Summary
While more unknownTekken 8DLC character releases are lined up for months to come, some players expected the latest entry in Bandai Namco’s 3D fighter franchise to feature some kind of guest character by now. Following the landmark success of the previous game’s addition of Akuma and other fighters from different IPs, theTekkenfranchise has become more renowned for its guests than evenSoulCaliburin recent years. There are many routes to take when it comes toTekken 8’s potential crossovers, but a fair trade withSuper Smash Bros.could be one of the most novel and bold options within the scope of what’s realistic.
It’s true thatBrawlis seen as the first of theSmashseries to establish third-party representation, but the inclusion of Kazuya Mishima as one ofSmash Ultimate’s DLC charactersstill beat the odds in the eyes of many doubtful fans. Translating Snake, Sonic, or even later guests intoSmash’s streamlined mechanics was likely a similar process to the rest of the crossover title’s roster, but Kazuya managed to have his moves list shrunken down significantly while retaining his identity. It’s a challenging prospect, but this union also opened the door for aSmashfighter to one day be brought up to Tekken’s level of complexity in turn.
Tekken’s History of Flexibility with Crossovers
They eventually cemented their places in the meta and became familiar sights, but some guest characters inTekken 7were practically as unpredictable as they could be. Akuma and Geese Howard brought sometimes jarring 2D mechanics into a 3D engine, and the likes ofFF15’s Noctis orThe Walking Dead’s Negan inTekken 7are about as far removed from a martial arts tournament as can be. Gon inT3has already set the tone for how ridiculous can get, but all of these fighters still had viable movesets crafted for them which prove that essentially everyone is on the table.
Kazuya’s Unexpected Smash Bros. Appearance Broke Barriers
There have been cases such as Heihachi popping up as a guest in the past, but havingKazuya Mishima inSmash Ultimatewas a fully-realized instance of aTekkencharacter within another iconic franchise from a different developer. In the same way thatT7managed to respect theStreet FighterandFatal Furygames it borrowed characters from, Kazuya is still able to evoke the gameplay feeling of his home series even in a platform fighter environment. Considering thatTekkenhas earned a reputation for effectively recreating mechanics specific to single guests, an attempt atSmashcould be the next logical step.
The Super Smash Bros. Roster Has Several Candidates for Tekken 8 Guests
At a glance, the massive roster ofSmash Ultimatecontains multiple fighters who could easily fit in aspossible guest characters inTekken 8. Despite how straightforward it could be to implement anotherFinal FantasyorFatal Furyrepresentative in Cloud or Terry, for example, these are all third-party fighters who have their own chances of appearing outside the context of Nintendo IP. Most members of the roster fromFire Emblem, orZelda’s Link could likely fit intoTekkenwith relative ease, but their medieval-type theming is a much better fit forSoulCalibur. Considering its emphasis on style and humor alongside precedents set by past fighters, Nintendo characters fromSmashwho might fit intoTekken 8include:
Pokken Tournament DX is Already a Blueprint for Pokemon Fighters
While it didn’t succeed on the level of the franchise which inspired it,Pokken Tournamentchannels Tekkenelementsinto its own mixture of 3D and arena fighter combat. Serving as the only officialPokemonfighting game, this title includes several overlapping characters withSmash Bros.in a way that has further exemplified their potential within the broader genre. Pokemon fromSmashwho are featured with full movesets to reference inPokkenare:
Tekken 8
WHERE TO PLAY
Tekken 8 brings the fight to the latest generation of consoles, powered by Unreal Engine 5. Feel the power of every hit in Tekken 8, the latest entry in the legendary fighting game franchise from Bandai Namco. Utilising the power and realism of Unreal Engine 5, Tekken 8 pushes the envelope for fighting games by taking full advantage of the power of the latest generation of consoles. Ground-breaking new features, breathtakingly detailed character models and dramatic environments make this one of the most visually stunning and immersive titles in the genre yet. Tekken 8 picks up after the gruesome battle that ended in Heihachi Mishima’s defeat in Tekken 7, focusing on a new rivalry, pitting father against son as Jin Kazama stands in defiance against Kazuya Mishima in a city-shattering face-to-face showdown.
