Tekken 8 What Are The Fundamentals

Tekken 8 What are the Fundamentals

Okay, so you’re diving into the world of Tekken 8! That’s awesome. It’s a super fun fighting game with lots of cool characters and crazy moves. But, like any good game, there are some basic things you need to learn to get good. We call these the “fundamentals.” Think of them like the ABCs of Tekken – you gotta know them to write a great story (or, you know, win a lot of matches!). Let’s break down these important building blocks.

Movement: Getting Around the Arena

In Tekken, you’re not just standing still and trading punches. Moving around the stage is super important. It helps you get in close for attacks, avoid enemy hits, and set up sneaky strategies. Here are the main ways you move:

Walking

Walking forward and backward seems simple, but it’s key for controlling your distance from your opponent. If you’re too close, you might get hit, if you’re too far away, you can’t land your own attacks. It’s all about finding that sweet spot.

Back Dashing

Pressing back quickly twice (or holding back and pressing it repeatedly) makes your character quickly dash backwards. This is useful for dodging attacks and creating space between you and your opponent. Think of it like taking a quick step back to avoid someone’s reach. But, be careful, backdashing too much can make you predictable.

Side Stepping

Tapping up or down allows you to sidestep, moving your character in a more circular motion. This is great for avoiding linear attacks (think of a straight punch or a kick aimed at your midsection) and can set you up for a counterattack if you side-step at right time. Different characters have different sidestep speeds, making some more evasive than others.

• Sidestep Right: Tap Up
• Sidestep Left: Tap Down

Running

Double tapping forward lets you run, which covers a larger distance than walking or dashing, allowing you to close gaps quickly or get across a stage fast. Running can be a powerful tool for aggressive play, but keep in mind that a running opponent becomes quite predictable.

Crouching and Low Attacks

Pressing down makes your character crouch. While crouching, your character will dodge high attacks and will be able to launch low attacks, which can make your opponent vulnerable. Learning when to crouch and how to attack from a crouch is key to mix up your game and keep your opponent guessing.

Blocking: Staying Safe and Sound

Getting hit hurts, both in real life and in Tekken 8! That’s why blocking is super important. It’s not about being passive; it’s about giving yourself an opportunity to launch your own attacks. Here’s how blocking works:

High Block

Just holding back on your controller makes your character block standing attacks. Most punches and kicks are high attacks. This is your go to defense against many attacks.

Low Block

To block low attacks, press down and back on your controller. Low attacks are very commonly done by a crouching character, and if your opponent loves doing low attacks, you have to block low to stay in the fight.

When To Block High/Low

Knowing when to block high or low comes from watching your opponent’s tendencies, a player might like to go for high attacks more than low attacks, or vice versa, so try to pay attention to your opponent. Also, some moves are high and some are low based on the animation. As you play more, you’ll get better at reading when to block which type of attack.

Attacking: Dealing the Damage

Okay, now that you know how to move and block, it’s time to learn how to throw some punches and kicks! Tekken has a lot of different attacks. You have standard punches and kicks, but combining them gives you different combinations and sequences of moves. It can feel overwhelming, but let’s start with the basics.

Standard Punches and Kicks

Each of the four limbs of a character have a button associated with it. The buttons used for these attacks will vary based on the console you’re playing on. These standard attacks are essential for combos and general fighting.

• Left Punch
• Right Punch
• Left Kick
• Right Kick

Movement Based Attacks

Combining directional movement with your button inputs will give you new attacks to use. This can be a forward punch or a crouching kick. These different attacks are how you will keep your opponent guessing and how you will adapt in different situations.

Punishing: Taking Advantage of Mistakes

If you block or avoid an attack at the perfect time, you can punish your opponent’s mistakes. This means hitting them while they are stuck in the animation of their failed attack. This is one of the major fundamentals of Tekken and a powerful tool if you can get the timing down.

Combos: Strings of Attacks

Combos are multiple attacks done in a row, usually hitting the opponent when they are vulnerable. These combos can be as simple as two attacks back to back, or as complex as a long sequence of moves, ending with a powerful finisher. Each character has its own specific combos and you will have to learn them.

Throws: Getting Up Close and Personal

Throws are another important attack that can be used to mix up your offense. Throws are usually high attacks that can break through a high block, forcing your opponent to guess your next move and have to switch to a low block. Most throws cannot be blocked, but can be teched. Teching a throw is to predict when someone will throw you, and pressing the right buttons to break the throw.

• Throws: Can be performed by pressing Left Punch and Left Kick at the same time
• Throw Techs: Can be performed by pressing either Left Punch or Right Punch at the same time while being grabbed.

Character Choice: Finding Your Fighter

Tekken 8 has a large roster of unique characters, each with their own unique movesets and styles of fighting. Some characters are more beginner friendly than others, some rely on being aggressive, and some can be played much more patiently. Experimenting with different characters will help you understand all different playstyles in the game, and it will be easier to find a character you resonate with.

Understanding Character Archetypes

Some characters are basic and easy to learn, like Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama. These characters are great for beginners, as they have simpler inputs for their attacks. Other characters like Steve Fox, are more difficult to use, but have many tools and combos to use to become extremely strong. As you grow to understand the game, try to pick up more difficult characters to gain more knowledge on every part of the game.

Spacing and Range: Staying at the Right Distance

Being at the right distance from your opponent is another key fundamental in Tekken 8. If you are too close to your opponent, they can punish with fast attacks, and if you are too far, they can zone you out with attacks with long range. Learning how to keep the right distance to land your own attacks while avoiding your opponent’s is a skill that comes with time, as you get a better understanding of your character’s move range.

Poking

Poking is using quick, short range attacks to keep the pressure on your opponent. Poking attacks are a great way to get an advantage on your opponent’s health bar, and also great to open them up for larger combos. Poking can be done on the ground or while crouching, based on the situation.

Zoning

Zoning is the act of staying at a distance to force your opponent to come towards you, and then hitting them before they can get too close to do any damage. Long range attacks can be used to punish an opponent’s movement and can be a great way to control the pace of the match. However, If you rely too much on zoning, your opponent can read you and change their playstyle to break the zoning.

Playing Aggressive

Playing aggressive is to play forward. This means you will be trying to close the distance in between you and your opponent, and to keep the pressure on, forcing them to react. Some characters excel at playing aggressively more than other characters, so experiment with characters you feel comfortable with.

Practice Makes Perfect: Getting Better Over Time

No one becomes a Tekken master overnight. It takes time, patience, and a whole lot of practice. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t win every match right away. Keep playing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep having fun. Here’s how to get better with time:

Practice Mode: Your Best Friend

The practice mode is your best friend in Tekken 8. Use the practice mode to learn new combos, moves, and character specific mechanics, along with practicing your movement and spacing. This is the perfect place to experiment and learn the game.

Learning Character Matchups

Every character in Tekken has some advantages and disadvantages against other characters in the game, this is what we call a character matchup. For example, character A may excel at long range fighting, so character B, who excels at close range fighting may be at a disadvantage. The more you play and the more characters you try, the better you will be at understanding the character matchups, and what to do against them.

Learning from Mistakes

Losing is a great way to learn. Try to review replays of your matches to understand what moves you did wrong, or how you could have approached a situation in a different way. Learning from your mistakes is an important step in getting better at any video game, especially in Tekken 8.

Watch Other Players

Watching better players play Tekken can give you more perspective into how the game is meant to be played. You can see the movement, spacing, and combo usage of higher ranked players to understand how to approach the game on a deeper level. This will allow you to take your game to the next level.

Playing Online

The best way to get better at Tekken is to play against others online. Playing against real opponents will make you improve much faster, because you will be forced to understand the game under pressure. You can take what you learned in practice mode to real games and practice against actual people.

So, that’s a look at the fundamentals of Tekken 8! It might seem like a lot, but remember that every pro started somewhere. Focus on these basics, practice often, and you’ll be throwing down with the best of them in no time. Remember, it’s all about having fun and enjoying the learning process. Good luck, and get ready to rumble!