/styles.css | aboveclass = fn | italic title =

| above = Tekken 3

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| caption = {{#if:Tekken 3 flyer.jpg|Arcade flyer depicting protagonist Jin Kazama (center), Eddy Gordo (right), Hwoarang (bottom), Ling Xiaoyu (left), and Ogre in the background|Arcade flyer depicting protagonist Jin Kazama (center), Eddy Gordo (right), Hwoarang (bottom), Ling Xiaoyu (left), and Ogre in the background}}

| label2 = DeveloperTemplate:Pluralize from text | data2 = Namco

| label3 = PublisherTemplate:Pluralize from text | data3 = Namco
PlayStationTemplate:Vgrelease

| label4 = DirectorTemplate:Pluralize from text | data4 = Masahiro Kimoto
Masamichi Abe
Yutaka Kounoe
Katsuhiro Harada

| label5 = ProducerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data5 = Hajime Nakatani

| label6 = DesignerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data6 = Masahiro Kimoto
Katsuhiro Harada

| label7 = ProgrammerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data7 = Masanori Yamada

| label8 = ArtistTemplate:Pluralize from text | data8 = Yoshinari Mizushima

| label9 = WriterTemplate:Pluralize from text | data9 = Template:If first display both

| label10 = ComposerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data10 = Nobuyoshi Sano
Keiichi Okabe

| label11 = Series | data11 = Tekken

| label12 = Engine | data12 = Template:If first display both

| label13 = PlatformTemplate:Pluralize from text | data13 = Template:Plainlist

| label14 = Release | data14 = Arcade Template:Vgrelease PlayStation Template:Vgrelease

| label15 = GenreTemplate:Pluralize from text | data15 = Fighting, beat 'em up

| label16 = ModeTemplate:Pluralize from text | data16 = Single-player, multiplayer

| label17 = Arcade system | data17 = Namco System 12

| data30 =

| below = Template:EditOnWikidata

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Template:Nihongo is a 1997 fighting game developed and published by Namco. It is the third installment in the Tekken series and the first game built on the Namco System 12 arcade hardware. The game takes place nineteen years after Tekken 2 (1995) and features a largely new cast of characters, including the debut of several staple characters such as Jin Kazama, Ling Xiaoyu and Bryan Fury, and adds a sidestepping ability to every character. Tekken 3 was ported to the PlayStation in 1998 with additional content, including a beat 'em up mode called Tekken Force.

The game was a major hit for both arcades and consoles, selling 35,000 arcade units and 8.36 million PlayStation copies worldwide, making Tekken 3 the fifth best-selling PlayStation game. Since its release, Tekken 3 has been cited as one of the greatest games of all time. It was followed by Tekken Tag Tournament (1999) and its direct sequel, Tekken 4 (2001). Later, Tekken 3's arcade version was included within Tekken 5 on PlayStation 2, while the console port was re-released as part of Sony's PlayStation Classic.

Gameplay

File:Tekken 3 gameplay.png

Gameplay screenshot of the arcade version depicting Nina Williams against the swordsman Yoshimitsu

Tekken 3 maintains the same core fighting system and concept as its predecessors.<ref name=EGM91>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Three-dimensional movement is insignificant in previous Tekken games (aside from some characters having unique sidesteps and dodging maneuvers), but Tekken 3 adds emphasis on the third axis by allowing characters to sidestep in or out of the background.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=GPro115>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Fighters now jump more reasonable heights than in the previous games, making them less overwhelming and putting more use to sidestep dodges, as jumping can no longer dodge every ground attack. Reversals, introduced for some characters in Tekken 2, were now available to all characters.<ref name=EGM105/> New improvements include quicker recoveries from knockdowns, more escapes from tackles and stuns, more moves with juggling enabled, and newly created combo throws.

Tekken 3 introduces a beat 'em up minigame called "Tekken Force", which pits the player in various stages against enemies in a side-scrolling fashion. The concept was expanded on in a minigame for Tekken 4, and succeeded by the Devil Within campaign mode in Tekken 5. Another minigame is known as "Tekken Ball", similar to beach volleyball, where the player must hit the ball with a powerful attack to pulverize the opponent, or cause them penalty damage by letting the ball fall into the opponent's territory. Template:Clear left

Characters

The arcade version features a total of 22 playable fighters. Because the game takes place 20 years after Tekken 2, only seven fighters from the previous installment return, with the rest being new.

The console version adds two new characters, Dr. Bosconovitch and Gon, and also makes Anna Williams, a palette swap of Nina Williams in the arcade version, into a distinct character with her own moveset, voice clip, and ending. There are also several unplayable enemies faced only during the Tekken Force minigame. The console version only features 10 characters available by default, with the rest being unlocked by fulfilling various conditions.

New characters

• Bryan Fury Template:Ref: An undead cyborg kickboxer sent by mad scientist Dr. Abel to kidnap his rival scientist Dr. Bosconovitch. He also has an ill-fated history with Lei Wulong, who had been investigating Bryan's illegal activities when the cyborg was once a human.
• Crow Template:Ref: A code name and member of the Tekken Force. Crow has the lowest rank.
• Dr. Bosconovitch Template:Ref Template:Ref: The silly, elderly genius scientist who is Yoshimitsu's friend and a prisoner of the Mishima Zaibatsu.
• Eddy Gordo: A framed Capoeira prodigy seeking revenge against the Mishima Zaibatsu for having assassinated his parents and ruined his family's business.
• Forest Law: The son of Marshall Law (whom he heavily resembles and fights like), now competing to earn money to help him out.
• Gon Template:Ref Template:Ref: A special guest character from the manga of the same name.
• Gun Jack Template:Ref: The third model of the JACK series sent by his creator, Jane, to retrieve JACK-2's memory data.
• Hwoarang: A Tae Kwon Do student of Baek Doo San wanting to take revenge against Ogre for apparently murdering his teacher.
• Jin Kazama: The grandson of Heihachi Mishima and son of Kazuya Mishima and Jun Kazama practicing both his parents' martial arts who seeks revenge against Ogre for having supposedly killed his mother.
• Julia Chang Template:Ref: The adopted daughter of Michelle Chang sets out to rescue her kidnapped mother from the Mishima Zaibatsu.
• King II: The successor of the original King who participates to save his predecessor's orphanage after the original is killed by Ogre, under tutelage of the original King's friend, Armor King.
• Kuma II Template:Ref: The son of the original Kuma also serving as Heihachi's loyal pet and bodyguard.
• Ling Xiaoyu: A Chinese teenager practicing Baguazhang and Piguaquan who wants to build her own amusement park by winning the tournament.
• Mokujin Template:Ref: A 2,000-year-old wooden dummy who comes to life as a result of Ogre's awakening and is able to switch between every other fighters' fighting styles.
• Ogre Template:Ref: A mysterious immortal bioweapon alien known as the God of Fighting. Ogre is the main antagonist and final boss, responsible for the disappearances of numerous martial artists and other fighters. Ogre has two separate playable forms to distinguish their fighting styles and move sets, the initial green-colored humanoid form known as Ancient Ogre, and the final dark-colored monster form known as True Ogre.
• Panda Template:Ref Template:Ref: Xiaoyu's pet and bodyguard; to her dismay, the current Kuma has a crush on her.
• Tiger Jackson Template:Ref Template:Ref: A disco man with an afro.

Returning characters

• Anna Williams Template:Ref Template:Ref
• Heihachi Mishima Template:Ref
• JACK-2 Template:Ref Template:Ref
• Lei Wulong
• Nina Williams
• Paul Phoenix
• Yoshimitsu

Template:Note Unlockable character
Template:Note Unplayable enemy in Tekken Force mode
Template:Note Skin/palette swap
Template:Note Only playable in console version
Template:Note Only skin/palette swap in arcade cabinet

Plot

15 years after the King of the Iron Fist Tournament 2, Heihachi Mishima has established the Tekken Force: a paramilitary organization dedicated to the protection of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Using the company's influence, Heihachi is responsible for many events that have ultimately led to world peace. One day, a squadron of Tekken Force soldiers searched an ancient temple located in Mexico under the premise of an excavation project. Soon after arriving there, Heihachi learns that they were obliterated by a mysterious and malevolent creature known as Ogre. Having captured a brief glimpse of Ogre before his immediate disappearance, Heihachi seeks to capture Ogre in the hopes of harnessing his immense fighting power for his own personal gain. Soon after, Nina Williams was awakened from Dr. Bosconovitch's cold-sleep machine. Various known martial artists end up dead, attacked, or missing from all over the world, with Ogre behind all of it.

Jun Kazama has been living a quiet life in Yakushima with her young son, Jin Kazama, fathered during the events of the previous tournament by Heihachi's son, Kazuya Mishima. However, their peaceful life is disrupted when Jun begins to sense Ogre's encroaching presence, and knowing she is now a target, Jin is instructed to seek Heihachi if anything happens. Sometime after Jin's 15th birthday, Ogre attacks. Against Jun's wishes, Jin valiantly tries to fight Ogre off, but Ogre knocks him unconscious. When Jin awakens, he finds that the ground surrounding his house has been burnt and his mother is missing and most likely dead. Driven by revenge, Jin is confronted by the Devil, which brands Jin's left arm and possesses him. Jin goes to his grandfather, Heihachi, and explains his situation to him, begging him for training to become strong enough to face Ogre. Heihachi accepts and takes Jin under his wing, as well as sending him to Mishima High School where Jin meets a classmate named Ling Xiaoyu and her pet Panda. He also met Hwoarang during a street fight in which they fought to a draw, leading to a persistent rivalry.

4 years later, Jin masters the Mishima karate style. On Jin's 19th birthday, Heihachi announces the King of Iron Fist Tournament 3, and Jin himself prepares for his upcoming battle, having no idea that his grandfather is secretly using him, Xiaoyu, Hwoarang, and the rest of the competitors as bait to lure Ogre out into the open. When Nina Williams was awakened from Dr. Bosconovitch's cold-sleep machine, she suffered amnesia. Now controlled by Ogre, Nina acts robotically, with the command to assassinate Jin.

During the tournament, Jin managed to bring Nina back to her senses by defeating her, allowing her to break free from Ogre's control. Jin went on to narrowly defeat Hwoarang after an hours-long fight, very reminiscent to the fight between his father, Kazuya, and his rival Paul Phoenix, in the first King of Iron Fist Tournament. Near the end of the tournament, Paul makes it to the finals after defeating the other competitors, including Kuma and Jin in the previous rounds. Paul enters a large temple, defeats Ogre in a fierce battle, and walks away from the tournament, thinking he is victorious. However, unbeknownst to Paul, Ogre morphs into his 2nd, monstrous form known as "True Ogre" after absorbing Heihachi's fighting force when the latter had tried to capture him while he was unconscious.

Because of this, the tournament continued as a result, with the tournament officials reinstating Jin and allowing him to replace Paul in the finals. From there, Jin confronts True Ogre in an intense fight and manages to defeat him as True Ogre completely dissolves, thus Jin succeeded in avenging his mother's death and winning the tournament. Despite his hard-fought victory, Jin is suddenly gunned down by a squadron of the Tekken Force led by Heihachi, who no longer needs him, he personally fires a final shot into his grandson's head. Jin, who is unexpectedly revived by the Devil within him, reawakens and dispatches the soldiers, smashing Heihachi through the wall of the temple. Jin then sprouts black, feathery wings and flies off into the night as Heihachi, who survived the fall, looks on from the ground.

Development and release

Tekken 3 is the first game to have been released on Namco System 12 hardware,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> after the original two Tekken games on System 11. The animation for the combatants was created using motion capture.<ref name=EGM91/><ref name=GPro115/>

The sub-bosses of the previous two Tekken games were dropped in Tekken 3, since the developers felt it would make for a deeper and more well-rounded game if they focused on the move sets and playability of the core characters rather than on adding bosses.<ref name=EGM105>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The music for Tekken 3 was composed by Nobuyoshi Sano and Keiichi Okabe. Sano, who served as the sound director, took a big beat approach to the music with a slower tempo than the music found in previous games,<ref name=vgmo>Template:Cite web</ref> as this genre had not previously been utilized in games.<ref name="CVG">Template:Cite web</ref> Game director Katsuhiro Harada initially did not understand the big beat direction, but Sano convinced him that it would work well in the series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During development, a tester criticized the music and wanted the music to resemble Sega's Virtua Fighter; this angered Sano, although the report was dismissed. Okabe also became ill during the music's production.<ref name="ga-core interview 3">Template:Cite web</ref>

The game had a limited Japanese release on 28 November 1996.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was followed by a wide international release in March 1997, releasing in North America on 18 March 1997.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

PlayStation

The conversion to the PlayStation took eight months, significantly longer than the conversions of Tekken and Tekken 2, due to Tekken 3 being designed for Namco System 12, making it a much more difficult conversion than the previous two games, which were designed for the PlayStation-based Namco System 11.<ref name=EGM105/> The conversion team was, aside from a few personnel changes, the same group which created both the PlayStation and arcade versions of Tekken and Tekken 2.<ref name=EGM105/>

The original port of Tekken 3 to the PlayStation features two new hidden characters: Gon and Dr. Boskonovitch. Boskonovitch was a late addition; in early 1998 Namco said that Gon would be in the PlayStation version but Boskonovitch's inclusion was still not certain.<ref name=GPro115/> Anna was made into her own separate character, and given her own character select spot, voice, unique attacks, and ending. The PlayStation version features new "Tekken Force" and "Tekken Ball" modes, as well as all modes present in Tekken 2. Due to the PlayStation's hardware limitations of less video RAM and lower clock speed, the visual quality was downgraded. The backgrounds were re-made into 2D panoramic images, the number of polygons used for each character were slightly reduced, sound effects played at a high pitch, and the game runs at lower overall resolution. Namco representatives had in fact originally stated that they did not think it was possible to convert Tekken 3 to the PlayStation.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> By April 1997, Tekken 3 was popular in the arcades, and the process of its home conversion was considered certain on PlayStation but merely a controversial consideration on Nintendo 64.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Sano and Okabe returned to compose the music for the PlayStation version, with much of the soundtrack being arranged from the arcade's music, along with the addition of several new tracks. Other composers who participated in composing additional music include Hiroyuki Kawada, Minamo Takahashi, Yuu Miyake, Yoshie Arakawa, and Hideki Tobeta. Arakawa had previously composed for the first two Tekken games, while Sano, Okabe and Miyake would go on to work on several future entries in the series, including Tekken Tag Tournament.Template:Citation needed

As promotion for the PlayStation version, Namco sponsored a Tekken 3 tournament at events in Japan and the U.S., with the Japanese champion and U.S. champion meeting in a final round at E3 1998.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The PlayStation 2 release of Tekken 5 features the arcade version of Tekken 3.<ref name=gmspt/> The PlayStation version of Tekken 3 was one of the 20 games included by Sony Interactive Entertainment on the PlayStation Classic, released on 3 December 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> PlayStation Port was added to PS Plus and Playstation Network on October 21, 2025, for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

Reception

Commercial

The arcade game was a major hit. In Japan, the 15 April 1997 issue of Game Machine listed Tekken 3 as the most-successful arcade game of the month.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> It went on to be the highest-grossing arcade printed circuit board (PCB) game of 1997 in Japan,<ref name="GM557">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and second highest-grossing overall arcade video game below Sega's rival Virtua Fighter 3 (1996).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Tekken 3 sold 35,000 arcade units worldwide in 1997, including 15,000 in Japan and 20,000 overseas. While Virtua Fighter 3 was more successful in Japan at the time, Tekken 3 was more successful worldwide.<ref name="GM557"/> Tekken 3 later became the overall highest-grossing arcade game of 1998 in Japan, above Virtua Fighter 3 Team Battle.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The PlayStation version was also a major hit. In Japan, the game sold over Template:Nowrap copies on its first day of release.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In May 1998, Sony awarded Tekken 3 a "Platinum Prize" for sales above 1 million units in Japan.<ref name=topsales>Template:Cite web</ref> According to Weekly Famitsu, Japan bought 1.13 million units of Tekken 3 during the first half of 1998, which made it the country's third-best-selling game for the period.<ref name=firsthalf98>Template:Cite web</ref> PC Data, which tracked sales in the United States, reported that Tekken 3 sold 1.11 million copies and earned Template:US$ in revenue during 1998 alone. This made it the third-best-selling PlayStation release of the year in the United States.<ref name=highscores>Template:Cite web</ref>

In Germany, it received a "Gold" award from the Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland (VUD) in November 1998 for sales above 100,000 units,<ref name=vud1998-2>Template:Cite press release</ref> with the VUD later raising it to "Platinum" status indicating over 200,000 sales by August 1999.<ref name=vudaug99>Template:Cite press release</ref> At the 1999 Milia festival in Cannes, it took home a "Gold" prize for revenues above Template:€ or Template:US$ in the European Union during 1998.<ref name=eccsell>Template:Cite web</ref> Tekken 3 grossed a further €57,209,778 or Template:US$ in Europe during 1999,<ref name=":3">Template:Cite news</ref> adding up to over €{{#expr:36,000,000+57,209,778}} or Template:US$ grossed in Europe by 1999, and more than Template:US$ across Europe and the United States by 1999.

According to Tekken series producer Katsuhiro Harada, Tekken 3 sold 8.36 million copies during its initial release on the original PlayStation, including Template:Nowrap in Japan and Template:Nowrap overseas.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>

Critical

According to Metacritic, the game has a score of 96 out of 100, indicating universal acclaim,<ref name="meta"/> and is ranked number 2 on its list of greatest PlayStation games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of April 2011, the game is listed as the twelfth-highest-rated game of all time on the review compiling site GameRankings with an average rating of 96%.<ref name=Grank/>

Next Generation reviewed the arcade version, and stated that "Tekken 3 isn't quite the artful masterpiece that [Virtua Fighter 3] is, but is still awesome in its own right, and has moved the series even further form its 'me too' roots. The fighting system has evolved nicely, resulting in some wild and effective moves and new characters, a faster responsiveness, and an impressive 3D fighting experience."<ref name=NG31>Template:Cite magazine</ref> GamePro gave it a 4.5 out of 5 for graphics and sound and a 5.0 for control and funfactor. While noting that it was visually not up with its competitor Virtua Fighter 3, the reviewer said it was stunning in its own right and features phenomenally responsive and easy controls.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The game was a runner-up for "Arcade Game of the Year" (behind NFL Blitz) at Electronic Gaming MonthlyTemplate:'s 1997 Editors' Choice Awards.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Tekken 3 became the first game in three years to receive a 10 from a reviewer from Electronic Gaming Monthly, with three of the four reviewers giving it the highest possible score. Tekken 3 is the first game to have scored a 10 under EGMTemplate:'s revised review scale in that a game no longer needed to be "perfect" to receive a 10, and the last game to receive a 10 from the magazine was Sonic & Knuckles. The only holdout was the magazine's enigmatic fighting-game review guru, Sushi-X, who said that "no game that rewards newbies for button-mashing will ever be tops in my book", giving the game 9 out of 10. GameSpot's Jeff Gerstmann gave the game a 9.9 out of 10, saying "Not much stands between Tekken 3 and a perfect 10 score. If the PlayStation exclusive characters were better and Force mode a bit more enthralling, it could have come closer to a perfect score." He also praised the sound effects, music, and graphics.<ref name=gmspt/>

Next Generation reviewed the PlayStation version, and stated that "There is no better fighting game, on this system or any other. It's clearly superior to the previous games in the series and a stunning value for Tekken aficionados."<ref name=NG42>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

According to PlayStation: The Official Magazine in 2009, Tekken 3 "is still widely considered one of the finest fighting games of all time".<ref>"Tekken 6: A History of Violence", PlayStation: The Official Magazine (January 2009): 46.</ref> In September 2004, for the tenth anniversary of the PlayStation brand, it ranked No. 10 on the magazine's list of "Final PlayStation Top 10". It was also No. 177 on Game InformerTemplate:'s 2009 Top 200 games of all time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2011, Complex ranked it as the fourth best fighting game of all time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Complex also ranked Tekken 3 as the ninth best arcade video game of the 1990s, commenting that "this now classic fighter served as a welcome palette cleanser to the Mortal Kombat/Street Fighter dichotomy that dominated arcades in the 90s."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Complex also ranked Tekken 3 as the eighth best PlayStation 1 video game, commenting, "When Tekken 3 finally moved from our local arcade and into our living room, we knew nothing would ever be the same. With an assortment of attacks and combos to learn, along with good controls, graphics, and sound, Tekken 3 was much more polished and smooth than its predecessors."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Tekken 3 has also been listed among the best video games of all time by Electronic Gaming Monthly in 1997,<ref name=EGM1997Arcade>"The 10 Best Arcade Games of All Time", Electronic Gaming Monthly, issue 100 (November 1997), page 130.</ref> Game Informer in 1999,<ref name=GI1999>GI Top Ten List, Game Informer, 1999.</ref> Computer and Video Games in 2000,<ref name=CVG2000>Computer and Video Games, issue 218, January 2000, pages 53-67.</ref> GameFAQs in 2005,<ref name=GF2005>Template:Cite web</ref> and Edge in 2007.<ref name=Edge2007>Edge's Top 100 Games of All Time, Edge, 2007</ref> ArcadeSushi ranked Tekken 3 as the "20th Best Playstation Game", with comments "Tekken 3 changed everything. Friends became bitter rivals. Bitter rivals became even more bitter rivals. Tekken 3 was the game you played with friends you didn't want to be your friends anymore."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Chris Lyon, from Haydock the Tekken 3 World Champion player of 1998 - 2003, also ranked it as the "17th best fighting game", commenting, "Tekken 3 was easily one of the best Tekken games ever created. Before the series became obsessed with wall splats and ground bounds, it simply had huge open 3D arenas with massive casts that may or may not have included boxing raptors."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2015, GamesRadar ranked Tekken 3 as the 59th best game of all time, stating that "it possesses one of the finest fighting systems ever, the series' well-known juggle formula percolated into a perfect storm of throws, strikes, and suplexes."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Further reading

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite web

External links

• Template:Official website (archived)
• Template:Official website Template:In lang (archived)
• Template:Moby game