Over the years, there have been many different Tekken games, one of the staples in the Fighting Game community, with the first ever Tekken game being released in 1994 for PlayStation.
Since the initial release of Tekken, the games have changed significantly, seeing tag-team play and removing tag-team play. The series has also seen the introduction of new mechanics, such as Rage Drives and Rage Arts, as well as Power Crushes. These are only some of the mechanics the Tekken series has seen over the years.
If you want to know what the best Tekken games are, make sure you read this tier list!
S Tier – Tekken 3
This is the first Tekken game to really emphasize three-dimensional movement, allowing some characters to have their own unique sidestep. This added a lot to the mechanics in Tekken, allowing for a more fluid battle experience.
The story for this game was powerful and fun to play, with a new lease of life added to the roster. New and exciting characters joined Tekken 3, including Bryan Fury and Julia Chang.
S Tier – Tekken 2
One of the most iconic Tekken games to exist, this game crashed onto the battlefield with an exciting roster and a stellar soundtrack to boot. This game revitalized what the first game had introduced and added many new battlegrounds for players to experience, keeping the game fresh and exciting.
Not only this, but Tekken 2 came with some exciting game modes that the arcade version doesn’t have, including Survival Mode, Time Attack, and Practice Mode, which would all serve to go on through the series and prove to be useful tools to help better your gameplay.
S Tier – Tekken 5
The story for this game was phenomenal, as it introduced us to the intricacies and dark side of the Mishima family. It really stepped it up massively, and the soundtrack lent a lot to the atmosphere. There were beautiful level designs, and the roster felt purposeful.
S Tier – Tekken Tag Tournament
Tekken Tag Tournament was a revolutionary game that introduced tag team mechanics. This allowed for more complex fights and refreshing fights, breathing a new lease of life into the franchise.
That being said, some of the fighters were incredibly overpowered, making for some tough matchups in the game.
A Tier – Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection
This game is an exciting entry, as it is a standalone entry of Tekken 5 and ports it to consoles like the PS3 and PSP. It also brought in a couple of new fighters to the mix, including Sergei Dragunov.
Overall, this port was a great addition to the franchise and added many new features, including new character customization and a better arcade mode. The game also features a lot of replayability, allowing players to go through various game modes.
A Tier – Tekken 7
A visually stunning experience, Tekken 7 is the franchise’s latest (at the time of writing) game. Although it took an awfully long time to come to consoles, it was well worth the wait with the effects that took place. There are a variety of battlegrounds to choose from, and overall, the matches give a very exciting feel.
This game helped boost the franchise heavily in the eSports scene. If that’s not for you, there are plenty of ways to battle people online in the various multiplayer modes available.
A Tier – Tekken Tag Tournament 2
While the release of this game was a little rocky, it had the most extensive roster of fighters yet, offering many opportunities for players of all types. The console release went pretty well, and it was also released on the WiiU, which was great for those who wanted to mix up their fighting games on a Nintendo platform.
Much like the Tekken Tag Tournament, this was pretty revolutionary within the franchise, allowing you to choose two fighters to make a powerful team to take down the enemies.
B Tier – Tekken 4
Tekken 4 focused very heavily on the story for this title, but it didn’t go as planned. Instead, Tekken 4 fell flat where the other games excelled. They weren’t as bold with this game and played it pretty safe regarding multiplayer combat. The story also didn’t match the fighting game community, leading to many mixed opinions.
Tekken 4 introduced terrain, allowing for some huge advantages for one player if manipulated correctly. This led to some unfair battles and substantial advantages as new and returning players grappled with the effects of environmental hazards.
B Tier – Tekken
The original Tekken game that started it all. Not quite as memorable as some of the others in the franchise, but it still allowed the game to get a foothold in the arcade scene. Of course, Street Fighter outshone Tekken significantly at this point, but this game allowed for 3D combat, which allowed characters like Kazuya and Paul to excel.
B Tier – Tekken 6
Overall, Tekken 6 is one of the more average games in the franchise. It was a good release and had many fun moments, but it didn’t add anything too special to the game. Azazel was a very difficult boss, and there were some tuning difficulties between the strengths of the characters and the difficulty in beating Azazel.
Not only this, but the campaign fell flat overall.
That’s our rating for all of the mainline Tekken games. Will Tekken 8 come out on top when it releases in January?
