Tekken 9 How To Improve Character Matchups

Tekken 9 How to Improve Character Matchups

Alright, so you’re playing Tekken 9 and you’re feeling like some characters are just giving you a really hard time? You’re not alone! Every character in Tekken has strengths and weaknesses, and understanding those is super important to winning more fights. It’s like knowing what tool to use for a specific job. In Tekken, it’s knowing how to fight against a particular character.

Understanding Character Archetypes

First, let’s talk about character types. Tekken characters aren’t all the same. They’re built differently, and this affects how you should play against them. Think of it like different classes in a role-playing game. Some common types you’ll see are:

• Rushdown Characters: These guys are all about getting in your face and staying there. They like to be aggressive, using fast attacks and mixing up their moves to keep you guessing. Examples might be someone like Paul or Law.
• Keep-Out Characters: These characters like to keep you at a distance, using long-range attacks and moves that are good at stopping your approach. Characters like Bryan and Feng can be good at this.
• Mix-Up Characters: These fighters are tricky! They have many options, and they use unpredictable moves to keep you guessing about what they’ll do next. Think about characters with lots of stances or unusual movements, like Yoshimitsu or Lei Wulong.
• Grappler Characters: These characters excel at getting close and throwing you. They usually have powerful grabs that can take away a big chunk of your health. King and Armor King are the classic examples.

Knowing which category a character fits into will give you a starting point on how to approach a fight with them. You wouldn’t want to fight a grappler character like a rushdown character, right?

Learning the Matchup

Now, let’s dive into learning specific matchups. This is where you really start improving your Tekken game. You’re moving past just knowing what your character can do and learning about what their character can do!

Step 1: Character Specific Weaknesses and Strengths

The first step is to go deeper into each characters. Every character has moves that are good, and moves that are not so good. Knowing what those are is like having a cheat sheet. Look for these:

• Slow Startup Moves: These attacks are easy to see coming and can be punished before they hit.
• Linear Moves: These are attacks that go straight ahead and can be sidestepped to avoid them.
• Moves That Leave Them Open: Certain moves leave a character vulnerable to an attack after they use them.
• Moves That Can be Ducked: High attacks can often be ducked, letting you get a free hit on your opponent.
• Moves That can be Sidestepped: If you understand that specific move can be avoided via side step, then you have a higher chance of winning against those moves.

On the other hand, you must also know their strengths. What moves do they always use? What do their mix ups look like? Once you learn more about them, it will be easier to read them.

Step 2: Watch Gameplay Videos

YouTube and other video platforms are your best friends here. Search for videos of pro players or high-level players who use the character you’re having trouble with. Here’s what you should be looking for:

• How they approach the character? How do they close distance or keep range?
• Which moves they use often? Are there particular moves or combos that show up a lot?
• How they react to different situations? What do they do when they get pressured? What do they do when they are on the defense?

Watching someone who is good at a character is like studying a master craftsman. You can learn a lot just by paying close attention.

Step 3: Practice in Training Mode

Training mode is your laboratory. This is where you put what you’ve learned into action. Here’s how you can make it useful:

• Record the opponent character doing their most annoying moves. Then, practice blocking, sidestepping, or punishing them. It may take some practice, but repetition will make you better.
• Use the move list. Go through the characters move list. Take a note of what moves are safe and what are punishable. This will give you great advantages.
• Practice your own combos. Make sure you can perform your combos in your sleep.

Remember, practicing in training mode is not meant to be your only practice method. You will always have to put what you learned into real matches, but the training mode is a must before hopping into real matches.

Step 4: Matchups & Execution:

This is where everything you have learnt comes together.

When you go into real matches, try to observe what they are doing. Do they use a move a lot? Then it might be a good idea to punish that move. Did they do high attack every time? Then maybe try ducking or going for low attacks.

Remember, do not get discouraged by loses, they are part of learning. Keep practicing and improving.

Specific Examples of Common Matchup Problems

Let’s look at some specific examples to show you how this works in action.

Fighting Against Rushdown Characters

Let’s say you’re facing Paul, a classic rushdown character. He likes to get in your face with his powerful punches and combos.

• Keep your distance Use moves with good range to keep him away from you. Try back dashing and using moves from a safe distance.
• Sidestep his linear moves: Many of his attacks go straight forward, making them easy to sidestep. Punish him with a launcher if he keeps trying to use them.
• Be ready to block: He’s gonna come at you fast, so be prepared to block and wait for your chance to counter-attack.

Fighting Against Keep-Out Characters

Now you’re facing Bryan. He has great poking tools and long range attacks. This character is all about zoning.

• Try closing the distance: Bryan wants to stay away, so you have to find ways to close the gap. Try using moves that move you forward.
• Be patient. Don’t rush in and get hit by his poking attacks. Wait for an opening.
• Punish over-commit moves: If he gets too predictable and keeps using his long-range moves, then it is a good idea to punish them.

Fighting Against Mix-Up Characters

You are now facing Yoshimitsu. This character is known for his unusual moves and mix ups.

• Don’t be predictable: If you are always blocking high, then Yoshimitsu might use his low attack. So, mix it up. Don’t let them get comfortable with what you are doing.
• Look for patterns: Mix up characters tend to use same mix ups. If you can read their patterns, then you can predict what they are doing.
• Practice: There is no better way to get better at fighting mix up characters than practicing against them.

Fighting Against Grappler Characters

Finally, you’re up against King, who wants to grab you all the time.

• Don’t get too close: Keep a little bit of space. If you are too close, he can easily grab you.
• Break grabs: Practice breaking throws and grabs. There are different types of throws, so get familiar with them.
• Use quick attacks: Use fast attacks to interrupt his attempts to grab you.

Advanced Strategies

Using Frame Data

Frame data is a more advanced topic, but it’s very helpful for understanding matchups at a deeper level. Every move in Tekken takes a certain number of frames (1/60th of a second) to start up, hit, and recover. Learning about this is like reading a instruction manual of a character’s move.

There are frame data websites available. Check them out!

Adapting to Your Opponent’s Playstyle

Every player plays a character differently. Even if you are playing against the same character twice, your strategy might be different because the players will play differently.

Pay attention to how your opponent plays. Do they like to be aggressive, or defensive? How do they react to your moves? Adapt your strategy to fit how your opponent plays. You can only do this by observation during the match. This may take a while to learn, but this is one of the most important aspects of fighting games.

Mental Game

Tekken is not just about pressing buttons. It’s also about being calm and confident. Don’t get angry when you lose. See what you did wrong, learn from it and move on. Getting mad might make you play even worse.

Key Takeaways for Improving Matchups

To sum it all up, here’s what you should do to improve character matchups:

• Know the character archetypes.
• Study your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Watch other players play the character.
• Practice, practice, practice.
• Use training mode to your advantage.
• Adapt your strategy to different playstyles.
• Stay calm and don’t get tilted.

Improving your character matchups in Tekken 9 takes time and effort, but it is something that everyone can do. Keep learning, keep practicing, and you’ll see big improvements in your game. Don’t give up when things get difficult. Every match you play is a chance to learn something new.