E3 2011: Tekken 3D Tech Demo Preview

Earlier today, just a few hours after Tekken 3D (working title) was announced for the 3DS, we had an opportunity to check out a tech demo of the game. The demo wasn't playable, but as two fighters stood facing each other, we were able to move the camera around them in real time to admire the models. Furthermore, every time we pushed the B button we got to see a different combat animation play out, still with control of the camera.

To say that the Tekken 3D tech demo looked impressive would be an understatement of epic proportions. All five of the available characters (Asuka, Bryan, Heihachi, Kazuya, and Lili) looked fantastic, and they only got better as we edged the 3D slider up toward the maximum setting. The 3D in the demo was some of the best that we've seen on Nintendo's handheld to date, and with the camera positioned so that punches and kicks were targeted directly at the screen, it wasn't difficult to buy into the illusion that they were coming out of it.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Tekken 3D demo was that, even with the 3D enabled, it maintained a silky-smooth 60 frames per second. We're told that will be the case with the finished game, though only time will tell. We look forward to bringing you more information on this promising handheld fighter just as soon as we're able to get our hands on a playable version of it.