Battle Arena Toshinden 3

Battle Arena Toshinden 3

Company type	Video game
Industry	Video games
Founded	1996 (1996)
Founder	Tamsoft
Headquarters	Japan
Products	Fighting game for PlayStation
Parent	Takara (publisher)

Battle Arena Toshinden 3 is a fighting game released in 1996, developed by Tamsoft and published by Takara for the PlayStation. It launched in Japan in December 1996 and reached international markets by March 1997. Serving as the follow-up to Battle Arena Toshinden 2, this installment introduced enclosed fighting arenas alongside revised gameplay mechanics. The title expanded its roster with numerous new characters, many of whom are palette swaps lacking distinct move sets. Critical reception was mixed.

Gameplay

In contrast to its predecessor, Toshinden 3 significantly overhauled its gameplay by implementing enclosed arenas that enable players to juggle opponents off walls and ceilings. The combo system was redesigned to include preset combos unique to each character and introduced a novel attack type known as the Soul Bomb. Additionally, the game diversified weapon options by adding items such as blowpipes and chainsaws.

The Arcade Mode experience depends on the character chosen: selecting one of the 14 initial fighters ("Heroes") leads to encounters with Organization members, whereas opting for an Organization member results in facing the Heroes. The mode concludes with battles against Sho and the Organization’s leader, Abel, with further boss characters becoming available at higher difficulty settings.

Players have the option to toggle between 30 fps and 60 fps frame rates; the slower frame rate enhances the detail of background textures.

Regional differences

The versions released in the U.S. and Europe feature gameplay modifications compared to the Japanese edition:

• High and low attacks are automatically blocked (as opposed to manual low blocking in Japan).
• Reversal attacks cause characters to be knocked across the entire arena.
• Practice and Survival modes were introduced.
• Bugs affecting character knockback directions were corrected.
• Vermilion’s overdrive move was adjusted to prevent unintended player movement.

Plot

After the defeat of the Secret Society, which had sponsored earlier tournaments, a new adversarial force arises: the Organization, a worldwide cult devoted to Agon Teos, a deity of conflict. This group has taken control of the Battle Arena Toshinden tournament to carry out "The Legend of the Fighting God," a savage ritual requiring fighters to battle until only one remains alive so that the victor may be sacrificed to unleash Agon Teos’s power.

Abel leads the Organization in seeking out fighters considered "the strongest"—namely, recent participants of Toshinden tournaments. Abel believes that only those "pure of heart" can harness this power and awaits their arrival while combatants like Eiji Shinjo unite to resist this emerging threat in what may represent the final Battle Arena Toshinden.

Characters

The lineup has doubled from Toshinden 2, featuring a total of 32 fighters. All returning characters reappear except Fo and bosses Master and Uranus. Four new starting characters—David, Shizuku Fuji, Nagisa Iwashiro, and Bayhou (who replaces Fo)—are introduced. The other sixteen new fighters act as unlockable sub-bosses but largely replicate existing fighting styles without offering unique moves.

Commercial

In Japan, Toshinden 3 sold at least 95,019 units, a notable decline compared to its predecessor’s performance. In the United States, sales reached 50,952 copies, less than half of what Toshinden 2 achieved.

Critical

Review scores showed a range of opinions: Electronic Gaming Monthly gave an average rating of 7.125 out of 10; GameSpot assigned a 7.6 out of 10; Official UK PlayStation Magazine rated it 7 out of 10; IGN scored it at 6.3 out of 10; while Edge awarded it a 6 out of 10.

GameSpot commended Toshinden 3 for introducing innovations such as single-round battles, super moves, confined fighting arenas, and unlockable characters, although they suggested its appeal might be limited to players seeking greater complexity. Electronic Gaming Monthly criticized the game for feeling hurried and lacking depth despite its flashy presentation, pointing out issues with character balance and overly simple super moves. GamePro acknowledged enhancements over Toshinden 2 but described the gameplay as straightforward and less challenging compared to competitors like Tekken and Virtua Fighter 2. Official UK PlayStation Magazine praised the audio and visual quality but observed only slight advancements from the previous installment. IGN noted the gameplay was somewhat stilted relative to contemporaries such as Soul Blade and Tobal 2, commending only the visual effects of power moves. Edge remarked on the focus on flashy combo executions at the expense of balanced play but found the experience more enjoyable than initially anticipated.

External links

• Tamsoft's BAT3 page (Japanese) (archived)