On January 26, Bandai Namco will releaseTekken 8for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Its there, but is treated like an outsider.
But why isTekkenat the top of the top tier?
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Tekken 2built on its success and gave the series some serious momentum.
More people shelled out for Jin Kazama than Lara Croft or Crash Bandicoot.
In a time when 3D gaming was the rising fad in all of video gaming,Tekkenreigned supreme.
ThoughTekkens modern-day success issecond toMortal Kombat,Tekken 7s sales have shatteredStreet Fighters recent releases.
The Consistent Gameplay
Previously, I have written articles thatranked everyMortal KombatandStreet Fightergame up to that point.
There was juice in there because of how scattershot their titles get.
IgnoringDeath by Degrees, theTekkengames feel like a consistent product.
The first game was rough, but there was something promising in its engine.
ThenTekken 2improved upon it.Tekken 3improved onthat.
Soon each game was adding more ideas that were built on what came before it.
Controlling the characters feels satisfying.
Nailing a lengthy combo that involves crushing your opponent into a wall feels satisfying.
Landing blows after the round has already ended feels satisfying.
The tackles, sidesteps, reversals, and extensive movesets give you so many options in battle.
Even watching it feels incredibly satisfying.
When it comes to esports,Tekkentournaments are almost always the most hype matchups at fighting game events.
It took a couple games to figure itself out, butTekkencharacters arentthatcartoonishly acrobatic.
Whether playing or watching, its so easy to get invested.
The Wild Bunch
Which fighting game series has the best overall cast of characters?Guilty Gear!
But after that?Tekken!
TheMarvel vs. Capcomgames have some iffy repurposed sprites.
Outside of maybe the middle-aged taekwondo instructor, everyone kicks ass.
Theres Bruce Lee, but hes a perpetually broke chef.
Theres a gruff biker in the midst of an endless midlife crisis.
A couple of karate bears.
A cybernetic Robin Hood whose swords origin dates back tothe events ofSoul Calibur.
Rutger Hauer fromBlade Runner.
A bounty hunter who believes the secret to the perfect fighting style is to be really, really fat.
There are strange characters, but nobody is too strange to coexist with the rest of this roster.
Not even when they threw in Negan fromWalking Deadwith a guest spot!
Various series have tried moving forward 10-30 years and its a gamble.
And it was great!
Its why the Netflix animated series was a retelling ofTekken 3specifically.
Then things got more dramatic when Kazuya was resurrected inTekken 4.
It has its issues, but it at least seems to have focus.
In fact,heres Brian Coxtalking about it because we live in a strange timeline.
Paul Phoenix was initially portrayed as Kazuyas rival and now hes treated as an obscure joke and a loser.
Presentation with No Equal
Fighting games need a strong package to appeal to everyone andTekkenrarely fails.
Starting withTekken 3, they still look impressive and have led to some amazing short movies over time.
Sometimes theyve given us cool action sequences.
Sometimes its ridiculous comedy.
There are even a handful that are genuinely touching.
Theres a reason whyTekken 7lets you unlock every ending and intro from all the previous games as a bonus.
They make beating the game feel truly rewarding.
Speaking of bonuses, Bandai Namco tends to knock it out of the park with the extra modes.
Certain releases have beat em up side games.
A couple of the games have bowling because why the hell not?
Then theres Tekken Ball, a fighter/volleyball hybrid that will be making its return inTekken 8.
