Tekken 5 gets punchy February 25

Namco today announced the official North American release date for Tekken 5, the latest edition of its popular fighting franchise. The game will kick its way onto the PlayStation 2 February 25. Already in Japanese arcades, Tekken 5 is the first Tekken game since 2002's Tekken 4.

In celebration of the series' 10th anniversary, Tekken 5 will also include playable versions of the first three installments of the franchise. These bonuses will mark the debut of Tekken, Tekken 2, and Tekken 3 on the PS2.

Namco also announced the names of four more unlockable characters in the game. The announced characters are Kuma's black-and-white counterpart, Panda, the wooden dummy known as Mokujin, kickboxer Bruce Irvin, and sumo wrestler Ganryu.

Tekken 5 is rated "T" for Teen and will be released in two formats. The standard format will sell for $49.99, and the premium bundle will ship with a Hori controller designed specifically for Tekken 5 and a Tekken-themed six-disc DVD case for $99.99.

For more information on the game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage, including an updated preview that gives the lowdown on Tekken 5's bonus features.