Featuring a roster of 32 characters, Tekken 8 has hit the gaming world like a lightning bolt, chalking up a hefty amount of praise on its gameplay mechanics. It has also left many wondering which characters are now the most challenging to play. So, whether you’re a long-time Tekken player looking for a new challenge or a newcomer eager to get lost in the world of Tekken combos, you’ve come to the right place! So, without further ado, let’s shortlist 7 characters that we believe take the most number of hours to master.
Top 7 Most Challenging Characters To Master In Tekken 8
With the introduction of fresh faces in Tekken 8 and most characters boasting new moves in their arsenals, the character tier list definitely has some updates due. Here’s our list of the top 7 most challenging characters to master in Tekken 8:
Lee Chaolan
Lee Chaolan is a character that thrives on counterhits, and thus requires a great deal of skill when it comes to timing and precision. In Tekken 8, his gameplay has arguably become more challenging, as many of his moves now require stricter timing.
To fully utilize his arsenal of launchers that lead to devastating combos, you’ll need to spend hours mastering the just frame inputs – a technique that involves pressing a button at the exact frame a move is executed. All these factors position Lee as a character of high risk and high reward.
Nina Williams
One of the most versatile fighters in the game, players not only need a deep understanding of her moveset, but also the ability to execute her attacks effectively under pressure. Her defensive capabilities are not as strong, which means players also need to be aggressive and more strategic with her attacks.
Nina Williams has also seen a shift in her fighting style in Tekken 8. Her Rage Art super attacks, which were more grappling-focused in Tekken 7, now revolve around her pistols. This change requires players to incorporate all the new possible combos and adapt their fighting styles, making Nina a very challenging character to master.
Kazuya Mishima
Kazuya’s gameplay is centered around his ground game and mixups, which can be difficult to master due to the high levels of precision required. His moves, like the left splits kick and hell sweep, are powerful but you absolutely need to nail the timing and execution to make them effective.
And just like Nina Williams, Kazuya has undergone some changes in Tekken 8. Apart from gaining a new move, the Patricide Fist, his combos are now much more powerful. Therefore, mastering Kazuya is well worth the effort, given his potency in the arena.
Reina
The new girl in town, Reina Mishima brings a unique blend of Taido, Misihima-Ryu, and Sentai techniques to the Tekken arena. While her basic moves are relatively easy to pick up, mastering her style has turned out to be quite a challenge.
Her fighting style bears a resemblance to Heihachi Mishima’s, with the added element of unpredictability. She has a wide range of stances and cancels, making her movements hard to anticipate. Some of her moves are body shifts that link up strings and stances, and all of them require some serious timings and execution skills.
Leo
Leo is a pretty balanced character in Tekken 8, boasting a variety of moves that make the German fighter adaptable yet intricate. While defense isn’t their strongest suit, players need to bring their A-game with aggressive and well-planned attacks.
Tekken 8 has seen some modifications to Leo’s moveset, the most notable among them being her Rage Art super attacks. Leo still initiates with the same low chop attack as in Tekken 7 and has a similar starting sequence. But players need to be able to pull off their attacks flawlessly, even when the heat is on.
Lili
Anyone who’s played Lili knows that she has a knack for sidestepping and side-walking to throw her opponents off their game. This means that her playstyle is highly dependent on rushdowns, making mastering Lili more than a cakewalk as it requires good knowledge of aggressive and fast-paced tactics.
Apart from receiving a significantly better character design, Lili has also got new moves in Tekken 8. When she’s in her heat state, her rabbit low becomes practically invisible and can knock down the opponent.
Lars Alexandersson
Much like Lee, Lars Alexandersson excels in counterhits, making his gameplay heavily reliant on impeccable timing and precision. His moves, which were already difficult to execute in Tekken 7, now require more precision in Tekken 8.
He also has a new move when he’s in Heat which gives him immediate access to Silent Entry mixups, which we’ve found to be extremely overpowered. Therefore, making Lars your main will unlock some very unique and potent mixups for you, given that you’re up for the challenge of mastering him.
Final Thoughts
As the saying goes, every Tekken character is simple to pick up but challenging to master. However, there are always those characters that raise the bar in terms of difficulty. Do you agree with our list of the top 7 most challenging characters to master in Tekken? Do you find any of them easier to handle? Or perhaps there’s a character you think we overlooked? Let us know in the comments below!