Tekken Tag Tournament[a] is a 1999 fighting game developed and published by Namco for arcades.

At times when a resting fighter's life bar is flashing, that character can be tagged in to be given a temporary boost in strength.

The PlayStation 2 version added enhanced graphics and various modes, including 1-on-1 mode, in which players only choose one fighter each, and Team Battle, where players choose up to eight battles and play with the tag rules, with each new character replacing the one that was defeated (the remaining fighter must fight on his/her own).

The console version ran on a highly updated engine, utilizing the PlayStation 2's graphics processor.

The only characters absent from the game that were playable in previous entries of the series are the original Jack, the first King, the first Kuma, Marshall Law, Dr. Bosconovitch, and Gon (who was a guest character in Tekken 3 and who did not appear in any subsequent games because Namco's contract only allowed them to use Gon in Tekken 3).

^a Unlockable ^b Unplayable in arcade version ^c Costume/palette swap The PlayStation 2 version had reworked upgraded graphics over the arcade original, and it was first demoed at the Tokyo Games Show alongside Namco's Ridge Racer V.[4][5] Tekken Tag Tournament was released just weeks after the PS2's Japanese debut, but was otherwise a launch title in North America and Europe later in 2000.

[23] In the "Features" section for PlayStation 2, Prince Paul of GamePro praised it for its visuals "where you could see individual blades of grass!

"[32] Later, Four-Eyed Dragon said of the game in its review, "Namco has always been strong in the fighting genre, and Tekken Tag Tournament is no exception.

While the game may be old in the arcades, it certainly looks and feels new for the home console, effectively utilizing the power of the PS2 with outstanding graphics, sound, and controls.

"[25] Six issues later, he called the U.S. version "A densely packed, gloriously rendered, and very playable fighting game.

[citation needed] By July 2006, Tekken Tag Tournament had sold 1.4 million units and earned $48 million in the U.S. NextGen ranked it as the 35th highest-selling game launched for the PlayStation 2, Xbox or GameCube between January 2000 and July 2006 in that country.

During the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the PlayStation 2 version was nominated for the "Game of the Year, "Console Game of the Year", "Console Fighting" and "Animation" awards, which ultimately went to Diablo II, SSX, Dead or Alive 2 and Final Fantasy IX, respectively.

[citation needed] Tekken Tag Tournament 2, was announced at the Tokyo Game Show 2010 on September 18, 2010.

PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in all territories in the week of September 11, 2012, and a Wii U port followed in November 2012.