For its outstanding gameplay and storytelling, the Tekken franchise established a foundation for 3D combat in fighting games.
Since its inception in 1994, each game in the series has had its own distinct flavor and celebrated diversity by presenting characters from all over the world who use fighting styles unique to their own regions.
With characters like the gigantic bear Akuma and the boxer kangaroo Roger, the anime isn’t afraid to get crazy.
The brand has produced a number of games for a variety of platforms, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
With so many options, it’s difficult to tell which one is genuinely the finest at first glance.
Here are some of the best Tekken video games out there:
1. Tekken 7
Tekken 7 is definitely one of the best Tekken video games produced by the Franchise.
It was published in arcades in 2015, but it wasn’t released on consoles until 2017, allowing fans to witness Heihachi Mishima’s heartbreaking final battle with his son Kazuya. While the game concludes one chapter of the plot, it is far from over.
A large cast of additional characters, like kickboxer Josie Rizal and Wing-Chun instructor Leroy Smith, adds to the game’s appeal. It’s the most fluid entry ever in terms of gameplay, and it’s garnered overwhelmingly excellent reviews, confirming that Tekken’s future remains bright.
2. Tekken 7: Fated Retribution
Originally released as an arcade update for Tekken 7, Fated Retribution was released as DLC rather than a single upgrade for home systems.
New arenas, treasures, and characters, including new additions like Lidia Sobieska and Fahkumram, as well as guest fighters like Noctis from Geese Howard from The King of Fighters and Final Fantasy XV, were all included in Fated Retribution.
This strategy of extending updates as DLC kept players involved with the game for longer, but it meant it never received the critical acclaim that earlier upgrade releases did.
3. Tekken 6
Tekken 6 may be the most polarizing game in the franchise’s history. While the gameplay is as enjoyable as previous installments, the story option has characters who engage in gruesome or outright aberrant behavior.
The game’s most famous scene sees longstanding series protagonist Jin Kazama instigating a World War, murdering millions of people in the process, in order to awaken a demon that could help him get rid of the Devil Gene.
The decision seemed out of character, even for an anti-hero like Jin. However, the game introduces several interesting new characters, such as Lars and Zafina, while still continuing the Mishima family tale.
4. Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion
A year after Tekken 6, Bandai Namco launched Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion in arcades, with several new features to pique players’ curiosity.
The new combatants, which include the return of Lars and Alisa from the original edition as well as new bosses like Azazel and NANCY-MI847J, are the most appealing aspect of the upgrade.
Bloodline Rebellion is an excellent update, but it’s essentially the same game like Tekken 6.
5. Tekken: Dark Resurrection
Tekken: Dark Resurrection is also one of the best Tekken video games. Similar to Bloodline Rebellion, it is an official remake of Tekken 5 that keeps the game’s original story but adds certain quality-of-life improvements.
New ranks, tools to keep track of player statistics, improved character balancing, and additional customization possibilities are all part of this.
There are new combatants like Lili, Dragunov, and Armor King II in Dark Resurrection. The previous had already proven to be a hit, and Dark Resurrection’s reviews reflected that success, with overwhelmingly positive reviews for both the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 editions.
6. Tekken 5
This take in the franchise represents the start of a new era in the Tekken series. It not only continued Jin’s story, but it also featured improvements to the battle mechanics.
Combat became even more fluid and rapid than before, and gameplay received a major overhaul, including new juggle mechanics that have since become a franchise staple.
It also introduces new characters, such as Jin’s cousin Asuka Kazama and Raven, who have since become iconic in their own right.
It received higher reviews than its predecessor, and it even helped to attract new fans to the series.
