The fighting game genre is occupied by a number of incredibly engaging franchises, including household names like Street Fighter, Soulcalibur and Dead or Alive. But one particular series that enticed fighting-savvy gamers around the globe was Tekken. Tekken games have represented the 3D fighting movement for more than ten years and next month, Tekken 6 -- the latest iteration of the franchise -- will be available at retail.
With the anticipated fighter approaching, we wanted to take a moment and consider the franchise's roots. Below, we've assembled a humble list of some of the biggest Tekken games to have been released in the US. We decided not to include a few "smaller" installments, like Dark Resurrection or the action spin-off Death by Degrees, because this isn't meant to be a comprehensive analysis. Instead, let this feature remind you of how far the series has come since its original PlayStation beginnings.
Also, check out some of this box art. Epic!
Tekken
US Release Date: November, 1995
The Scoop: As the original game was a 3D fighter, Tekken was already separated from its 2D peers and gave it a special feel. Adding to this unique flavor was the fact that each button represented a different limb of the fighter, as opposed to different attack types or strengths. Furthermore, Tekken placed the fighters in an infinite playing field, so combat was completely unrestrained.
Tekken 2
US Release Date: August, 1996
The Scoop: Tekken 2 was, admittedly, a very similar game to the original, but there were a few additions worthy of note. The most significant of those additions was the new set of combat systems, like back throws, reversals and chain-throws. The game, of course, also had a healthy boost in the visuals department and a number of special moves were tweaked for balance. Not a huge step forward for the franchise, but a notable one.
Tekken 3
US Release Date: April, 1998
The Scoop: Tekken 3 was one of the first "big improvements" in the series. It looked fantastic at the time and still looks respectable, even to this day. The visuals were really just the icing on the cake, however, as Tekken 3 introduced more than a dozen new characters to the roster.
One of the biggest gameplay changes in Tekken 3 was the ability for characters to step in and out of the background, opening up the combat even more. The game also modified jumping to make it a bit more realistic, and added a side-scrolling beat-'em-up mode called Tekken Force.
Tekken Tag Tournament
US Release Date: October, 2000
The Scoop: Tekken Tag Tournament was essentially an upgraded version of Tekken 3, though it boasted a massive roster (almost 40 characters) and included a two-person tag team system where fighters could be switched out at any time. This system opened up character-to-character chains, as you could tag in your other fighter mid-combo and cause some serious damage.
Besides the expected updates to graphics and minor gameplay tweaks, Tekken Tag Tournament added Tekken Bowl -- a bowling mini-game. Oh, those crazy developers!
Tekken 4
US Release Date: September, 2002
The Scoop: This title was, in a way, a big departure for the franchise, as it more closely followed the gameplay mechanics of the Virtua Fighter series. Fighters could interact with walls and environmental objects, move up and down stairs, etc. A new switch reversal system kept players from getting trapped in a corner and another edition of the Tekken Force beat-'em-up made an appearance. More graphical updates were also present.
Although it was a very different game than fans had come to expect, it was still an important step for the franchise.
Tekken 5
US Release Date: February, 2005
The Scoop: As one hardcore fan in the IGN office notes: "it rocks." Tekken 5 felt more like an evolution of Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag than the previous installment, Tekken 4. Tekken 5 reintroduced gamers to the infinite stages setup, as well as returning to flat environments. A "crush system" was also included, which changes the efficiency of certain move types based on what your opponent is doing.
Tekken 5 also allowed players to customize their characters, including color swaps, different outfits and more. Besides boasting a Virtua Fighter-esque ranking system, Tekken 5 also offered another Tekken Force mini-game titled "The Devil Within."
Tekken 6
US Release Date: October, 2009
The Scoop: Hotly anticipated by Tekken fans, Tekken 6 promises to be one of the finest Tekken experiences to date, with not only an impressive character roster but a number of modes that should keep players busy for quite some time. For example, another scrolling brawler campaign has returned to give players a nice distraction from the traditional one-on-one fighting, and gives hardcore gamers something to grind through and earn items.
As the first "proper" version of the series to hit current-gen consoles, Tekken 6 should be a welcome addition to the many high-quality fighters that inhabit the modern competitive gaming space.
With the anticipated fighter approaching, we wanted to take a moment and consider the franchise's roots. Below, we've assembled a humble list of some of the biggest Tekken games to have been released in the US. We decided not to include a few "smaller" installments, like Dark Resurrection or the action spin-off Death by Degrees, because this isn't meant to be a comprehensive analysis. Instead, let this feature remind you of how far the series has come since its original PlayStation beginnings.
Also, check out some of this box art. Epic!
US Release Date: November, 1995
The Scoop: As the original game was a 3D fighter, Tekken was already separated from its 2D peers and gave it a special feel. Adding to this unique flavor was the fact that each button represented a different limb of the fighter, as opposed to different attack types or strengths. Furthermore, Tekken placed the fighters in an infinite playing field, so combat was completely unrestrained.
Tekken 2
US Release Date: August, 1996
The Scoop: Tekken 2 was, admittedly, a very similar game to the original, but there were a few additions worthy of note. The most significant of those additions was the new set of combat systems, like back throws, reversals and chain-throws. The game, of course, also had a healthy boost in the visuals department and a number of special moves were tweaked for balance. Not a huge step forward for the franchise, but a notable one.
US Release Date: April, 1998
The Scoop: Tekken 3 was one of the first "big improvements" in the series. It looked fantastic at the time and still looks respectable, even to this day. The visuals were really just the icing on the cake, however, as Tekken 3 introduced more than a dozen new characters to the roster.
One of the biggest gameplay changes in Tekken 3 was the ability for characters to step in and out of the background, opening up the combat even more. The game also modified jumping to make it a bit more realistic, and added a side-scrolling beat-'em-up mode called Tekken Force.
Tekken Tag Tournament
US Release Date: October, 2000
The Scoop: Tekken Tag Tournament was essentially an upgraded version of Tekken 3, though it boasted a massive roster (almost 40 characters) and included a two-person tag team system where fighters could be switched out at any time. This system opened up character-to-character chains, as you could tag in your other fighter mid-combo and cause some serious damage.
Besides the expected updates to graphics and minor gameplay tweaks, Tekken Tag Tournament added Tekken Bowl -- a bowling mini-game. Oh, those crazy developers!
US Release Date: September, 2002
The Scoop: This title was, in a way, a big departure for the franchise, as it more closely followed the gameplay mechanics of the Virtua Fighter series. Fighters could interact with walls and environmental objects, move up and down stairs, etc. A new switch reversal system kept players from getting trapped in a corner and another edition of the Tekken Force beat-'em-up made an appearance. More graphical updates were also present.
Although it was a very different game than fans had come to expect, it was still an important step for the franchise.
Tekken 5
US Release Date: February, 2005
The Scoop: As one hardcore fan in the IGN office notes: "it rocks." Tekken 5 felt more like an evolution of Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag than the previous installment, Tekken 4. Tekken 5 reintroduced gamers to the infinite stages setup, as well as returning to flat environments. A "crush system" was also included, which changes the efficiency of certain move types based on what your opponent is doing.
Tekken 5 also allowed players to customize their characters, including color swaps, different outfits and more. Besides boasting a Virtua Fighter-esque ranking system, Tekken 5 also offered another Tekken Force mini-game titled "The Devil Within."
US Release Date: October, 2009
The Scoop: Hotly anticipated by Tekken fans, Tekken 6 promises to be one of the finest Tekken experiences to date, with not only an impressive character roster but a number of modes that should keep players busy for quite some time. For example, another scrolling brawler campaign has returned to give players a nice distraction from the traditional one-on-one fighting, and gives hardcore gamers something to grind through and earn items.
As the first "proper" version of the series to hit current-gen consoles, Tekken 6 should be a welcome addition to the many high-quality fighters that inhabit the modern competitive gaming space.
