Tekken 3 (1997 Video Game) User Reviews

One of the best

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 15 October 2011]

Nearly two decades after the second King of Iron Fist Tournament, Heihachi Mishima starts the third Tournament to attract Toshin, the killer of the mother of his grandson, Jin Kazama, and a God who is after the souls of the world's most powerful combatants. I should perhaps start by saying that I barely know the first two entries to this series, and can draw no comparisons between this and those(I could compare it to the fourth, however I choose to abstain from doing so here, rather opting for presenting it in my review of that one, as there is plenty to go into). Of the fighting games of the 90's, this is among the greatest. It's got a fantastic mix of requiring training to master(and the typical button-mashing to use the strongest combos), and being fairly easy to get into(just pick up the joystick, get into the basic controls(low and high, punch and kick, for the four main keys), and you can have fun with it even before you spend a ton of time on it... and if you never want to memorize advanced stuff, you can still hold your own). This is not true of very many of the genre, where the latter is often non-existent. Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter and others only share the former attribute, and are thus only available to those who have a large amount of experience with it. There is no "beginner class", so to speak, there's no room for it, it becomes elitist. Here, timing, level of aggressiveness(you can pound on someone leaving them little chance to return blows... this won't always work, nor will defensive strategy, thus matches will depend on the individuals involved, in addition to the range of expertise), focus and reflexes are key to winning, and the game-play is addictive. Switching up your specific attacks tends to be a simple matter, as it ought to be: combine the type of strike(one of the aforementioned 4) with a direction or a jump, and it will differ, a little or a lot, from the regular one. There is a wide array of styles of martial arts, and the nearly two dozen(!) characters are equally varied(each with two sets of clothing, and they tend to be nicely done, noteworthy; with this many contrasting cultures(and even worlds, in some cases) and methods of taking out others, everyone will be able to find something fitting their personal taste). A wrestler in costume(King), a soldier(Hwoarang), an Asian teenage girl(Xiaoyu), a hyped-up psychopath(Bryan), a Native American girl searching for a relative(Julia), a biker with implausible hair(Paul), a 40-ish dedicated cop(Lei), a feisty restaurateur(Law), the sisters Nina(master assassin) and Anna(model) and not to be forgotten, the breakdance-fighting Eddy. A couple of them are not even human! Kuma the grizzly bear, Panda, Gon the tiny dragon(who spews fire!), Gun Jack the grand android, the sword-carrying(if he doesn't use it that much) Yoshimitsu(no clue what he is), Mokujin the living tree(!)(who imitates the others), you can even use the evil deity once you unlock him! Obviously most of these do have to be earned, and it's often worth it. I think they're all meant to have stories, although for most of them, I could not possibly tell you what it is. They all have a closing cut-scene(and all of these are pretty well-animated... the intro to this is absolutely epic, as are a handful of the endings), and they seldom have anything to do with what plot this might have, and when they do, you have no clue what's going on. Maybe it can be looked up, but in my opinion, homework is for school. A movie or a video-game should be self-contained, you shouldn't be forced to go elsewhere to piece it together. It's fine for that to add to it; not everyone has time for that. This has a sense of coolness and a strong atmosphere, except for the silly and weird stuff(...scroll back up to the list of playables), with slickness, an instantly recognizable announcer voice, and of course the soundtrack. Techno electronica with an intensity to it. The graphics are outdated today and arguably never looked completely polished, yet they really do look good and the camera-work is subtle and not as flashy as many later titles of this sort. Color schemes, design and ideas are well-done, and while it isn't quite a feast for the eyes, it certainly isn't an assault on them, either. The stages are reasonable, albeit not terribly standout, other than the lighting. This is an early example of 3D, and as such, it looks clumsy compared to later ones that came after it was further developed(as early 2D ones are now unimpressive by comparison to later ones). It does make ducking/hopping slightly difficult, because it gives you the ability to strafe by pressing the same thing. This is especially frustrating in the Tekken Force mode, a sort of side-scroller where you progress through waves of increasingly tough foes that take less of a beating before going down than yourself, each ending with facing off against one of the main cast. It's a fun ride, except for all the effort you have to put into merely moving up and down on the "layered" road, and to turning to face the enemy you wish to hit(you essentially have to hope for the best). There's also a warped beach ball kind of face-off, where you either have to smash the ball into the opponent or onto the ground behind them, to damage, and thus conquer, them. You can of course also play against one friend at a time, see how long you can last in Survival, and if you complete this as enough different warriors, you can rewatch the videos in it. This has a massive amount of moves, and it tends to be tense. There is brutality, violence and disturbing content(albeit no gore and not a single drop of blood) in this. I recommend this to fans of this type of VG. 7/10

THAT is fun

[jimraynor · 9/10 · 5 May 2002]

Even after having tried the brand new Tekken Tag Tournament on the PS2, I still like Tekken 3 much more. Fast, fun and furious, what more could we ask ? The characters are different enough, even if some are way too strong compared to the others (like Bryan !) Moreover, given it's age, the designs are still quite good, too.

A nice fight game

[AvionPrince16 · 9/10 · 5 April 2022]

A very nice fight games with nice cut scenes and game modes. The game make us want too know all the cut scenes for all the characters and know their stories. Its a pretty good fight game with interesting cut scenes. And in term of gameplay its pretty dense and you can make combo if you know how to play with the characters of the game.

The best video game in history.

[Ian-100 · 10/10 · 15 May 1999]

No game, fighting or otherwise, has ever touched the majesty and depth of Tekken 3. The improvements on Tekken 2 are palpable, adding side-stepping and a much needed, flowing, 3D element. The characters become part of your life as you play the game, with countless holds, throws and special moves. I own a Playstation simply to play this game. Once you have fully understood the depth of the game, and have friends who have attained a similar level, the game becomes inexhaustible, continuing to set new boundaries of skill, knowledge and timing. Buy a Playstation. Buy this game. It's as simple as that.

Best fighting game ever, still.

[Analog_Devotee · 10/10 · 17 December 2020]

While I don't play fighting games as much as I used to, I always feel compelled to boot this one up at least two to three times per year, especially around the holiday season. It's just... so dang good -- even to this day, twenty-three years later. Everything from the controls to the roster and even the graphics have aged incredibly well. This one has stood the test of time and undoubtedly will continue to do so for many years (and decades) to come. I know most people itch to play the newest addition to a series, but I implore any fighting game fan who hasn't tried this classic to do so. You will be happy you did!

Without a doubt, my favorite fighting game of all time!

10/10!

Best fighting game ever created

[alex2000 · 10/10 · 4 January 2000]

"Tekken I" was a great game at it's time but "Tekken III" has outlived many of it's competitors. Even though it's year and a half old it is still the best fighting game. Many characters, amazing animation, really large list of moves from simple to impossible to perform. Definately try it out (and check out the Tekken Tag tournament that recently came out on arcades...)

The best fighting game ever developed.

[action-6 · 10/10 · 17 December 1999]

Tekken 3 is the best fighting game ever developed. It blows any fighting game on the Dreamcast or any other format away. The graphics are very, very, very good, and it moves very smoothly. There are lots of characters, and 100s of combos and fighting techniques to learn. Can`t wait for Tekken Tag Team.

The #1 Fighting Game Of the 90's

[gangstahippie · 10/10 · 5 August 2006]

Rated T for Violence.

I really like fighting games and I play them a lot when I go to arcades.I have not played any Mortal Kombat games but I hear they are very violent and filled with blood.The ultimate fighting game in my opinion would be if a game mixed the excellent graphics,cool fight moves and interesting characters of Tekken with all the violence and gore of Mortal Kombat.Tekken 3 is one of the greatest fighting games of the 90's and Tekken 4 is the best fighting game ever.The graphics are simply amazing for 1998 and the combos are really cool as well.The characters are great and each has a unique fighting skill.Tekken 3 is a great video game and I recommend it to any fighting game fan.

10/10

My favorite Tekken game of all time

[mechg2994 · 10/10 · 5 August 2007]

Tekken 3 in my opinion is the best fighting game of all time! why? because more characters to play and the graphics were nice.

Graphics: The graphics were great!

Gameplay: Superb! The game play blew me away! I almost had a 100 hit combo. Loved seeing the replay over and over again. smooth game play!

Sound: Hate the new announcer that says "Fight" "You Win" "You Lose" "Perfect" and "K.O." His voice is too low unlike in Tekken 1 & 2

Overall: Great game!

I remember playing this when I was 7. Yeah I was cheap when I first played it by using the same buttons now I'm used to the combos. Like I almost played this 24/7! I love playing this game especially survival mode.

A 10 no I should give it a 100/10. It is completely awesome!

Where did my PS1 go? I gotta play this again 24/7.

The Greatest Game Ever ?

[sebbage · 20 October 1999]

Well, the only thing that can be said about Tekken 3 is that it oozes gameplay, you can keep on playing and still discover new moves for the fighters months later. With wonderfully named fighters such as Yoshimitsu who is a sort of half human, half robot, Japanese fighting machine, and Nina Williams who is a gorgeous American girl who is trained by her father (I think), you just can't go wrong. There are lots of different modes to play in, Tekken Force and Tekken Ball are to name but a few. In my opinion this is a must buy for any Playstation owner

Good but a bit Sad

[fishpoo · 23 May 1999]

It's quite a good Game: Good graphics, Fun... But I do not like the new Characters & new voice (the "You win, You lose... Voice").