Tekken 9 Power Crush Explanation

Tekken 9 Power Crush Explanation

Alright, Tekken fans! Let’s dive deep into one of the most exciting and sometimes frustrating mechanics in Tekken: the Power Crush. If you’re gearing up for Tekken 9, understanding Power Crushes is going to be super important for your success. These aren’t just fancy moves; they’re game-changers. They can help you break through opponents’ offense and turn the tide of a fight. But, if you don’t know how they work, you might find yourself getting crushed instead of doing the crushing! We’re going to break it all down for you so that you’ll be a Power Crush expert in no time.

What is a Power Crush?

Think of a Power Crush as a super-powered attack. Normally, in Tekken, when you attack, your opponent can stop you by hitting you first, that’s called “interrupting”. However, a Power Crush ignores some of those rules. When you perform a Power Crush, you can power through certain of your opponent’s attacks. Imagine your opponent is throwing a jab but you are performing a Power Crush, you can literally crush that jab and your power crush will hit the opponent. It’s like your character says, “I’m not getting stopped by that!” This feature gives the player doing the Power Crush an advantage, by making some of their attack hit no matter what the opponent is doing.

Understanding Armor Properties

The key thing that makes Power Crushes special is their “armor.” Armor doesn’t mean you’re wearing a suit of metal; it means that certain attacks simply pass through certain of your opponents’ moves. It’s like wearing an invisible shield that only stops specific kinds of hits. This armor feature allows your Power Crush move to execute and hit your opponent without being interrupted. There are multiple armor properties that you need to learn to fully master the Tekken game.

• High Armor: Power Crushes with high armor will go through high attacks. This is super useful for moves like jabs and high kicks. If your opponent is throwing a lot of these, a high armor Power Crush can make them think twice.
• Mid Armor: Mid armor Power Crushes will go through mid attacks. These are essential for when your opponent uses mid attacks which hit your character from the middle, like a knee attack.
• Low Armor: Although not as common, some Power Crushes may have low armor and may absorb low attacks. This is useful when your opponent is attacking you with sweeps and other low hits.
• Uninterruptible Armor: Some Power Crushes come with complete armor and they will not be stopped by any hits! This is very rare, but if your character has it, it is one of the strongest tools in your Tekken character arsenal.

It is important to note that all Power Crushes do have some weakness. For example, even if your Power Crush has high armor, it might still lose against a low attack or throw. It is important to carefully consider the opponent’s moves while using Power Crush.

Power Crush Specifics

Now that you know what a Power Crush is, let’s look at some important features:

Not Invincible

Power Crushes are great, but they aren’t foolproof. They can be interrupted by specific types of attacks. For example, throws, low attacks, and some special moves may crush through even high armored Power Crush. So, it’s not like you can just spam them and win. You have to think about when to use them. Don’t rely only on Power Crushes. Try to incorporate them within your offensive and defensive plan.

Risk vs Reward

Power Crushes often have a slower startup time, and if your Power Crush move is blocked or your opponent is not doing any attack, you’re going to be wide open for a counterattack. This is the main reason people don’t use them too often. You have to be very precise and have the right timing to be successful with them. So, there’s a risk involved when you use them. If you get it right, your opponent may lose a lot of health, but if you get it wrong, you will be in a lot of trouble!

How to Use Power Crushes Effectively

Knowing how a Power Crush works is only half the battle. You need to know when and how to use them. Here are some tips to make you a Power Crush master:

Identifying Opponent Tendencies

The first step is to watch how your opponent is playing. Are they spamming high attacks? Then a high armor Power Crush might be perfect. Are they throwing a lot of mid attacks? A mid armor Power Crush might be the answer. Predicting what your opponent will do is key to making Power Crushes work.

Punishing Predictable Offense

If your opponent has a set pattern of attacks, like doing the same high, mid, high string every single time, a well-timed Power Crush can disrupt their attack and punish them badly. It is important to train your mind to see your opponent’s habits, then use the power crush to punish them when they get too comfortable.

Using Power Crush as a Mix-up

Instead of just using Power Crushes to interrupt, you can use them as a mix-up tool. This means using a Power Crush move when the opponent thinks that you are going to perform another type of attack. For example, you can mix Power Crush with regular attack, throws, and low attacks, which makes it difficult for the opponent to predict your next move. This will force your opponent to think more and make mistakes.

Learning Your Characters Power Crushes

Not all characters have the same power crushes or the same properties on those power crushes. Some have fast, safe power crushes, and some have slow and punishable power crushes. The most effective way to use your character’s power crushes is to learn them by practicing in training mode. Try experimenting with different Power Crush moves and understand their properties.

Power Crushes in Tekken 9: What to Expect

While Tekken 9 is still on the horizon, we can expect to see Power Crushes remain an important part of the game. However, there might be some changes or tweaks to how they work. Here’s what we might expect:

Potential Changes

Game developers often adjust mechanics from game to game. Power Crushes might receive some slight tweaks, such as:

• Adjusted Armor Properties: Some characters might get improved armor properties while some may receive a nerf. This is a very common thing, and it might happen again in Tekken 9.
• New Power Crush Moves: We can definitely expect new power crush moves for new characters as well as the existing characters. Every Tekken game has always tried to introduce new move sets for the characters.
• Changes in Recovery: Maybe they’ll make some Power Crushes faster or slower after you use them, which will change how you’ll use them. This is another way to balance characters in Tekken.

Why Power Crushes are Important

Even with potential changes, Power Crushes will likely stay a key feature in Tekken 9. Here’s why:

• Breaking Offense: They allow players to stop relentless attacks from opponents who are trying to overwhelm.
• Creating Pressure: They force your opponent to think twice before they throw an attack.
• Strategic Depth: They add another layer of strategy to the game, making each match unique.

Practice Makes Perfect

Reading about Power Crushes is a good start, but practice is where you truly become good. Head into the training mode and get used to using Power Crushes. It’s the best way to learn how they work for your favorite characters, and how to use them in a real match.

Training Tips

• Experiment with different Power Crushes: See how they interact with different types of attacks.
• Practice against the computer: Set the computer to do some specific attack, then counter with a Power Crush.
• Watch professionals: See how the pros use them. You can learn a lot from watching them fight.