'Tekken 7' Tips, Tricks and Guide: 5 things you need to know before release

The latest addition to the Tekken franchise is Tekken 7, and it's releasing on June 2. It'll feature a host of new fighters, returning favorites, and plenty of ways to get in on the action. But if you're new to the series in general, there are a few things you should know before getting started. Get ready to tear into your competition with these helpful tips, from personal experience with the game. Before you know it, you'll be rising through the ranks in no time. 

Tekken 7 tips: Make use of your important defensive techniques first.

Your first instinct may be to button mash your way through each round, but you'll want to make sure your evasion game is on point, lest you get KO-ed with a quickness. Like blocking, sidesteps are important if you want to add space between you and your opponent or evade their attacks. Some characters' moves can only be performed after a sidestep anyway, so you'll need to learn how to do it if you want to pull off several different attacks. 

You can quickly tap up or down twice to perform a sidestep. Additionally, make sure you practice backdashes (back button twice), which are important if you want to get out of range of an opponent so they can't quickly jab at you, as well as sidewalks, which are performed by tapping up or down once. All of these advanced defensive maneuvers are a little tougher than simply blocking, but they're important to weave into your offensive arsenal. 

Tekken 7 tips: Don't let opponents get you down.

If you're knocked to the ground, you can eventually get back up, but not without positioning yourself as an easy target for your opponent. That's why it's important to learn how to get up quickly or learn other techniques, such as teching (also called ukemi). This lets you roll out of the way and into a standing position, whether to the side, back, or kip, which has you kicking your opponent as you get back on our feet. 

You can perform a side roll by tapping a button as soon as you land on the ground sideways. If you hold the back button when you hit the ground, you'll do a back tech and you will roll backwards into standing again. The kicking tech that has you kicking your opponent as you jump up is done by holding forward as you hit the ground. They're all very useful when it comes to protecting yourself, so make use of all of them when you can. 

Tekken 7 tips: Fastest doesn't always mean best.

You might be tempted, as I usually am, to select characters that appear lighter on their feet, which makes them faster on the battlefield and seemingly easier to maneuver. This might help when it comes to taking on bigger fighters, but it's not going to get you through every match in the long run. You might want to select a bigger fighter with more strength to take on fighters who bring the speed, such as Yoshimitsu versus Eliza, or other fighters of that ilk. Experiment and see what works best for you. 

Tekken 7 tips: Customize your fighters.

If you don't like the way your favorite fighter is dressed, or if their lack of accessories bothers you, you can always go into the menus in Tekken 7 and change how they look. There's a wide range of accessories, including rainbow hair, sizzling new outfits and floating ghost and fish friends. You don't have to pay real money for them, just money earned through playing the game. Some accessories will be unlocked for all fighters, while some will need to be repurchased individually, but there's plenty out there to choose from. 

Tekken 7 tips: Practice before taking your game online.

There's a robust practice mode in Tekken 7 that will let you test out your moves before going online to play against the ridiculously talented folks who are also playing the game all over the world. If you need to hone your skills, take on practice mode to perfect your blocks, attacks and other moves that real-life opponents may skewer you with before you're ready. There's no shame in prepping, and if you want to earn ranks through online fights, you'll need to be the best you can be first.

Check out more video game content on Mic. Including which Pokémon are actually the best and why black players can never seem to get custom characters that look like them. Learn more about how blind gamers are getting in on the fun. Don't miss our guide to dodging blue shells in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — you can thank us later.