Gaming
Games
9 tips to win big in Tekken 7
Don’t miss our handy guide to becoming a good Tekken player – arm yourself with these essentials!
Like most fighting games, a lot of the more nuanced details in Tekken 7 are learned by doing, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some handy tips that can get you ahead of the game. So to tie in with Tekken 7’s release on June 2, we’ve compiled a list of things that will help tip the scales in your favour and aid you in becoming the King of Iron Fist.
1. Find your fighter
Tekken 7’s mysterious fighter lost in the desert
© Bandai Namco Entertainment
With over 30 fighters to choose from in Tekken 7, you might be overwhelmed at first. But don't fret – each fighter boasts their own fighting style, from newcomer Josie Rizal’s mix of Eskrima and kickboxing to Eddy Gordo’s infamous fighting style, so there’ll be someone out there for you for sure.
You could put different characters who’ve caught your eye through their paces in Tekken 7’s single-player, story-tinged arcade mode and get an insight as to why they are fighting. Or you could just pick the fighter that looks the coolest, of course.
2. Keep your finger on the button
Eliza knocks out newcomer Claudio
© Bandai Namco Entertainment
Tekken is known for having massive lists of attacks, and it can be confusing and intimidating. When you’re staring down a list of 100 combinations and you haven’t got to grips with the difference between the kick and punch buttons, you’ll need to whittle down your arsenal to a more digestible format.
Using resources like Tekken Zaibatsu and YouTube to find what your character's key attacks are will help massively. Even knowing something as simple as your key combo starting buttons, your best low-hitting attack, and your fastest attack button will put you ahead of the competition online. Don’t forget to change your button layout to suit your tastes and make everything as easy as possible to reach and perform, whether you're using a stick or a pad.
3. Learn how to drill down on damage
Alisa prepares to fire her rocket fists
© Bandai Namco Entertainment
Once you’ve become familiar with your characters’ best attacks, you’ll want to start dishing out damage. Every character in Tekken has a move known as a launcher. Landing a launcher means that your opponent will be popped up into the air, allowing you to juggle them for extra damage.
Once you’ve launched an opponent, you can land a few attacks and combine this into Tekken 7’s new ‘screw’ mechanic, an attack with special properties that will launch your opponent in a juggle state spinning through the air. Mastering a combo that starts with a launcher, mixing juggling moves into a screw and ending with a big finisher will help you win big.
Tekken 7 even indicates these move properties in every characters’ command list with special symbols, so be sure to check them out and find the moves that best fit your combo. Practise the sample combos in that list to give you an idea of what is possible.
4. Stay ahead of foes by snapping your wrist
Akuma practises his fireballs
© Bandai Namco Entertainment
Although Tekken 7’s laundry list of attacks gives the impression that it’s the most important part of playing the game, you might be surprised to learn that movement is just as important as knowing what your best buttons are. Grab your stick and learn: a technique that’s revered across the entire Tekken community, Korean Back Dashing (KBD), is essentially a strategy comprised of being able to move efficiently.
Although it’ll take weeks of practice to get used to this technique, a key point to take away is that movement is powerful. Even something as simple as a single Back Dash when you’re face to face with an opponent could leave their offence completely exposed and allow you to punish them. To pull if off, you need to essentially cancel your Back Dash with a crouch, and then rinse and repeat, letting you cover more distance in less time – every millisecond counts in frantic fights.
Then you also have the ability to sidewalk and sidestep some moves, meaning that Tekken’s movement options are massive. Simply double tapping up or down will start your character sidewalking and holding either of those inputs will result in your character getting behind your opponent and leaving them exposed.
5. Channel your Rage
King settles the score against Leo
© Bandai Namco Entertainment
Since Tekken 6, the franchise has implemented a system known as Rage. Rage allows players to dish out extra damage when they are low on health, but Tekken 7 has taken it one step further. Every character in Tekken now has both a Rage Art and Rage Drive.
The Rage Art is a special attack that involves a complex input that can be mapped to a single button and allow players to perform a fully cinematic attack.
Rage Drives also require complex button presses, allowing you to extend combos or force your opponent to block your next set of attacks if they block the Rage Drive. Thanks to the Rage system, you’re never truly out of the fight, so timing them right will help you snatch victory from the hands of defeat.
6. Don’t block with your face
Akuma delivers a deadly blow in Tekken 7
© Bandai Namco Entertainment
You wouldn’t in real life, would you? Nobody takes too kindly to a bop on the nose – and when you’ve only got so much life to give, it’s probably best to learn how to block.
All the characters in Tekken have some truly elaborate strings of attacks and you’ll need to block to overcome these opponents. The best way to learn how to block character attacks is to take to training mode and set up the AI character to run through various moves and learn when’s best to block low or even dash out of danger.
It’s time consuming, but Tekken 7’s training mode has been constructed to allow you to test everything you need to, going as far as letting you set up various different attacks and have the AI choose these at random.
7. Study the data
Missing img placeholder
© Red Bull
Remember bullet time from The Matrix? That’s how you need to start operating in Tekken if you truly want to 'Git Gud and truly understand what’s happening.
Although you can’t quite change the actual way the core game looks, you can study the frame data (the number of screen frames each move works for) of Tekken online with the help of RBNorway. Everything in Tekken 7 has a statistical element to it, so every attack has a series of numbers that dictate its properties.
Moves that the attacker can’t be penalised for when blocked are called ‘safe’ and the moves that the opponent can be punished for are known as ‘unsafe’. By studying the frame data, you’ll be able to see what attacks come with massive risks when blocked and riposte with your own explosive attacks to ensure your rivals never try that attack again.
8. Always dress accordingly
Violet’s stylish outfit
© Bandai Namco Entertainment
Upon mastering all of the above, there’s really only one thing left to do, and that’s dress for the occasion. Tekken 7 has a plethora of different customisation options available, and while you’re playing you’ll unlock special items and outfits for your character to make them unique.
There’s only one thing better than winning, and it’s winning while decked out in a fancy suit wearing a scuba gear and a cake for a hat. You can even add some bling to your health bar.
9. Bop to the beat
Pick from a laundry list of OSTs
© Bandai Namco Entertainment
Tekken 7 has an amazing soundtrack and it might be its best ever, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only option. Tekken 7 offers you the means of listening to a variety of songs and change your background music from all the games in the franchise. If there’s a certain OST that sets your heart racing and gets you ready for the next battle, stick it on and make some heads roll.
