I have played Tekken ever since the first game was released in the arcades back in 1994-1995.
I remember hating it instantly.
Virtua Fighter had been my favorite fighting game and I will never forget the day I went to my local arcade specifically to play it only to find out that it had been replaced by Tekken. I tried it, admittedly not in the best of faith, and nothing clicked. Everything about the game seemed lacking in comparison to Virtua Fighter in my eyes.
I would actually feel this way regarding both series for most of Virtua Fighter's lifespan, but each iteration of Tekken became much more polished than the last and by Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection I was really torn when asked which fighting game was my favorite.
Eventually arcades died out and with them the competitive fighting game scene in my area as far as I was concerned. My friends and I continued to meet up to play Tekken games on console, but with the lack of money on the line and the introduction of alcohol, Tekken became more of a fun past time that was less about playing to be number one at the arcade and more about trying to coherently do anything after having had way too much to drink.
That was how it was until Tekken 6 came out on Xbox 360 with online play. I remember feeling the old blood boiling when I ventured into rank battle. Money wasn't on the line anymore, but rank points definitely were and people played to win. I played a lot, but something wasn't the same. I definitely didn't enjoy myself as much as the arcades and that was clearly because of the netcode and terrible online gaming experience. Having to fight through the lag and suffer losses at the hands of less skilled opponents was too much to endure and I eventually stopped playing.
When Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was released on console I was excited to give Tekken another shot, but this time the gameplay was mired not only by the netcode, but the bloated tag system mechanics as well. There were just too many thing in the game to learn for me. I regretfully stopped playing Tag 2 very shortly after purchasing it and after finding out that the release was a commercial failure thought the Tekken franchise was dead for sure.
Man, was I wrong.
Tekken 7 was released in the Summer of 2017 on PC and PS4 after having been out in arcades in Asia for a couple of years. That arcade release was like an extended beta test in my eyes and the game that I eventually got to play on PC was extremely polished and fun. Not only that but internet infrastructure had improved a great deal since Tag 2 and while netcode in general probably still needs a lot of work the online Tekken 7 experience is actually enjoyable!
There is a good compromise between old school game mechanics and new features that don't make the game feel too overwhelming or bloated. The online ranked battle simulates the nostalgia of playing for keeps in the arcades while casual matches feel more like a fun session with your friends on console. The system mechanics are the culmination of years of polishing and the controls are great. It's fun to play. Tekken 7 just works.
Tekken is often referred to as a legacy game. That is, the skills learned from previous games are often transferable to new iterations. Maybe not game system mechanics like the tag system or interactive environments from Tekken 4, but definitely things like move recognition and just being familiar with the characters and fighting styles. I can't help but feel some regret that I didn't stick with the series as a result. The loyal Tekken fans who played through Tekken 6 and Tag 2 kept their edge and when Tekken 7 came out were able to hit the ground running in ranked battle. Meanwhile, I found myself struggling to re-build all the old muscle memory that had atrophied after having stopped playing for so many years.
I think it is safe to say that Tekken 7 has been a huge success. I plan on sticking with it this time and luckily the improvement in online play makes that easier than ever.
A new personal high. All my opponents are super strong. I do not feel like I really belong at this rank yet.
