Tekken Tag Tournament

Did You Know?

• The arcade version ran on the Namco System 12 board with a 32-bit engine, the same as Tekken 3.
• A free Tekken Bowl app based on the original's bonus mode was released on iOS on July 23, 2011.
• The limited-edition version of Tekken Hybrid included an art book, selected soundtracks, and PlayStation Home content.

Gameplay

Players battle in teams of two characters, able to tag swap at any time to let the resting fighter recover some health. Tags can be performed between combos or with special throws. When a resting fighter's life bar flashes, tagging them in grants a temporary strength boost. Unlike Capcom's Vs. series, a player loses only when one of their two fighters loses all health, requiring strategic tagging. On timeout, the team with more cumulative health wins. Over 35 characters from Tekken 2 and Tekken 3 appear, plus the boss Unknown, who randomly mimics any character's style like Mokujin. The PlayStation 2 version adds enhanced graphics and modes: 1-on-1 mode, Team Battle (up to eight fighters with tag rules), and Tekken Bowl, a bowling minigame with character-specific attributes.

Characters

The game includes nearly every character from the original PlayStation trilogy up to Tekken 3, including those absent from Tekken 3, with improved appearances and movesets. Jack-2, previously a costume swap for Gun Jack, is now a separate character. Two new mimic characters are added: Tetsujin, a metallic version of Mokujin, and Unknown, the final boss, a mysterious woman controlled by a Forest Demon resembling a wolf, later confirmed as a corrupt version of Jun Kazama. Both seldom appear in later games; Unknown returns as the final boss in Tekken Tag Tournament 2, and Tetsujin appears in Tekken Revolution and the mobile Tekken. Absent playable characters include the original Jack, first King, first Kuma, Marshall Law, Dr. Bosconovitch, and Gon. All characters are available from the start in the PS3 remaster.

Development

The PlayStation 2 version features reworked upgraded graphics over the arcade original and was first demoed at the Tokyo Games Show alongside Ridge Racer V. It released weeks after the PS2's Japanese debut and as a launch title in North America and Europe later in 2000. Tekken Tag Tournament HD, a remaster based on the PS2 version, was released in November 2011 for PlayStation 3 as part of Tekken Hybrid, which also includes the film Tekken: Blood Vengeance and a demo of Tekken Tag Tournament 2. The remaster features updated HD visuals and Trophy support.

Reception

The PlayStation 2 version received favorable reviews according to Metacritic. GameSpot's Jeff Gerstmann described the Japanese import as delivering solid gameplay but noted the need to wait for Tekken 4. IGN praised the graphics and character moves. GamePro's Prince Paul highlighted the visuals, and Four-Eyed Dragon called it a perfect addition to the PS2's library. NextGen's Frank O'Connor said the Japanese import lacked innovation but was the best Tekken yet, and later called the U.S. version a densely packed, gloriously rendered fighting game. Famitsu gave it 38 out of 40. The remaster received mixed reviews, with a Metacritic score of 65/100, praised for visuals but criticized for lacking online play. In Japan, Game Machine listed the arcade version as the second most successful arcade game in August 1999, and it became the highest-grossing arcade game of 2000 there. By 2000, it had sold 19,000 arcade units worldwide.