Summary
While the release ofTekken 8has stunned the world of fighting games with the franchise’s most creative iteration of a character creator so far, the game is also highly anticipated for its conclusion of the Devil Gene Saga that goes way back to the firstTekkengame in 1994. With Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama going all out in a final bout, fans might be eager to see just how their favorite characters would also fare in theTekkensequel.
However, fans more eager to take the game’s available roster out for a spin in the fighting game’s competitive multiplayer mode may also want to ensure they’re on the right track for combat supremacy. While the game offers a comprehensive tutorial for beginners, fighting game newcomers and enthusiasts might want to know which combos are must-tries specifically for powerhouse characters in the game. Thankfully, certain combos inTekken 8may dominate a match when used correctly.
Damage: 74
Movelist
(F,N,D - D/F+2) + (F,N,D - D/F+2) + (B+2,2) + (F,N,D - D/F+1+2) + Dash + (3,1, D/F) + (F,N,D,D/F+3)
Considering the status ofKazuya Mishimaas technically the central villain ofTekken 8, it’s reasonable for him to become a character of focus for long-time franchise fans. Kazuya’s kit, whichconsists of his signature Mishima Style, packs a more forceful punch to separate him from other users, withHellish Electric Wind God Lancerproving the sheer ferocity of the character.
Kazuya begins with two harsh Electric Wind God Fists before walking backward and releasing two right punches. He then launches a Parricide Fist before dashing towards the opponent, harassing them with a low kick and a low punch before proceeding with a fierce Hell Lancer finish.
Damage: 78
(D/B,1+2) + (4,3) + (D+2,3) + (F+3,4) + (1+2) + (F+2,1,4)
Despite her character’s more humorous nature,Azucena Ortizis nowhere nearthe franchise’s weakest cast member. Azucena packs one of the easiest kits to learn among debut characters, with herFresh Coffee Vengeanceproving the versatility of her adaptable kit.
Azucena opens with a Kilimanjaro Uppercut and proceeds with a Delfin Patadas. She then goes for a La Nina Kick Combo going into a Libertador, followed by a Boomerang Scythe, and ending with a Danza del Condor.
Damage: 86
(F,N,D - D/F+4) + F + (3~4) + F + (F+3) + (3+4) + (3~4) + (U/F,3+4,F) + (U/F+4) + Dash + F + (3+4) + (3~4) + Dash + (U/B+3)
Taekwondo jinHwoarangmight seem out of place in the rather supernatural atmosphere ofTekken 8, but take him into multiplayer and he will becomeone of the more straightforward characters to use. Hwoarang’s kick-heavy playstyle places heavy emphasis on stance transition and feints, giving him a level of unpredictability, while players easily transition from one attack set to the next, assuming they know which buttons to press. A powerful combo to demonstrate this with is hisFlamingo Flying Flash Forward,which barely gives enemies breathing room to recover from his kicks.
Hwoarang begins with a Sky Rocket that knocks enemies airborne, giving him time to switch to a Right Stance and send them down with a Backlash. He then uses a Cheap Shot that transitions him to Left Flamingo, only to return to Right Flamingo for a Flying Eagle. Hwoarang proceeds with a fierce Flashing Trident to get him to Left Flamingo, and then a Switch Plasma Blade. He dashes forward with a quick Right Stance change for another Backlash, and then a final dash for a Jump Kick finisher.
Damage: 95
(F,F,F+2) + 3 + (D/F+1) + (F+3) + (1+2) + (D/B+2) + F + (1+2) + (B,1,2) + (D/F+1) + (D/B+2,1) + (F+1+4)
Among characters inTekken 8,Lars Alexanderssonis said to beone of the best pokersin the fighting game installment. Similar to how he maintains a knight-inspired outfit, Lars maintains a heavy-hitting toolkit that relies on transitioning from one Entry to the next to facilitate devastating blows. This particularDevastating Battle Entriestakes advantage of Lars' Silent and Dynamic Entries, all the while securing openings with his decent mid pokes.
Lars starts with a Surge Blast, getting him into Silent Entry for a Rising Storm. He transitions into a mid poke before Dynamic Entrying for an Into the Storm. He goes into a Hollow Point to Silent Entry, from which he unleashes an Entangling Ejector. Lars then transitions to a Dynamic Entry for a Double Barrel, upon which it can cause a Wall Break. He then goes for another mid poke before proceeding with a Double Tap, after which he ends with a Power Slug.
Damage: 102
(FC+D/F+2) + (3+4) + (B+4,2) + (F+3,2) + Izumo + (1,1) + F + (F+2,3) + Wall Break + Dash + (B+2,1) + (B+1+2, 2)
While it seems the involvement ofJun KazamainTekken 8’s story focuses heavily on her statusas either alive or dead, players may want to give her iteration of the Kazama Style a shot, as she packs some of the more visually flowy kits among the game’s cast. Jun’s namesake martial arts style is best seen throughFlowing Izumo Miare Finish, where direct hits are coupled with recoiling strikes that fit each other like puzzle pieces.
In perfect Kazama fashion, Jun opens with Grace going into a Flowing Moon Scent. She walks slightly back with a Shirabyoushi and comes forward with a Kanbashira Izumo Strike. Now in Izumo, Jun recoils with Haraede Kannagi before flowing forward for a Wheel Kick. This can cause a Wall Break, after which Jun dashes for a Ryuen to Elbow. She maneuvers into Miare before finishing with an Ame-no-Nuboko.
Damage: 103
(F,N,D,D/F,1) + (F,N,D,D/F,2) + (D/F+2) + (D/F+1) + Dash + (3,1) + (F+1+2) + Wall Break + 2 + Dash + Heat Burst + Rage Art
ProtagonistJin Kazamawill useTekken 8as an opportunity to settle the differences he has with his identity and his family, and hopefully in time before his father Kazuya plunges the world into utter chaos. Jin’sTekken 8kitmaintains his reputation as a relatively balanced fighter that has the familiar aggressive but adaptable moveset of an intro-level but highly versatile character.
Jin begins with an Electric Thrusting Uppercut followed by a Wind Hook Fist before pairing them up with a fierce Fiendish Rend and a Mid Left Punch. He then dashes for a Tanden Nidan-uchi and then a Double Chamber Punch. This ideally causes a Wall Break, leaving opponents open for a Right Punch, another dash, and then Heat Bursting into a Rage Art.
Damage: 104
(D/F+1,2) + Floor Break + (F, F+2,3) + (D/B+1,4) + Dash + (2,1,2) + Wall Break + (1+4,2,4)
DespiteAsuka Kazamapossessing a similar Kazama-style moveset as her cousin Jin and her aunt Jun, Asukamaintains her place inTekken 8’s starting rosterfor her more energetic take on the otherwise gentle martial arts style. Such a demonstration is seen with herGently Brutal Kazama Beatdown, where Asuka focuses on stopping enemies from making a comeback with fierce pound-after-pound strikes.
Asuka begins with a Falling Tower that immediately transitions into a Wall Break before spinning for a swipe-kick Yata Kagami. She proceeds with a Swallow Torrent that becomes a Basho Cutter, initiating yet another Wall Break. The Kazama cousin finishes with a slap-kick pairing of the White Heron Dance. When timed correctly, Asuka may even perform a counter hit in this sequence.
Damage: 107
(D,D/F,F+2) + (D/F,3+4) + (4,4) + (FC, D/F,1,4) + (D/F,1) + Wall Break + F + (F,F,4) + (3,1,D/F) + (1+2)
Like his moniker, the White Angel of Death, so too does the kit ofSergei Dragunovseek to send enemies to their early grave. Dragunov maintains his reputation inTekken 8asone of the game’s best punishers, possessing moves that focus less on dealing heavy damage and instead debilitate the enemy’s progress through interruptions. One such example is theWhite Angel’s Death Strikes.
Dragunov begins his attack with a Stinger Elbow that transitions into a Reaper Kick. This is followed by a Karnov Avalance going into a Hail Slicer. He should then enter Sneak for a quick Cocked Hammer, which should potentially cause a Wall Break. Dragunov then moves forward with a Rolling Thunder, following up with a Disconnector to Sneak, and finishes off with the White Angel of Death.
Damage: 109
(F,N,D - D/F+2) + (F,N,D - D/F+2) + F + (2,1) + (F+3) + (D/F+1, 1) + F + (2,1) + (F+3) + (1,2) + Wall Break + (D,1+2) + (D/F) + Neutral + (3,4) + Wall Break + (F+2,3) + Heat Burst + (F,F+3) + F + (D+4,1)
NewcomerReinaoffers one of the more destructive character kits inTekken 8gameplay, although this does come withher moves being trickier to master. However, players who do manage to settle the difference between her kit compared to Jin’s or Kazuya’s may appreciate Reina’s more straightforward approach. Such an example can be seen withTwin Electric God Fists, Twin Wall Breakswhere the signature Mishima move leads into a combo that features two Wall Breaks.
Reina opens with two destructive Electric Wind God Fists before following up with a forward Ondeko and getting into Sentai. From here, Reina delays before surprising the enemy with a Muso Tensho. She moves forward and releases another Sentai into Furin Kazan, prompting a Wall Break. Reina then unleashes Heaven’s Wrath, so she can Wind God Step and get back to neutral before unleashing a Senjo-manji for yet another Wall Break. She goes forward for a Sousoku Rengeki, now activating Heat Burst for a Trailokya Splits Kick. When the opponent is down, she can finish with a Totetsu Jyurin.
Damage: 126
(3+4, 1+4) + (1,4,2,3) + (1,1+3) + (1+1,1,1+3) + (3+4, 1+2) + (1+2,3,1+3) + (2,4,3,1,1+3)
Players who want to focus more on the grappling aspect ofTekkencan findKingamongthe most broken charactersfrom this perspective. Thanks to his Mexican Magma Drive, players can use King’s throws to transition to a wide variety of multi-hit combos to maximize damage. Among King’s moves in the Mexican Magma Drive, the Screwdriver is his chain throw with the most damage. When successfully pulled off with the six other moves in its chain, theSavage Screwdrivercan deal as much as 126 Damage.
King begins with his signature Cobra Clutch, which transitions into a devastating Cobra Twist before continuing with a Reverse DDT. From here, King can get into a Reverse Special Stretch Bomb and then into a Backdrop, followed yet again by Burning Hammer before finishing with a Screwdriver.
