I have been studying fighting game balance since the 16-bit days, so I know when a 3D fighting game is actually balanced and when it simply looks like it is. Tekken 3 is actually balanced. There are eight characters, and there are eight completely different fighting styles. Every single character has some type of competitive viability. The physics in the game are correct, the frame data is correct and the move list for each character teaches you their fighting philosophy.
The key to balance in fighting games is diversity. Kazuya plays totally differently than Paul who plays totally different from Nina. The difference in style to fight makes every matchup interesting, and it is not just learning a bunch of moves with different animations — it is learning completely new ways to fight.
What Tekken 3 Really Does
There are eight fighters in a 3-D arena. You are competing against fighters with completely different move lists and fighting philosophies. Each fighter has a completely unique approach to combat. You will learn frame data and timing for your attacks and defense. You will also learn the character matchups (who wins or loses). From learning the basics in the arcade mode to competing in an online tournament with perfect timing required to execute frames, the difficulty level increases.
Each fighter has a large number of moves to choose from and learn. The base moves are simple — the square and triangle buttons control your arm attacks and the cross and circle buttons control your leg attacks. The more complicated moves are performed using combinations of buttons that relate to the animation of those moves. You can teach yourself by watching what moves work and what moves your opponents use.
In the arcade mode the difficulty of each opponent teaches you the skills you need. In early matches, you can use the simple attacks to win. As the difficulty progresses, you will need to use the knowledge you gained from the previous opponents to develop more advanced strategies and techniques.
Why 3-D Fighting Games Are More Difficult to Balance Than 2-D
The addition of 3-D space to a fighting game increases the amount of space to move around in. The fighters do not just go back and forth horizontally; they can also sidestep and jump in the 3-D space vertically. All of these options increase the strategic possibilities available in 3-D fighting compared to 2-D fighting games. With eight completely different fighters, the number of possibilities becomes exponentially greater making it much more difficult to achieve a perfectly balanced game.
Tekken 3 achieves this balance by realizing that complete balance is not achievable in fighting games — it is possible to have a controlled imbalance. For example, some fighters are more effective at close range while others are better suited for long-range battles. Some fighters require positioning to be successful, while others require to mix up the tempo of the match. Some fighters are based on brute strength, while others are based on speed. All of these differences mean that every time you compete, you are competing in a different game, rather than competing in variations of the same game.
The Juggle System
The Juggle System in Tekken allows you to continue performing combos on an opponent even after they are launched into the air. However, every fighter has a different level of juggling ability. Some fighters are easier to launch into the air while others are much harder. The level of damage a fighter receives from being juggled varies as well. The combination of these elements creates a risk vs reward situation. Launching an opponent may result in significant damage, however, fighters that are vulnerable to launches need to be cautious when defending.
A Real-World Example of Technical Balance
One thing that impressed me most about the balance in Tekken 3 was its reliance on mechanical diversity to achieve balance rather than relying on damage values. If Tekken 3 attempted to create a game with all eight fighters having the same playstyle, but with varying damage values, then achieving balance would be extremely difficult. Instead, Tekken 3 states “each fighter has a completely different playstyle and that difference is what creates balance.”
Kazuya is an all-around fighter, but he does not possess any extreme strengths or weaknesses. Paul is an aggressive fighter, but his reach is shorter than many of the other fighters. Jack is a grappler, but he is slower than many of the other fighters. Nina is a fighter that uses complex hit-confirm sequences to defeat her opponents, but she is very difficult to execute properly. King is a grappler, but his greatest asset is his ability to mix up throws. Lei is a fighter that is unpredictable in his movements, and his ability to position himself makes him a difficult fighter to anticipate. Eddy is a mobile fighter that uses his flashy kicks to quickly move around the screen, but he also possesses technical depth to his moveset. Yoshimitsu is a fighter that uses his sword to create unorthodox mix-ups.
Eight completely different fighters. Eight different competitive strategies. That is not luck, that is design excellence.
Will Tekken 3 Still Stand Up Today?
The graphics in Tekken 3 are clearly outdated. The character models are crude, and the textures are low-resolution. Although the graphics may appear archaic, the character designs are very distinct and readable during the action of the game, which is important to the gameplay experience. The fighting is still enjoyable today. While modern fighting games have flashier visuals and larger rosters of characters, the core fighting game mechanics in Tekken 3 are still solid.
The frame data in Tekken 3 still works. The combos are still rewarding to pull off. The difficulty curve in the game is still fair. The variety of matchups is still exciting. Competing with an opponent that has some fighting game knowledge is still a legitimate competitive experience.
How Tekken 3 Changed 3-D Fighting
Tekken 3 demonstrated to gamers that 3-D fighting games can work well if they are designed correctly. It showed that the 3-D environment could produce real strategic depth rather than just looking cool. Most importantly, it showed that you did not need to homogenize your fighters to create balance — diversity is the balance mechanism.
Since Tekken 3, every major 3-D fighting game series has taken advantage of the principles that Tekken 3 established. Modern Tekken games have increased the number of playable fighters in the game while maintaining the diversity of fighters that Tekken 3 established. Soul Calibur has also learned these lessons. Virtua Fighter has also learned these lessons. The entire 3-D fighting game genre has learned that creating a balanced fighting game is based on creating diversity among the fighters.
Conclusion
Tekken 3 is a fighting game that demonstrates that 3-D fighting games can be truly balanced. There are eight completely different fighters, each of whom are competitively viable. The frame data works, the physics in the game are accurate, and the difficulty curve of the game teaches you how to fight without overwhelming you. Additionally, the variety of matchups in the game keeps the experience fresh and exciting.
All of the design decisions in Tekken 3 serve the purpose of providing a competitive experience. You are not playing this game for the story or for the spectacle of the game — you are playing it because the fighting game design is excellent. Whether you are a die-hard frame data nerd or a casual button masher, Tekken 3 offers a fun experience at the right level of difficulty for you.
If you have not experienced Tekken 3 before, treat it like a pure fighting game. If you are trying to determine how to balance a 3-D fighting game, study Tekken 3 because it is the template that still works today.
Rating: 9/10 — The 3-D fighting game that demonstrated that diversity equals balance.
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Samuel’s been gaming since the Atari 2600 and still thinks 16-bit was the golden age. Between accounting gigs and parenting teens, he keeps the CRTs humming in his Minneapolis basement, writing about cartridge quirks, console wars, and why pixel art never stopped being beautiful.
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