Tekken 3 vs Tekken 8
Tekken 3 is a fighting game from Namco (1996) while Tekken 8 is a fighting game from Bandai Namco Entertainment (2024).
Quick answer: Tekken 3 has the higher Metacritic, 96 to 91.
What each one is
Tekken 3 is filed under Fighting. In contrast, Tekken 8 under Fighting.
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.
TEKKEN 8 is the latest addition to the TEKKEN series, the pinnacle of 3D fighting games. Join the fight with over 32 characters and bear witness to the next installment in this epic saga. Get ready for the biggest and best TEKKEN game ever made!
Story, characters and reception
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)
Plot
The Dark Awakens Six months after Heihachi Mishima 's defeat, Jin Kazama , alongside Lars Alexandersson and Lee Chaolan of the Yggdrasil Rebel Army, ambushes his father Kazuya Mishima in Manhattan , New York . However, as Jin is forced to watch Kazuya kill millions in the city, causing him to be haunted by a vision of Ogre killing his mother Jun Kazama , he loses control of his Devil Gene powers and is defeated, causing the operation to fail. Amidst the… (Wikipedia)
Characters
Main article: Characters of the Tekken series There is currently a total of 44 playable characters. There were 32 announced for the base roster of Tekken 8 . The game includes four additional characters to the roster with each downloadable season pass. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Tekken 8 received "universal acclaim" from critics for the PC and PS5 versions, while the Xbox Series X/S version received "generally favorable reviews", according to review aggregator website OpenCritic , as well as Metacritic . Several publications argued that Tekken 8 was the best offering from the parent franchise. GamesRadar+ rated it five stars, stating that "proves that plenty of depth makes for a vibrant fighter, justifying its… (Wikipedia)
At a glance
| Tekken 3 | Tekken 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| GamingPickz Score | — | 6.3/10 |
| Steam rating | — | Mixed (56%, 72,308) |
| Critic aggregate | 96/100 | 91/100 |
| Price | Unknown | $39.99 |
| Install size | — | 100 GB |
| Steam Deck | Untested | playable |
| Released | 1996 | 2024 |
| Developer | Namco | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
Prices and Steam ratings are read live and move over time.
Tekken 3 vs Tekken 8, 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 3Fighting gameTekken 8Fighting gameWhat each is filed as. Each game describes itself in full above; we do not judge a premise.
How it plays
Tekken 3No descriptive tagsTekken 8Fighting, 3D Fighter, ActionThe tags players apply most, in order of votes. A read on feel, not a verdict.
Reception
Tekken 3 ✓Metacritic 96Tekken 8Metacritic 91Metacritic's critic aggregate, from the game's Wikipedia reception where it was never on Steam.
Content and scale
Tekken 3—Tekken 872,308 reviews · 24 add-ons · 100 GBReach and footprint, not quality: more reviews or a bigger install is not a better game.
Price
Tekken 3UnknownTekken 8$39.99Read 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)
Where they differ
Fighting3D FighterActionMultiplayerLocal Multiplayere-sports
Tags players apply to one game and not the other.
Difficulty and who each is for
By the tags players apply, Tekken 3 is middle-of-the-road on difficulty. Tekken 8 is demanding, for players who want a challenge.
System requirements, side by side
| Tekken 3 | Tekken 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum GPU | — | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti/AMD Radeon R9 380X |
| Minimum CPU | — | Intel Core i5-6600K/AMD Ryzen 5 1600 |
| Minimum RAM | — | 8 GB |
| Install size | — | 100 GB |
Can your PC run them? Check each against your own kit: Tekken 3 · Tekken 8.
Accessibility features
Steam store pages declare 0 accessibility features for Tekken 3 and 1 for Tekken 8. A declaration is a floor, not a review.
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Common questions
How different are Tekken 3 and Tekken 8 in scope?
Tekken 3 lists little scope data. Tekken 8 has drawn 72,308 Steam reviews, ships 24 add-ons and installs in 100 GB.
Is Tekken 3 or Tekken 8 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 3 or Tekken 8?
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 3 or Tekken 8?
Tekken 3 has the higher Metacritic, 96 to 91. 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.