Tekken

"First Generation Tekken comes out clean."

-Visuals 8/10-

Tekken visuals were the first to throw the player into the mix of a full fledged battle with 3 dimensional graphics. Well designed characters meet your eyes, each with a set of moves that use an exceptional amount of detail and speed, coupled with a very fast frame rate. One of the major downfalls here, is what most games of this time had with texture problems, mainly concerning the limbs and how well they were shaped. Regardless of that, you’re looking a visually sound game. Character backgrounds, and lighting effects also come through with a bang, with some of the stages making you stop and scan. Top this all off with some cool CGI frames from the intro and the endings, and you’ve got a great combination.

-Audio 8/10-

Crisp and clear with each stage and character pretty much having a unique sound to them. With every stage, you’ll find that there is a type of mood effect that matches the battleground, and with some, you may find yourself drawn into the fight. All of the music is done in a techno/dance beat to keep the pace moving. Sound effects include your standard fare of punches and kicks, coupled with some battle yells and the announcer calling out the winners name. Outside of that, most of the sound effects are strictly background noise.

-Control 8/10-

True to the arcade, you have a standard four button set-up with a left/right punch and a left/right kick. Playing Tekken with an arcade stick is probably the best way to go, in which you can set your four buttons up, and then use the extra four buttons to set button combinations for throws or counter moves. All in all, this is a great port over of the original arcade set-up. Character movements and combinations are relatively easy to perform, so there isn’t a need to over-exert yourself in learning the control.

-Game Play 8/10-

Offering a ton of modes to choose from, Tekken provides any gamer with solid game play and re-playability. Either with friends, or alone, you have your choice of the survival option, which is a one on one fight to the finish in which you only have one life bar that gains a little energy with each passing round. One player mode pits you against the computer, through several different stages against increasing difficult opponents. The true gem of Tekken would have to be the practice mode, in which you can learn one particular character, their moves, combinations and just how they react in battle.

Two player mode is the one on one battle to the finish, which can be set for two matches, or up to five for a long battle. The combination system is relatively easy to master through the practice modes, so there won’t be too much in the way of getting through the controls. Everything is basically laid out for you through the pause menu, although some of the more interesting moves can only be done through trial and error. Tack that onto several characters that you can unlock, along with some pretty cool ending sequences, you’ll have several weeks of playing time before you put this game on the shelf.

-Overall 8/10-

Tekken is the first in a series of fighting games that truly revolutionized the fighting game genre. While playing, you may find that the game is a little too slow for your tastes, and may look towards the sequels of this game for a more visually satisfying time. Either way, Tekken is as solid as they come for first generation fighting games on the PSX, so there isn’t a reason why {unless you hate fighting games} you shouldn’t pick this one up for 20 bucks. For weekend warriors, if you can’t find Tekken 2 or 3, you’ll see that Tekken is a good choice.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/03/01, Updated 01/03/01