Summary
Now that the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 have firmly established themselves as the current-gen systems, the more prominent titles are slowly coming through. One of these titles is the next entry in theTekkenseries.
Tekken 8has attracted fans to its flagship fighting series with stunning visuals running on Unreal Engine 5. With a long and storied history of lore and characters, where does the eighth installment ofTekkenrank?
Updated June 09, 2025 by Michael Llewellyn:Tekken 8 has helped reinvigorate the franchise for fighting game fans old and new, whether they want to catch up bywatching Tekken: Bloodlines on Netflixor replaying earlier games in the iconic series. However, few things beat experiencing the story for one’s self. This list has been updated to feature the pros and cons of each title, along with links that will be of interest to Tekken enthusiasts.
Pros:
Cons:
The worst-scoring game in theTekkenfranchise isDeath by Degrees,which features Nina Williams as the lead protagonist of an action-adventure game. The combat system differed from the mainline fighting games, implementing the analog sticks similarly toJet Li: Rise to Honor.
Unfortunately, it lacked the fluidity of Jet Li’s game. The mechanics are awkward, the camera angles are terrible, and the combos are far too challenging and confusing.Death by Degreesseems like a rushed attempt to capitalize onDead or Alive-style fan service with over-the-top costumes, bikinis, and silly massage oil mechanics.
Seeing Namco’s flagship fighter running on the 3DS and looking as good as it did is impressive. Including all 41 ofTekken 6’s roster is equally as substantial on the little handheld. However, the title was criticized at launch, resulting in the 3DS version becoming the lowest-scoring game for the mainline series.
Furthermore,Tekken 3Dlacked decent single-player modes, and the online multiplayer is unreliable and laggy. There is little to no replay value, which is a shame becauseTekken 3D Primeis one of the best-looking titles for the Nintendo handheld system.
Tekken Hybridis a compilation of theTekken Tag TournamentHD remaster, a demo ofTag Tournament 2, and a Blu-ray of the movieTekken: Blood Vengeance. The originalTekken Tag Tournamentwas a PS2 launch title and a great multiplayer game.
Unfortunately, the couch co-op fun was not extended toonline multiplayer. The visuals are upscaled, andTekken Tagwas still as fun as it ever was, but selling the game as a full-price game was excessive, thanks to the poor effort put in by Namco.
It is hardly worth mentioning the PS3 titleTekken Revolution.The game is no longer available and was not a favorite among fans.Tekken Revolutioncame out when the PS3 was on its last legs, and the series seemed to want to bow out with a treat for PS fans.
However, it turned out to be not as much of an original game as it was copyingTekken Tag Tournament. The only allure to gettingTekken Revolutionwas that it was a free game and could easily be downloaded. Other than that, there isn’t anything here that players haven’t played before.
Tekken Mobileis another online-only experience that’s no longer available. The free-to-play fighter was discontinued in 2019, featuring good visuals and character models derived fromTekken 7. As is common with free Android and iOS games,Tekken Mobilehad gacha mechanics, and its touchscreen controls don’t compare to a traditional controller.
However, mobile game fans praised it for feeling accessible and easy to pull off special moves using the “Waza Cards.” It also featured a substantial roster ofTekkencharacters, boasting 41 characters before its shutdown in less than a year.
Tekkendebuted at a time when the series was less established than Capcom’sStreet Fighteror Sega’sVirtua Fighter. Primarily,Tekkendemonstrated the capabilities of 3D combat in arcades and on the PS1. Nonetheless, the outcome was gratifying, with series regulars, Kazuya and Paul becoming standouts.
Although the game shows its age, especially compared toTekken 2, revisiting it to experience the foundational mechanics that persist today is enjoyable. Iconic characters such as Nina, Paul, Kazuya, and Law retain their familiar feel, with several of their classic combos remaining effective even after decades. However, unlike the 2DStreet Fightergames, the polygonal 3D character models haven’t aged well.
Concentrating on narrative elements has been beneficial for various game genres, yet this approach did not yield favorable results for the fourth installment ofTekken. The narrative represented a regression from the iconic and straightforward storyline ofTekken 3.
Tekken 4’s story represented a shift in style for the series and felt somewhat limited in scope. In terms of gameplay, Tekken 4 was criticized for its small arenas and terrain features, as players on higher ground had a significant advantage over those on lower levels. In contrast, the character models appeared fantastic and signified a generational advancement fromTekken 3,but lacked the fun ofTekken Tag Tournamentgames.
Indeed, the image above is not of low quality; it accurately represents the graphics ofTekken Advance. At the time, the Nintendo Game Boy Advance was hopelessly outmatched in graphics compared to home consoles, so this was the best GBA players could get, and it was a stellar effort considering its limitations.
Tekken Advance,being a non-canonical installment in the series, does not require players to delve into its storyline, as it is not pertinent to the main narrative. Nevertheless, the entertainment value was satisfactory, even with limited controls and a small selection of Tekken characters.
Tekken’sintroduction to the seventh generation of consoles may not have revolutionized the fighting game genre. However,Tekken 6was a robust addition, introducing mechanics that have become standard and featuring impressive visuals.
Fan criticism primarily focused on the character of Azazel, who was seen as a generic monster equipped with an array of moves designed to overpower the defensive player.Tekken 6did a fine job with the Rage mode and the upgrade in customization features, and it was still one of the best-playing fighting games on the PS3 and Xbox 360. The PSP iteration was also great.
Fans had to wait about a decade beforeTekken 7debuted on consoles, and it was perhaps this hype that madeTekken 7seem on par with its similarly average predecessor. Thanks to thegraphical quality on display, it is easily the best-lookingTekkenyet.
The downsides involved the ho-hum story mode that failed to deliver on the expectations of closure provided by Namco before the game’s release. It has aged well, though, since characters like Negan fromThe Walking Deadhave made it more versatile with time.
