Tekken 3 is set in a world where the Mishima karate fighters, led by Heihachi's paramilitary organization, are nearly destroyed by the Ogre. Heihachi's only hope is his grandson Jin Kazama, who lives with his mother Jun and learns about his family's legacy after being attacked by the Ogre. In an attempt to remove the Ogre from the way, Heihachi announces the King of the Iron Fist Tournament 3, hoping to use Jin as a tool for revenge.
Tekken 3 is a versus fighting game with several new features, including side-stepping, which allows characters to retreat into the background and back during fights. The game also includes new combo throws and reduced jumping capabilities, aiming for more realistic combat. Fifteen new characters have been added to the roster, making it a significant upgrade from its predecessors. Additionally, two minigames are included: Tekken Force , a beat-em-up stage that unlocks a new character, and Tekken Ball , a beach volleyball variant where characters are hurt by the ball.
Tekken 3 was released on September 12, 1998, for the original Playstation console.