| Tekken Tag Tournament | |
|---|---|
 North American cover art | |
| Developers | Namco Namco Bandai Games (PS3) |
| Publishers | NamcoNamco Bandai Games (PS3)[a] |
| Directors | Masahiro Kimoto Katsuhiro Harada Yuichi Yonemori |
| Producer | Yasuhiro Noguchi |
| Composers | Akitaka Tohyama Yuu Miyake Nobuyoshi Sano Keiichi Okabe |
| Series | Tekken |
| Platforms | Arcade,PlayStation 2,PlayStation 3 |
| Release | ArcadePlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 |
| Genre | Fighting |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
| Arcade system | Namco System 12 |
Tekken Tag Tournament[b] is a 1999fighting game developed and published byNamco forarcades. It is a spin-off theTekken series. Notcanon to the main storyline,Tekken Tag Tournament features nearly all the characters in the previousTekken games and introduces a two-on-two 'tag team' battle mechanic. It was released as anarcade game, before becoming a North American and Europeanlaunch title for thePlayStation 2 in 2000. The arcade version ran on the sameNamco System 12 board with a 32-bit engine asTekken 3, while the ported home console version received upgradedgraphics.
A follow-up,Tekken Tag Tournament 2, was released in 2011. A remastered version of the game titledTekken Tag Tournament HD was released for thePlayStation 3 in November 2011, as part ofTekken Hybrid.
Continuing the fighting mechanics fromTekken 2 and3,Tekken Tag Tournament sees players battling in teams of two characters. At any point in the match, the player can hit a tag button to swap out with their other fighter, allowing the resting fighter to recover some lost health. The tag can be implemented in many ways, such as in between combos or utilizing special throws. At times when a resting fighter's life bar is flashing, that character can be tagged in to be given a temporary boost in strength. Unlike other tag games such asCapcom'sVs. series, players are defeated when only one of their fighters loses all of their health, requiring players to be strategic about tagging their fighters. In the event of a timeout, the team with the most accumulative health remaining wins the round.
The game features over 35 characters that previously appeared inTekken 2 andTekken 3. In addition, there is a boss character,Unknown, who is similar toTekken 3'sMokujin in that she can randomly imitate any character's fighting style at any time during the fight. ThePlayStation 2 version added enhanced graphics and various modes, including 1-on-1 mode, in which players only choose one fighter each, and Team Battle, where players choose up to eight battles and play with the tag rules, with each new character replacing the one that was defeated (the remaining fighter must fight on his/her own). Also featured is the "Tekken Bowl" mode, abowling minigame where each character has different attributes.
The arcade and console versions ofTekken Tag Tournament differ slightly. The arcade version ran on a 32-bit engine, utilizing the graphics engine ofTekken 3. These graphics ran using theTekken 3 PCB board, based on thePlayStation hardware. The console version ran on a highly updated engine, utilizing the PlayStation 2's graphics processor. The game does not run on a 32-bit engine, instead running on a new and updated engine highly similar to that found onTekken 4. The background designs and BGMs differed too, as the console version has new updated tracks, while the arcade version was based on MIDI tracks with an instrumental backing. Unknown is not playable in the arcade version, but she is in thePlayStation 2 version. The arcade version also allows players to only select the alternative colors that have been added to the costumes at first, while the normally colored ones are unlocked when the bonus characters are. There are also crucial differences concerning the playability of the characters, as some moves or attacks are much more efficient in the arcade version than in the console version and vice versa.
As the game was made to be a compilation of previous games, it includes nearly every character from the original PlayStation trilogy games (fromthe originalTekken up toTekken 3), including those who were absent fromTekken 3.[3] All of them have improved appearance and movesets to make them on par with theTekken 3 characters. Jack-2, who was a costume swap for Gun Jack inTekken 3, is now a separate character from his successor.
Additionally, the game adds two new characters, both of them being mimic characters: Tetsujin and Unknown. Unknown also serves as the final boss of the game. Both characters seldom appeared in future games, with Unknown resuming her role as the final boss in the sequelTekken Tag Tournament 2, while Tetsujin was featured as a boss in the free-to-playTekken Revolution and the mobile gameTekken.
The only characters absent from the game that were playable in previous entries of the series are the originalJack, the firstKing, the firstKuma,Marshall Law,Dr. Bosconovitch, andGon (who was a guest character inTekken 3 and who did not appear in any subsequent games because Namco's contract only allowed them to use Gon in Tekken 3).
All characters are available from the start in the PS3 remaster.
^a Unlockable
^b Unplayable in arcade version
^c Costume/palette swap
The PlayStation 2 version had reworked upgraded graphics over the arcade original, and it was first demoed at theTokyo Games Show alongside Namco'sRidge Racer V.[4][5]Tekken Tag Tournament was released just weeks after the PS2's Japanese debut, but was otherwise a launch title in North America and Europe later in 2000.
Tekken Tag Tournament HD is a remastered version ofTekken Tag Tournament, released in November 2011 for thePlayStation 3. The game comes on the same Blu-ray Disc as the 3D movieTekken: Blood Vengeance and is accessible if the disc is loaded on aPlayStation 3 (the entire package is referred to asTekken Hybrid which also includesTekken: Blood Vengeance and a demo version ofTekken Tag Tournament 2). It is based on thePlayStation 2 version and features updated HD visuals andTrophy support. A limited edition version ofTekken Hybrid was released alongside the standard version, which included an art book, selected soundtracks of bothTag Tournament andTag Tournament 2, andPlayStation Home content.[6]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 85/100 (PS2)[7] 65/100 (PS3)[8] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| AllGame | (ARC)  [9](PS2)  [10] |
| Edge | 6/10[11][12] |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7.67/10[13][c] |
| Famitsu | 38/40[14] |
| Game Informer | 8.5/10[15] |
| GameFan | (T.R.) 97%[16] (US) 85%[17][d] (JP) 73%[18][e] |
| GameRevolution | B[19] |
| GameSpot | 9.6/10 (PS2)[20] 5.5/10 (PS3)[21] |
| GameSpy | 91%[22] |
| GameTrailers | 7.9/10 (PS3)[29] |
| IGN | 8.7/10 (PS2)[23] 8/10 (PS3)[24] |
| Next Generation | [25][26] |
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | [27] |
| Push Square | (PS3)[31] |
| VideoGamer.com | 4/10 (PS3)[30] |
| PlayStation Universe | 8/10 (PS3)[28] |
The PlayStation 2 version received "favorable" reviews according to thereview aggregation websiteMetacritic.[7]Jeff Gerstmann ofGameSpot described the Japanese import as "delivering the same solid gameplay that Tekken fans crave in large doses" but added, "Guess we'll all have to wait forTekken 4 to find that out."[20]IGN praised the game's graphics and character moves.[23] In the "Features" section for PlayStation 2, Prince Paul ofGamePro praised it for its visuals "where you could see individual blades of grass!"[32] Later, Four-Eyed Dragon said of the game in its review, "Namco has always been strong in the fighting genre, andTekken Tag Tournament is no exception. While the game may be old in the arcades, it certainly looks and feels new for the home console, effectively utilizing the power of the PS2 with outstanding graphics, sound, and controls. This is a perfect addition to the PS2's burgeoning library."[33][f] Frank O'Connor ofNextGen said of the Japanese import in its June 2000 issue, "The only thing preventingTekken Tag [sic] from receiving a perfect score is its lack of innovation – it's basically a prettierTekken 3. However, that still makes it the bestTekken yet."[25] Six issues later, he called the U.S. version "A densely packed, gloriously rendered, and very playable fighting game. Almost but not quite a killer app."[26] In Japan, however,Famitsu gave it a score of 38 out of 40.[14]
In contrast, the remaster received a mixed critical reception, earning aMetacritic score of 65/100, based on reviews from 51 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". While the remaster was praised, many critics considered the lack ofonline play to be a missed opportunity, with the film and demo of the sequel receiving further criticism.
In Japan,Game Machine listed the arcade version in their August 15, 1999 issue as the second most successful arcade game of the month.[34] It went on to become the highest-grossing arcade game of 2000 there. By 2000, it had sold 19,000 arcade units worldwide, including 9,000 in Japan and 10,000 overseas.[35]
The PlayStation 2 version sold more than 400,000 units in its first four days of release.[36] The game was added to thelist of Sony Greatest Hits games on March 1, 2002.[citation needed] By July 2006,Tekken Tag Tournament had sold 1.4 million units and earned $48 million in the U.S.NextGen ranked it as the 35th highest-selling game launched for thePlayStation 2,Xbox orGameCube between January 2000 and July 2006 in that country. Combined sales ofTekken games released in the 2000s reached 3 million units in the U.S. by July 2006.[37] It received a "Platinum" sales award from theEntertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[38] indicating sales of at least 300,000 units in the UK.[39] The game sold 457,340 units in Japan, 1.61 million units in the US, and 300,000+ units in the UK, for a total of more than 2.367 million units sold worldwide.
During theAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciences'4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the PlayStation 2 version was nominated for the "Game of the Year, "Console Game of the Year", "Console Fighting" and "Animation" awards, which ultimately went toDiablo II,SSX,Dead or Alive 2 andFinal Fantasy IX, respectively.[40] It was nominated for the "Best PlayStation 2 Game" and "Best Fighting Game" awards atGameSpot's Best and Worst of 2000 Awards, both of which went toSSX andCapcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000, respectively.[41][42] In 2007,IGN listed the same console version as the 23rd best game on thePlayStation 2.[43] In 2008,PSM stated, "Tekken Tag is regarded as the best installment in the series".[citation needed]
Tekken Tag Tournament 2, was announced at theTokyo Game Show 2010 on September 18, 2010. The game expanded on the original's tag mechanics, allowing for more flowing tag combos and combined moves, inherited some gameplay mechanics fromTekken 6, and featured characters from more recentTekken games. It was released as an arcade cabinet in Japan on September 14, 2011, with an "unlimited" revision following on March 27, 2012.PlayStation 3 andXbox 360 versions were released in all territories in the week of September 11, 2012, and aWii U port followed in November 2012. A freeTekken Bowl app based on the originalTekken Tag's bonus mode was released oniOS on July 23, 2011.[44]