Tekken 2 vs Tekken 3
Tekken 2 is a fighting game from Namco (1995) while Tekken 3 is a fighting game from Namco (1996).
Quick answer: Tekken 3 has the higher Metacritic, 96 to 89.
What each one is
Tekken 2 is filed under Fighting. In contrast, Tekken 3 under Fighting.
Tekken 2 (鉄拳2) is a 1995 fighting game developed and published by Namco. The second entry in the Tekken series, it was released for arcades in August 1995, and was ported to the PlayStation in 1996. The home console version introduced new, now-staple game modes to the series, as well as full-motion video endings for every character. It was re-released as a playable game within Tekken 5 on PlayStation 2 (PS2) in 2005, digitally on PlayStation Network for PS3 and PSP in 2007, and on PlayStation Plus for PS4 and PS5 in 2023.
Tekken 3 (鉄拳3) is a 1997 fighting game developed and published by Namco. It is the third installment in the Tekken series and the first game built on the Namco System 12 arcade hardware. The game takes place nineteen years after Tekken 2 (1995) and features a largely new cast of characters, including the debut of several staple characters such as Jin Kazama, Ling Xiaoyu and Bryan Fury, and adds a sidestepping ability to every character. Tekken 3 was ported to the PlayStation in 1998 with additional content, including a beat 'em up mode called Tekken Force.
Story, characters and reception
Plot
2 years after the King of the Iron Fist Tournament , the Mishima Zaibatsu, under the leadership of Kazuya Mishima , has become more powerful than ever before and is involved in many illegal operations. While his father Heihachi Mishima was rather ruthless in his endeavors, Kazuya acts completely without a conscience. He hires assassins to eliminate any of his critics and rivals, extorts money from several businesses and organizations, and smuggles… (Wikipedia)
Characters
See also: Characters of the Tekken series The game features a total of 25 playable fighters, consisting of 17 returning veterans and eight newcomers. Characters who were clones in the original game have been made into distinct playable characters, although they still share many moves with their counterparts. Devil Kazuya , originally a bonus palette swap of Kazuya in the console version of the first game, is now a fully separate playable character with… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Commercial In Japan, Game Machine listed Tekken 2 on their September 15, 1995 issue as being the most-successful arcade game of the month. It went on to become a major worldwide arcade hit. In Japan, it sold about 15,000 arcade units and became the highest-grossing arcade video game of 1996 . (Wikipedia)
Plot
15 years after the King of the Iron Fist Tournament 2 , Heihachi Mishima has established the Tekken Force: a paramilitary organization dedicated to the protection of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Using the company's influence, Heihachi is responsible for many events that have ultimately led to world peace. One day, a squadron of Tekken Force soldiers searched an ancient temple located in Mexico under the premise of an excavation project. (Wikipedia)
Characters
See also: Characters of the Tekken series The arcade version features a total of 22 playable fighters while the PS2 features 24 characters. Because the game takes place 19 years after Tekken 2 , only seven fighters from the previous installment return, with the rest being new. The console version adds two new characters, Dr. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Commercial The arcade game was a major hit. In Japan, the 15 April 1997 issue of Game Machine listed Tekken 3 as the most-successful arcade game of the month. It went on to be the highest-grossing arcade printed circuit board (PCB) game of 1997 in Japan, and second highest-grossing overall arcade video game below Sega 's rival Virtua Fighter 3 (1996). (Wikipedia)
At a glance
| Tekken 2 | Tekken 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| GamingPickz Score | — | — |
| Steam rating | — | — |
| Critic aggregate | 89/100 | 96/100 |
| Price | Unknown | Unknown |
| Install size | — | — |
| Steam Deck | Untested | Untested |
| Released | 1995 | 1996 |
| Developer | Namco | Namco |
Prices and Steam ratings are read live and move over time.
Tekken 2 vs Tekken 3, point by point
Each facet side by side. A round is marked won only where a figure settles it; feel and "which is better" carry no mark, because no number we hold decides them.
Genre and premise
Tekken 2Fighting gameTekken 3Fighting gameWhat each is filed as. Each game describes itself in full above; we do not judge a premise.
How it plays
Tekken 2No descriptive tagsTekken 3No descriptive tagsThe tags players apply most, in order of votes. A read on feel, not a verdict.
Reception
Tekken 2Metacritic 89Tekken 3 ✓Metacritic 96Metacritic's critic aggregate, from the game's Wikipedia reception where it was never on Steam.
Price
Tekken 2UnknownTekken 3UnknownRead live from Steam and subject to change.
Tekken 3 takes 1 of the marked rounds to 0. That is only what a number can decide, not which you will enjoy more.
Which to pick, by what you want
- The better reviewed of the two: Tekken 3 (Metacritic 96)
Difficulty and who each is for
By the tags players apply, Tekken 2 is middle-of-the-road on difficulty. Tekken 3 is middle-of-the-road on difficulty.
Common questions
How different are Tekken 2 and Tekken 3 in scope?
Tekken 2 lists little scope data. Tekken 3 lists little scope data.
Is Tekken 2 or Tekken 3 better?
Neither carries enough reviews for us to score it reliably, so we do not call a winner. The table above shows what each does have.
Which is cheaper, Tekken 2 or Tekken 3?
One or both do not have a current listed price, so a straight comparison is not possible. See the table above.
Should I get Tekken 2 or Tekken 3?
Tekken 3 has the higher Metacritic, 96 to 89. It also depends on what you want: the "which to pick" section above calls out which is cheaper, lighter on storage, better on a Steam Deck and the safer bet by weight of reviews.
Do you rank one above the other for a fee?
No. Neither game, nor anyone else, pays for placement or a verdict here. The order and every figure come out of the same public data the rest of the site uses.
Related comparisons
All comparisonsHow we compare, and what we will not do
The GamingPickz Score is a composite of player sentiment (adjusted for sample size), the critic aggregate and popularity, computed by the same code every ranked list on this site uses. The Steam rating label is Valve's own, reconstructed from the positive percentage and review count. Prices are read live. We do not write an opinion of which game is "better": we report the numbers and say which wins each measurable question above.