Tekken 3

And now we arrive at Tekken 3. While the PSX graphics can't quite match up to the arcade's it sure does come close enough. The characters have finally dropped that blocky look & now look smooth curvy as they should. While the backgrounds are still not interactive they do sport of a psuedo 3D feel that the previous titles lacked. In overall the graphics have been taken as far as they can go & they are surely somthing to watch & appreciate. Again the gameplay remains fundamentally the same. This time carrying about twice as many moves & now with a side-step option which really makes the game play 3D. This new feature alone adds so much more to fast & furious style of Tekken. And most of the moves have been reanimated making them look even better than before. The endings this time around are long enough & provide a great story tie to the upcoming Tekken 4. There's also endings for the secret characters & even a hidden anime cinema of Tekken. With the home conversion, Namco has added several new modes. The most notable being the "Beach Ball Mode" & "Tekken Fighting Mode". In "Beach Ball Mode" the level is set up like a volleyball court. A giant beach ball is then dropped from the sky. The objective is to knock it over onto the opponent's side & get it to hit the ground. With every fall the opponent loses energy & you come closer to winning. Corny at first sight, but it is really enjoyable once you get into the groove. The second mode features a Final Fight type foray. Where you scroll sideways accross several levels as an unrelentless army of bad-guys try to attack you. At the end of each level is a boss that must be disposed of if you're going to win. These extra features alone make the game worth buying. There's just so much to discover & do on top of this already great fighting game. Tekken 3 is yet another instant classic. And out of them all truly deserves to be in your game library.

Overall 9.8