The Evolution of Tekken and PlayStation
blog.playstation.comBandai Namco Entertainment’s Tekken series is one of the first franchises that comes to mind when most gamers think of the fighting game genre. Debuting in arcades in 1994, Tekken helped put 3D fighting games on the map with its stylish characters, comedy, groundbreaking gameplay, and polygonal graphics. These accomplishments would continue throughout the series and keep it at the forefront of the genre well past the arcade era.
Tekken’s success continued in the console market as the iconic franchise debuted on the PlayStation, and the series and the system evolved side by side. Each installment pushed new console limitations, making every entry a prime showcase of each PlayStation.
With Tekken 8’s release on the horizon, it’s time for another collision between The King of Iron Fist Tournament and PlayStation. Let’s take a look at how the series has evolved and become so intertwined with each console.
Tekken | U.S. Release 1995 | PlayStation
After a successful arcade run, Tekken made its console debut on the original PlayStation. Releasing two months after the console’s launch, Tekken immediately mirrored its initial success in the home console realm.
The groundwork for the rest of the series is instantly recognizable here. The focus on pushing hardware limits by featuring detailed graphics and 60 frames-per-second made it a must-play title with an easy-to-learn yet hard-to-master control scheme of two punch buttons and two kicks that the series still features made the game an instant competitive and party hit for homes everywhere.
And who can forget the roster of more than memorable fighters that the PlayStation experience made even more notable? It featured full-motion video cutscenes, and players could unlock sub-bosses like Armor King and the final boss, Heihachi, as playable characters.
Even after a year-long arcade run, Tekken garnered just as much praise on consoles, making it an easy choice for Bandai Namco Entertainment to continue the series for years to
