Tekken Tag Tournament

As one of PlayStation 2's launch titles in Japan, Tekken Tag Tournament showed what the new console could do, becoming a literal showcase for the generation. Namco chose not to build a new story but instead based the game on a simple yet brilliantly functioning tag team combat principle, where the player picks a pair of fighters and can swap between them at any time during a match, while the benched fighter slowly regenerates health. Tagging can also be triggered mid-combo, producing spectacular joint attacks by both characters, and the whole system rewards players who master two different styles instead of just one.

Practically the entire history of the series made it into the roster, including bosses and bonus characters from previous installments, turning the game into a giant showcase of the Tekken universe. The visuals were stunning for their time, with detailed models, fluid animation, and spectacular two-on-two battles that had no equal on other platforms at the time; the console version also offered a sharper image and higher character detail than the arcade original. The game also included the beloved Tekken Bowl bonus mode, bowling with the series' characters, serving as light relief between more serious fights.

Although formally a spin-off without its own canonical story, Tekken Tag Tournament became an extraordinary commercial success and is still remembered as a title that convinced players the jump to a new console generation was worth it. The game also offered an elaborate training mode and an extensive gallery of unlockable costumes and characters, motivating repeated play beyond the fights themselves, and it is often cited as one of the best-selling PlayStation 2 launch titles of all time. The popularity of the format eventually led to a sequel, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, a whole generation later, and tag battles remain something fans still occasionally wish would return to the series.