Bandai Namco has been hard at work on Tekken 8, as shown by all the game modes and new features looking to make the new Tekken the ultimate fighting game.
You’d think it would be hard to come up with new ways to reinvent a fairly limited genre of games. Fighting games such as Tekken typically take place on a 2.5D plane with limited movement, and virtually every combo has been explored over the decades. Yet, Tekken 8 is a riveting ride and offers plenty of new ideas.
If you’re on the fence about committing to the newest iteration or wondering whether or not Tekken 8 is for you, here’s an in-depth look at the new features and knockout ideas.
All Tekken 8 game modes
Story Mode: The Dark Awakens
The next dramatic and filmic chapter of the long-running Tekken saga. In The Dark Awakens, we revisit the power struggle between father and son—Kazuya Kazama and Jin Kazama. Both imbued with the power of The Devil, you take control of Jin and several other characters in a bid to protect the world, with battles taking place in a host of glorious locations around the world—and beyond.
Character Episodes
Mini Arcade Ladders are at the heart of Character Episodes in Tekken 8. You can take any confirmed characters in Tekken 8 through a gauntlet of five fights, with new story cut scenes introducing them and concluding their mini adventure. Not only that, but you also get some eyebrow-raising Character Episode rewards for ticking off each one.
Just make sure you know how to unlock the remaining Character Episodes so you don’t miss out.
Arcade Quest
Create your own mini and adorable avatar molded in your image, or push the boundaries of your imagination to get Arcade Quest off to a hot start. From there, you’ll battle a host of AI avatars as you level up your rank on the road to becoming a Tekken 8 God—surrounded by machines akin to classic arcade setups of old in which everyone flooded to savor the latest fighting-game hit.
Character Customization
Not too much to write home with this one; it’s exactly what it says on the tin. You take all your earned Fight Money currency and buy new items to customize the extensive Tekken 8 roster. Want a new Player Plate? It’s got you covered. Want a color palette swap for Paul Phoenix? No problem!
Tekken Ball
Making its return for the first time in many years, Tekken Ball is officially back. Take in the sun-soaked tropics of the beach and punch and kick your volleyball to your opponent’s side so that it lands there and awards you points. It’s a silly distraction from the serious toe-to-toe fighting of Tekken 8 and reminds everyone, like Tekken Bowling did, that Tekken 8 has personality and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Super Ghost Battle
It’s sometimes incredible to think how far gaming and AI have come, which leads us to Super Ghost Battle. In this mode, you can use the ghost data of another player to fight against, and Tekken 8 can create the most realistic opponent for you based on that person’s characteristics and playstyle: how aggressive they are, their zoning style, their defensive strategies, and more.
Arcade Battle
Would it be a fighting game without a genuine Arcade Battle mode? I think not, so it’s a relief that Bandai Namco has included Arcade Battle. Here, you select a character and fight through multiple matches, one after another, culminating in a final fight at the end. It’s great for trying to learn new characters and for keeping your Tekken 8 instincts razor-sharp.
VS
Your traditional exhibition-style 1-on-1 game mode, VS allows you to seamlessly slip into quick and easy local fights against an opponent. Whether one of your best friends needs to be taught a lesson, or if you fancy a one-off scrap with the computer, you can do that all with VS.
Practice
If you’re looking to enhance your gameplay with super-advanced combos or even just learn the basics of Tekken 8, venturing into the Practice area wouldn’t be the worst option for you. You can hand-pick all the parameters: your character, the AI’s character, the Arena, how aggressive the AI is, and much more.
Online
Many people won’t even touch any of the single-player content above—Online is where it’s at for them. The Tekken Fight Lounge allows players to interact in a lobby, challenge each other to fight and generally converse. Furthermore, you can engage in tense Ranked matches that will affect your online ranking, hop into a quick match for a rapid rumble, take on friends in private matches, or jump head-butt first into tournaments.
Every new feature in Tekken 8
New characters
The 32-strong character roster welcomes four new Tekken 8 characters to the series: Azucena Castillo, Jack-8, Reina, and Victor Chevalier.
Azucena Castillo is athletic, flexible, and loves making her own-brand coffee. Jack-8 is the natural successor to Jack-7, with each new mainline Tekken game adding a new variation of the robot.
Reina is stealing people’s hearts in Tekken 8, but her true identity and impact on the story are bigger than we could’ve dreamed of. Finally, Victor Chevalier is a confident French Spy adept in combat with looks to go with it.
Heat System
A new gameplay mechanic that can completely shift the balance of a round, Tekken 8‘s Heat System temporarily supercharges a fighter. It allows you to pull off some moves not previously possible, cause chip damage to an opponent, even if they’re blocking, and use a special heat attack that drains the rest of the meter to deliver huge damage.
What’s interesting is that you can get one Heat Meter per round, not fight. So there’s no reason to hang onto it and not use it during every round.
Tornado Attacks
Tekken 7‘s Screw Attacks are gone, instead, we now have Tornado Attacks in Tekken 8. These launcher-type attacks leave an opponent exposed, allowing you to capitalize on their vulnerable body with Combos if you can get it right.
