Fighting games can be played in many ways. It's always fun to have casual matches with friends in the same room, where you mostly button-mash – but there is also a professional style, where players delve into the finest details of the system, count frames, and devise tactics to be competitive on a global level.
Tekken 8, as a modern fighting game, offers all of that, and for the total casual players, there's also Special Style, which will save their controllers from furious button-mashing. So, what exactly is Special Style in Tekken 8, and how do you switch it on? Let's find out.
Tekken 8 Special Style, explained
Since the previous instalment, Tekken 7, there has been some experimentation with new ways to assist casual players in executing complex moves more easily. In Tekken 8, this system has a new name – it is 'Special Style,' and it can be toggled on and off at any time, even during online matches.
As explained by developers from Bandai Namco, “Special Style is Tekken 8's new feature used to easily master your favourite characters' unique moves and combos. Even if you're new to using a character, you can enjoy fighting without having to memorize complicated controls right off the bat.”
In the standard controller setup, Special Style can be toggled with the L1 button. When you activate Special Style during a fight, a list of moves and button prompts required for them will appear in the bottom left or right corner of the screen (depending on the side you're playing).
- The Square button will utilise Tekken 8's new Heat system; simply pressing it multiple times in combination with different directions will unleash various Heat Engager moves.
- Pressing the Triangle button repeatedly will initiate Air Combos for massive damage
- The X Button is reserved for Power Crush, a counterattack that can function as an easy parry
- Mashing the Circle button while the Special Style is active will give you a variety of low attacks, and when used with directional buttons, you can perform throws
- R1 will unleash special Heat Burst moves from the Heat System, and you can link it with an additional Heat Smash by pressing it once more if you have enough Heat
- R2 is used for Rage Arts, special desperation moves that can be used when your health is low.
For players with Xbox controllers, use the equivalent buttons that will be displayed in the Special Style menu.
Special Style is definitely a great aid for brand-new players, and even players with moderate experience can use it during matches to quickly switch to Special Style to execute some moves more easily. This mode can be used in online matches as well, but be cautious - your opponent will see on the screen when you've activated Special Style, just as you can see if they are using it.