Sunday 17 January 2016

Tekken 3 - Retro Game Nostaliga by The Teege!


So I was perusing the wonder-world of Norwich's Regen Gaming the other day and came across a small gem of the past. My childhood lost many an hour to beating Heihachi... those are truly memories of fondness. So with that said, lets press on into memory lane.


Originally released in the 1990s as an arcade game, and then brought forward to the PlayStation, the game I speak of captivated the world - and still today it stands in high regard, meaning that Tekken 3 is still regarded as the best of its genre and possibly the best fighting game of all time. Using the same core system that was developed for the Namco System 12, it was the last game of the series to be released for the original Sony PlayStation. This held fans in suspense and created a demand for more!

The game play aspect of Tekken 3 was simple. Using different combinations of buttons and directions to use attacks uniquely attributed to each character, everyone had their own favourite. This helped create an audience that could talk about this game even when not playing!

Tekken 3 was the first "beat-em-up" to tone down the jumping element, which in previous Tekken games was unrealistic. The depth and realism this change brought forward unified the Tekken franchise to what it is today.

The plot thickens with this installment, with the previous games' Iron Fist Tournament happening 19 years previously. Heihachi Mishima has established the Tekken Force, a paramilitary organisation dedicated to the protection of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Leading this force into a temple underneath Mexico, they find it has been ransacked by a creature simply known as 'Ogre'. Heihachi saw the power this beast had and wanted to capture it for his own gains.

This is where Jin steps forward. Being Heihachi's son, he already is attuned to martial arts, and upon the sight of Ogre destroying his house and killing his mother, he takes it upon himself to find his father and end this madness. When doing so though, he encounters Ogre, who leaves the devil's mark on Jin prior to his being left unconscious. What happens from there I'll leave for you readers to find out!

The simplicity of the combat system, combined with a strong storyline and the quickening pace of gameplay, brings this stylistic fighting game into a world of its own, be it with friends one on one, or taking it to the AI on Insane Difficulty Mode. This game offers a lot more than just a single afternoon of entertainment - more like a lifetime of it!

The added Force Mode, adding yet more depth to an already packed game, is what made this version of Tekken unique. Having to take down a stream of enemies against the clock at the same time as managing your survival was difficult, even on Normal Mode. 

Tekken 3 survives today with universal acclaim, with an overall score of 9.9/10 from Gamespot, 96/100 from Metacritic and being the first game in three years to have received a 10 from Electronic Gaming Monthly! Among fighters - and even beyond - this is nothing short of almost the perfect game. The Teege humbly gives this great piece of art an overwhelming 4.9/5 - the only improvement could be the graphics, but that is only in comparison to what today can offer.

Thanks to Regen Gaming! - http://regen-gaming.co.uk/ - A great shop in the back alleys of Anglia square! If you have a old game you remember and want to feel that nostalgia, don't hesitate to head over. Find them on facebook and give them a like!

Have a game you want reviewing, a new menu or blend of coffee that is to tantalizing and needs to be shown to the world, contact White Mason Reviews on facebook, twitter or blogger and who knows you could be next!

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