Tekkenomics Vault: PS2 Fighting Game Face-Off #1
- Originally written: August 18, 2004
- Revised: June 1, 2006
- My Comments: This is probably the most fun I’ve had writing an article for the Tekkenomics website. I played a bunch of different 3D fighting games on the PS2 and came up with the idea of comparing each of those games using several features that you might find in a 3D fighting game. This is article #1 of a series of 3.
Later,
Wild Man X
Fighting Game Face-Off #1
In this article, I compare the PS2 version of Tekken 4 with other PS2 3D fighters
(Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, and Soul Calibur 2)
in categories relating to gameplay and game modes.
Fighting Game |
Tekken 4 |
Virtua Fighter 4: |
Mortal Kobmat: |
Soul Calibur 2 |
Boxart | ![]() |
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Publisher |
Namco |
Sega |
Midway |
Namco |
U.S. Release Date |
9/23/2002 |
8/13/2003 |
11/16/2002 |
8/27/2003 |
Console | PS2 | PS2 | PS2 | PS2 |
Format |
DVD-5 | DVD-5 | DVD-5 | DVD-5 |
Playable Fighters |
Start off with 10 fighters, but can unlock 9 for a total of 19 (not including palette swaps) |
Start off with 15 fighter and end with 16 |
Start off with 12 fighters and end with 21 fighters |
Start off with 15 fighters and end with 23 fighters |
Selectable Stages |
12 total enclosed stages that vary in size from small (underground) to very large (airport) |
13 total enclosed and unenclosed stages that are all about the same size |
17 total enclosed stages that are all about the same size |
15 total enclosed and unenclosed stages that vary in size (not including different stage variations) |
Costumes |
At least two costumes for every fighter (including palette swaps) |
Two costumes per fighter with the ability to customize the costumes with unlockable items |
Each fighter has a 1P and 2P costume that differ only in color, and one unlockable alternate costume |
At least two costumes for every fighter, with some costumes being unlockable |
Customization | None | Ability to customize the costumes with unlockable items | None | None |
Ending Movies |
CGI ending movie for every fighter |
None |
Ending movie for all fighters using pictures |
Ending movie for all but 3 fighters, using pictures |
Storyline |
Yes |
No known storyline |
Yes, unique for each fighter |
Yes, unique for each fighter |
Buttons |
Left and right punches and kicks |
One punch, one kick, one block |
High and Low punch and kick, block, change fighting style, grab |
Vertical attack, horizontal attack, kick, guard |
Match Replay |
Ability to save match replays and can view from beginning to end |
Ability to save match replays and can view from beginning to end, while being able to pause the replay |
None |
None |
Personal Combo Saves |
Ability to save personal combos, and has a few sample combos |
None |
None |
None |
Fatalities |
None |
None |
One for every fighter |
None |
Profile / Stat Tracking |
None |
Separate profiles for each fighter to keep track of all unlockable items, stats, and cash earned |
One major profile for each human player to keep track of all unlockables and cash |
One profile per memory card for Weapon Master mode |
Mini-Game |
Tekken Force (Beat-em-up using Tekken fighters) |
None |
“Test Your Might” and “Test Your Sight” (comes randomly between battles) |
None |
Weapons / Projectiles |
Yoshimitsu’s sword |
None |
One unique weapon for every fighter, and many projectiles |
One main weapon for every fighter with unlockable weapons for every fighter (11 total for each fighter) |
Ring Out |
Not possible |
Possible on some stages |
None |
Possible on almost every stage |
Conquest Mode |
None |
“Fight your way through the arcades to become top VF player” |
“Travel on a long journey, earning currency as you face hundreds of challenges” |
“Travel the lands collecting weapons” |
Team Battle Mode |
Up to 8 fighters |
None |
None |
Up to 3 fighters with one player, Up to 8 for 2 players |
Tag Battle Mode |
None | None | None | None |
Theater Mode |
View unlocked movies, replays, and listen to Back Ground Music (BGM) |
View match replays and pre-saved matches included on the game disc |
View character biographies, costumes, ending movies, arenas, concept art, extras photos unlocked. Also view “Making of MK”, “MK History”, and “Music Video” |
Art gallery, Exhibition theater, Character Profiles, View unlocked movies |
Other Unlockables |
None |
84 wallpaper designs to customize menu screen |
Many unlockables, production art, photos, videos, and many other things |
Character Profiles, Weapon demonstrations, Extra fighting modes, Art and weapon galleries, Battle Theatre |
Online Mode |
None | None | None | None |
Extra Modes |
None |
10th Anniversary version of the game that lets you play in the old style graphics |
None |
Fight with acquired weapons |