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Tekken 8 Modes Explained

Tekken 8 has a number of ways to play for story mode gamers and competitors alike. We break down all the standard game modes and the brand-new content coming in the newest Tekken title

Tekken 8 is here and the feeling of cracking open a new fighting game is sweeping over the world. But with a new game comes some new modes and options that are going to give you a bit of choice anxiety just starting out. So here's a look at what each mode is all about in Tekken 8.

What Modes Are In Tekken 8?

  • Story: The Dark Awakens
  • Arcade Quest
  • Super Ghost Battle
  • Arcade Battle
  • VS
  • Practice
  • Tekken Ball
  • Tekken Fight Lounge
  • Ranked/Quick/Player Online Matches
  • Character/Avatar/Player Customization

What Modes Are New In Tekken 8?

Right out of the gate the new expanded story mode called “The Dark Awakens” is a new frontier for the Tekken series. This is one of the two prime single-player experiences that T8 is offering to gamers alongside Arcade Quest. The Dark Awakens is an exploration of the world of Tekken and Jin Kazama’s battle against his father Kazuya Mishima. Through this series of battles and cutscenes, players will get to see what unfolds for the characters of Tekken.

The aforementioned Arcade Quest, functions somewhat as a tutorial for Tekken players and is actually where new players should probably start. It not only serves as a way to get acquainted with the fundamentals of Tekken, but it also introduces plenty of touchpoints about FGC culture like arcade meetups and tournament play. This is also where your custom avatar will come into play.

Shaheen entrance in Tekken 8

Lastly, for those ready to improve on day 1, the Super Ghost Battle is one of the most innovative ideas in all of fighting games. In this mode, you’ll be able to download the ghost data of certain players and fight against it, even learning specific strategies to fight against it. Struggling to get wins against Hwoarang? Download a few different ghosts around your level and lab. Perhaps you want to see how you stack up against a tournament level player. Well, download JDCR’s ghost data and try it out. Even your own play will be saved, so you’ll be able to pick apart your own weaknesses as well.

What’s Returning In Tekken 8?

Most of the modes will be familiar to anyone that’s played an online fighting game. Arcade Battles and Lounges function much like Street Fighter 6’s Battle Hub. A place for you and your friends to be social and show off your avatars. From here, you’ll be able to queue up ranked or casual matches and create closed lobbies for just you and your buddies.

In addition to the standard fare, the Tekken Ball mode is making its triumphant return to the series. This chaotic casual mode, two players knock a ball back and forth to deal damage to one another. They don’t actually fight directly, so this is a great way to have a good laugh and not take T8 too seriously.