Tekken 3 [SCES-01237] ROM – Playstation (PSX)

Tekken 3 (鉄拳3) [SCES-01237]  is a fighting game, the third entry in the Tekken series after Tekken and Tekken 2. It was released to the arcades in 1997, before being ported to the PlayStation in 1998. The arcade version of the game was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 as part of Tekken 5’s Arcade History mode. The game was also re-released as part of Sony’s PlayStation Classic.

GAMEPLAY

Tekken 3 maintains the same core fighting system and concept as its predecessors. 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. 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. New improvements include quicker recoveries from knockdowns, more escapes from tackles and stun, 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.

CHARACTERS

The arcade version features a total of 21 characters. Because the game takes place 20 years after Tekken 2, only six characters 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 move set, 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.