Tekken 5 dated for Japan

TOKYO--Namco has announced that Tekken 5 for the PlayStation 2 will be released on March 31 in Japan. The game will be priced at JPY 7,140 ($68).

Tekken 5 features three new characters: Raven, Feng Wei, and Kazama Asuka. 20 characters are selectable by default, and additional characters can be unlocked. By winning fights, you earn money that can be spent on a new wardrobe that includes costumes, hats, and glasses.

The PlayStation 2 version will have a bonus gaming mode, tentatively titled Tekken ADV, in which you play as the lead character Jin Kazama and move from stage to stage while taking on multiple enemies that come at you. In Tekken ADV, you can use tactics that aren’t featured in Tekken 5’s original fighting game mode, such as hanging on walls, jumping to another floor, and blasting though parts of the in-game environment.

Tekken 5’s release on the PlayStation 2 marks the 10th anniversary of the fighting game series since its first home console port on the PlayStation in 1995. According to retailer sources, there will be a special bonus in the game disc to commemorate the occasion, with unconfirmed reports saying the disc would include the original Tekken home port as a bonus. In addition, preorders of Tekken 5 in Japan will come with a limited edition IC card as well.

The American release of Tekken 5 is scheduled a month earlier than Japan's release of the game on February 22.