Tekken 8 is turning into a major hit. Released last week for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, the latest instalment in the fighting game series has received high praise from critics and gamers alike.
Built in Unreal Engine 5, it features a roster of 32 vibrant and unique characters.
While every player has their own individual favourite, one fighter in particular is proving extremely popular on TikTok.
King – Tekken‘s very own professional wrestler – has been included in the series since the very first game. Donning his trademark jaguar mask, the hulking luchador is a fan-favourite mainstay.
His move set is comprised of powerful wrestling throws, as well as ferocious kicks, forearms, and dives.
Most notably, capable King players can string his grapples together into long and highly dangerous chain slams.
With Tekken 8 receiving lots of attention following its release, new players are discovering just how lethal King can be. And now, they are taking to TikTok to share their experiences of playing as him and fighting against him.
One video, posted by TikToker mr_hastings692, details what can happen when an opponent “can’t break [King’s] chain grabs in Tekken 8“.
Amassing 950K views and 45K likes in less than a day, the video shows King manhandling an opponent playing as Lars. The fight is quickly won with a “Perfect” victory.
Viewers wasted no time discussing their experiences against King. One commenter said, “My first ever attempt at Tekken online was against a King who did this exact thing. Haven’t played Tekken since.”
Another player explained how they simply give up when they are caught in a grapple by King: “Once I get chain grabbed I just put my controller down & stare at the screen helpless as I see my character get body slammed”.
Someone else agreed, saying “I remember [hopping] onto ranked for the first time on Tekken 7 and couldn’t fight back”.
Other TikToks showcasing King in action have also achieved viral success. TikToker notibe1loco posted a video with the caption “nah tell me why I get hit with this in my 9th ever game”.
With over 100K likes, King is seen in the video rapidly demolishing the player as soon as the round begins. Once again, Tekken fans weighed in.
“The most knowledge check character I’ve ever seen in a fighting game”, said Jayqwob. User crimsonstarbits explained that they “get scared to match against King because I don’t know how to break throws yet”.
Meanwhile, commenter Steeleyedblue thinks they’ve discovered why King players enjoy using him so much: “King players just like having their own cutscenes”, they said.
As a long-time King player myself who has spent years mastering his various grapple combos, I can say that we do, in fact, like having our own cutscenes.
And we will never stop punishing players who don’t know how to break King’s throws.
Have you fought against King in Tekken 8? Do you think he’s overpowered? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles.
