Ready to dominate the King of Iron Fist Tournament in Tekken 8?
Mastering this 3D fighting game takes practice, but with the right knowledge, you’ll be well on your way to pummeling your opponents.
To become a pro, you must know the basics. This guide will equip you with the essential skills to fight like a pro.
Mastering the Basics
First things first, establish your foundation. Punches and kicks in Tekken 8 are handled differently by a different button layout (left/right punch and kick).
For many moves, directional inputs are needed along with buttons. Practice movement using sidesteps, backdashes, and jumping to maneuver around your opponent.
Knowing Your Character
Tekken 8 features several fighters with distinct strengths and weaknesses. Explore different characters and get the right one for you.
In Training Mode, delve into their move list and work on their special attacks, throws, and combos.
Punishing Your Opponent
A key aspect of Tekken is taking out whiffed attacks (moves your opponent misses). Learn to recognize punishable moves and work on counter moves to exploit such openings.
This puts you on the offensive and doesn’t take long to accumulate damage.
Befriending the Heat System
Tekken 8 also introduces the Heat System – a System that gives your character special buffs when activated.
Learn how to use Heat Engagers (specific motions that activate Heat) and how to manually activate Heat. In Heat, you unlock Heat Dashes and Heat Bursts to change the tide of battle.
Boost Your Defense
Don’t just focus on offense! In Tekken, blocking is extremely important. Learn how to block (high, mid, and low) to defend against your opponent.
Block just before an attack hits – practice your timing to block just before an attack hits for maximum effectiveness.
Also, working out throws and throw escapes will keep you from getting easily grappled.
Analyze and Adapt
Every opponent is different. Watch how they play and adjust your approach accordingly.
Are they aggressive? Keep them at bay with pokes (fast, long-range attacks). Do they use throws? Work on your throw escapes.
Learn to read your opponent and make use of their habits.
Train, Train, Train!
Practice makes perfect. Use Training Mode to work on your combos, movements, and punishments. Test your ability against the AI on different difficulty levels.
Finally, battling other players online is the most effective way to progress. Play your matches, analyze them, take away some lessons from your losses, and just keep practicing!
Bonus Tip: Watch the Pros
Many skilled Tekken players post gameplay videos or stream them online. Watch how they approach different matchups, use the Heat System, and lay down devastating combos.
You can take everything you learn from the best and take your very own gameplay to a different level.
You’ll be well on your way to Tekken 8 pro with dedication and these foundation principles.
Reminder: the road to mastery is not an overnight journey so practice hard, have some fun, and enjoy the fight.
