Highlights
- Tekken 8 brings back the beloved Tekken Ball mini-game after an almost decade-long absence, adding a fun twist to the series' intense gameplay.
- The new Fight Lounge in Tekken 8 offers various activities, including Tekken Ball, custom avatar creation, chatting with other players, and online matches.
- With its introduction of new gameplay modes and features, Tekken 8 honors its past while pushing the series in a more aggressive and exciting direction.
Tekken 8 will mark the return of the fan-favorite Tekken Ball minigame after a nearly decade-long absence. The next installment in the long-running Tekken series looks to take things in a newer, more aggressive direction thanks to its tradition-breaking Heat System and Special Style inputs, all while honoring the games that came before with a packed roster of returning warriors and a plot that continues the legendary feud of the Mishima family.
While the main story of Tekken is a dark one of betrayal, corruption, and relatives waging a bloody war against each other, the series has provided plenty of levity in the form of comical cast members and mini-games like the popular Tekken Bowl and the original Tekken’s hidden Galaga arcade shooter. One such mode was Tekken Ball, a volleyball-like alternate mode where players try to damage each other by knocking a ball back and forth. It was first introduced in 1998’s Tekken 3, and would only appear once more, in the Wii U version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2.
According to a recent PlayStation blog post, Tekken Ball is making its triumphant return after almost 11 years as part of Tekken 8’s new Fight Lounge. Players can go to a designated beach area, where they can engage in Tekken Ball against CPU-controlled opponents or other players online. The objective for Tekken 8’s Tekken Ball is the same as it was in Tekken 3: opponents send a giant beach ball flying at each other using martial arts attacks in hopes of striking them and dealing damage. Sadly, Tekken Ball won’t be available in Tekken 8’s upcoming closed beta test on October 20.
Tekken Ball isn’t the only thing players can do in Tekken 8’s Fight Lounge, which is a virtual lobby similar to Street Fighter 6’s Battle Hub. Here, players can create custom avatars, chat with other players using emotes, test their skills in the Tekken Dojo, and set up online matches. Tekken 8 is also introducing a new Arcade Quest mode, which will simulate the feel of playing Tekken 8 in a brick-and-mortar arcade against AI-controlled opponents that adapt to the player over time.
As Tekken 8 introduces new gameplay modes and features, it is also paying homage to past entries by bringing back long-requested mini-games like Tekken 3’s Tekken Ball. This fun take on the usual Tekken combat hasn’t been seen since 2012, and its inclusion in Tekken 8 will be a treat for fans who were there during the franchise’s humble beginnings on the original PlayStation.
Tekken 8 will launch on January 26, 2024 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: PlayStation.blog (via PlayStation Lifestyle)
