Tekken 5

New to the features is the hot system which affects the vulnerability of character while they attack. For example, a move with jumping properties, such as a hop-kick, will be completely invulnerable during most of its animation time to all of an opponent's low attacks. It also retains its wall juggling concept from Tekken 4, but the element is effectively more difficult to abuse and easier to defend against. Tekken 5 also allows players to customize their fighter for the first time, allowing them to change the colors of their outfits, buy additional costumes, and equip them with items by using money gained from playing the Story, Survival, Time Attack, the side-story Devil Within, and Arcade Battle modes.

The raised and lowered sections of floors featured in the Tekken 4 levels were removed for the fifth installment. This change made gameplay throughout each stage generally similar, aside from wall placements. In addition to removing the uneven nature of the Tekken 4 styled stages, the design team returned to the style of stages from previous games by having some stages without barriers by allowing them to be infinitely scrolling. For walled stages, the fights take place in fairly symmetrical boxes without any uneven walls.

Set moments after Tekken 4's ending, Jin Kazama's departure from the Hon-Maru dojo, G Corporation helicopters approach and begin deploying Jack-4 robot pods into the building. Heihachi Mishima and his son, Kazuya, battle the Jacks together until Kazuya leaves Heihachi for dead while escaping. The Jacks hold down Heihachi while one activates its detonator, creating a huge explosion that seemingly kills Heihachi. The only witness to the event is Raven, a mysterious ninja clad in black, who relays Heihachi's death to his superiors.

Heihachi's death is declared all over the world with people foreseeing the end of the Mishima Zaibatsu. However, somebody else takes over the company from the shadows and business continues. Two months later, the King of Iron Fist Tournament 5 is announced. During the tournament, Jin manages to defeat his great-grandfather Jinpachi in the final stage, who dissolves into dust and disappears shortly after, with his wish being fulfilled.

After the release of Tekken 4, series director Katsuhiro Harada left Namco due to pressure with game's decline in sales. Harada's boss insisted him to keep producing more titles as he was capable of pleasing people with his work. After a year away, Harada went back to the company explaining it was due to his passion with fighting games. Namco first announced Tekken 5 in E3 2004 during May.

Harada aimed to make it the best game in the entire franchise to celebrate its 10th anniversary. He aimed to amplify the action elements of the games and make them more over-the-top. In regards to the handling of the game following the sales of Tekken 4, Harada claims Namco used this response to develop the game. Namco also aimed to make the game fitting for newcomers.

Tekken 5 was met with mainly positive critical response, resulting in a score of 88 out of 100 at Metacritic. Several writers found its mechanics superior to its predecessor, Tekken 4, due to the return of classic mechanics and the importance of each stage as well as faster combat. The fact that Tekken 5 removed the exclusive features from its prequel was also a subject of praise. The new mechanics to customize the characters were praised and compared with the ones from Virtua Fighter 4.

The new characters were also the subject of positive response due to the variety they provide. Additionally, the PlayStation 2 port was heavily praised for the inclusion of the first three Tekken to play, which expanded the replay value.