Gaming
Gaming
The best Tekken 8 characters for beginners
Tekken 8 offers you 32 different fighters. We tell you which characters will give you the best introduction to the 3D fighting game.
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Alongside Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, Tekken is probably the best-known fighting game series of all-time. Naturally, a new release is accompanied by the corresponding hype, so it's no wonder that newcomers feel like getting into Tekken 8. And the timing is perfect because the game is more beginner-friendly than ever before.
Many of the 32 playable fighters are relatively complex, but there are also some characters in between that are still perfect for beginners. Either because they have a simpler game plan, easy-to-understand move sets, or prepare you perfectly for the transition to more complex fighters. We've picked out a few of the best Tekken 8 characters for beginners...
01
Paul
If you're not too concerned with finesse, Paul Phoenix is probably the character for you to start with. The special thing about Paul is that you can deal a lot of damage with very few moves. The striking Deathfist in particular hits opponents like a truck with no brakes. With him, you quickly learn what it means to position yourself correctly and punish your opponent with these very attacks if they make a mistake.
02
Azucena
Azucena
© Bandai Namco Studios
She's not only one of the newcomers in Tekken 8, but also a good choice for new players. Azucena offers the opportunity to understand and use offensive mix-ups relatively quickly. After her jabs, she has a stance that allows her to use different hit heights and capitalise on them. This is a skillset that is transferable to many other Tekken characters, all while eliminating many risks with her stance and good frame data.
03
Jack-8
While Jack-8 doesn't necessarily appeal to everyone with his beefy looks and short legs, he's always been an ideal fighter for beginners previously, and his Tekken 8 version is no different. Jack-8 combines good damage with long range and an easy-to-understand concept when it comes to offence. In general, he's a very fundamental character. So if you're looking for a fighter who stands out from the crowd with special mechanics or systems, you might be disappointed.
Hoa 'Anakin' Luu has always been expert for Jack in Tekken and this doesn't change in Tekken 8, where he even has to deal with himself due to the new Ghost mechanic.
04
Alisa
We have the next cyborg right here. In contrast to Jack-8, however, many players like Alisa's design. Just like Jack, she's a character with good range and the ability to keep her opponent at a distance with effective moves. Alisa also has a few attacks that can easily get her into close combat and give her an advantage. Her weapon stance is more of a bonus at the beginning. As a beginner, you don't necessarily have to deal with her chainsaws. However, they also offer a nice new skill ceiling once you have familiarised yourself with Alisa's basics.
In Tekken 7, Jeannail 'Cuddle_Core' Carter also played Alisa. In part 8, however, she relies more on Ling Xiaoyu.
05
Leo
Leo
© Bandai Namco Studios
One thing you can learn with Leo as your first fighter is to use mix-ups from a stance. Leo has two different ones, which are usually performed as a follow-up to a string or another move. From here, you can then use effective lows and mids to keep your opponents guessing. Similar to Azucena, Leo is therefore ideal at understanding this principle and converting it to other characters later on.
06
Jin
There have been some changes to Devil Jin
© Bandai Namco Studios
Characters from the Mishima category are usually among the more complex ones and this isn't necessarily different here. But compared to previous versions, Jin in Tekken 8 is more accessible than ever before. This was probably a deliberate move, as players are forced to engage with him in story mode. And this is also a factor that makes him a good choice for beginners – after playing through the story, you'll be right in the know regarding his most important move. From here, you can then think about transferring the knowledge you've gained about Mishima to Kazuya or Reina. However, it's important to keep in mind that Jin is still more challenging than many of the other fighters on this list.
07
Asuka
Not every player wants to go on the offensive all the time. Asuka is a fighter who is a particularly good choice for those who like to play defensively. She has numerous moves with good range, a parry stance and lots of panic buttons that lead to a combo when hit. And similar to Paul, Asuka can help you get a very good understanding of positioning. Her Demon Slayer is one of the best whiff punishers in the game and makes it easy to understand this concept.
08
Feng
Feng
© Bandai Namco Studios
Another character that is well suited for more defensive players is Feng. With his auto-parry stance and good movement options, he's excellent at evading enemy attacks. He has more options in his toolkit than Asuka, but is also a little more challenging as a result. The advantage of Feng, however, is that many of his regular attacks are so good that you can slowly get used to the rest of his move list and develop a deeper understanding of him later on.
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