Tekken 3 has one of the most beloved rosters in fighting-game history: 23 fighters in total, blending grounded martial artists with wild outliers like a boxing bear and a falling-over scientist. This guide lists every character, their real fighting style, a short backstory, and exactly how to unlock the hidden ones. Everything reflects the PlayStation version that the Tekken 3 APK is built from.
You start with 10 playable characters and unlock 13 more through Arcade Mode and Tekken Force Mode. Two of those (Panda and Tiger) are play-alikes, and two (Gon and Dr. Bosconovitch) are exclusive to the console version.
The 10 starting characters
Jin Kazama
Style: Mishima-style fighting karate mixed with Kazama-style martial arts. The grandson of Heihachi and son of Kazuya and Jun, Jin enters the tournament seeking to end the cursed Mishima bloodline. He’s the best-balanced fighter in the game and the easiest pick for newcomers.
Ling Xiaoyu
Style: Chinese martial arts. A 16-year-old who dreams of building her own amusement park. Fast, tricky, and full of evasive stance work.
Hwoarang
Style: Taekwondo. A cocky student of Baek Doo San and Jin’s chief rival. Relentless kick pressure and stance switching define him.
Eddy Gordo
Style: Capoeira. Flowing, acrobatic kicks that are famously easy to pick up and hard to read. A favorite of casual players.
Forest Law
Style: Jeet Kune Do–inspired martial arts. Son of series veteran Marshall Law, with the same flashy, Bruce Lee–style flips and combos.
Paul Phoenix
Style: Judo and karate. Paul deals the highest raw damage in the game — his Phoenix Smasher can end rounds fast. A blunt, aggressive pick.
Lei Wulong
Style: Five Animal Kung Fu. A Hong Kong detective who shifts between five animal stances (dragon, snake, tiger, crane, panther), making him deep but demanding.
King
Style: Wrestling / lucha libre. A masked, jaguar-headed wrestler with the game’s deepest throw and chain-grab game.
Nina Williams
Style: Assassination arts and aikido. An Irish hitwoman with sharp strikes and devastating grapple combos.
Yoshimitsu
Style: Manji ninjutsu and kenjutsu. A sword-wielding space-pirate ninja with bizarre, unpredictable moves.
The 13 unlockable characters
Most of these unlock simply by clearing Arcade Mode with different fighters. The standard unlock order is: Kuma/Panda → Julia Chang → Gun Jack → Mokujin → Anna Williams → Bryan Fury → Heihachi Mishima → Ogre → True Ogre.
Kuma & Panda
Style: Heihachi-style “bear” fighting. Kuma is Heihachi’s pet bear; Panda is Xiaoyu’s bodyguard and plays identically. Both wrestle and maul with heavy power.
Julia Chang
Style: Xin Yi Liu Ho and other Chinese arts. Michelle Chang’s adopted daughter, looking for her kidnapped mother. Fast, technical strings.
Gun Jack
Style: Mechanized power moves. A military robot with slow but crushing attacks and projectile-like specials.
Mokujin
Style: Random — copies another fighter’s entire moveset each match. A training dummy brought to life; a fun wildcard.
Anna Williams
Style: Assassination arts and aikido. Nina’s sister and rival, with her own animations and ending in this entry.
Bryan Fury
Style: Kickboxing. A reanimated, undead ex-cop with powerful, looping strikes.
Heihachi Mishima
Style: Mishima-style fighting karate. The tournament’s organizer and series patriarch — a top-tier, well-rounded veteran.
Ogre & True Ogre
Style: Mixed/ancient. Ogre is a shape-shifting “God of Fighting”; True Ogre is his monstrous final form and the game’s last boss.
Tiger Jackson
Style: Capoeira (plays identically to Eddy). A 1970s funk-styled palette of Eddy. Unlock by clearing Arcade Mode with 16 different characters, then highlight Eddy and press Start.
Gon
Style: Unique close-range mischief. A tiny dinosaur guest character, console-only. Defeat him in Tekken Ball Mode (he’s your first opponent) or beat him as a random Arcade opponent, then finish the run.
Dr. Bosconovitch
Style: “Drunken falling” — a one-of-a-kind off-balance style. A console-only scientist and Yoshimitsu’s friend. Unlock by completing Tekken Force Mode four times and beating him in the special encounter.
Best characters for beginners
If you’re just starting out, pick Jin Kazama (balanced and forgiving), Eddy Gordo (easy, effective kicks), or Paul Phoenix (high damage, simple to land). These three let you win matches while you learn the four-button (limb-mapped) control system.
Quick FAQ
How many characters are in Tekken 3? 23 total — 10 starting plus 13 unlockable, including the console-exclusive Gon and Dr. Bosconovitch.
Who is the strongest character? Paul Phoenix deals the most damage, while True Ogre is the toughest boss to beat.
Are all characters in the APK version? Most APK ports include the full PS1 roster and movesets. Want them all from the start? See our unlock guide.
Ready to play? Download the Tekken 3 APK and start unlocking the roster yourself.