Skip to main content
If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Tekken 8 Tier List

Every character ranked from best to worst.

Tekken 8 characters Azucena, Jun and Jin.
Image credit: VG247/Bandai Namco
Dion Dassanayake avatar
Guide by Dion Dassanayake Contributor
Published on

Tekken 8 boasts a huge roster of characters to choose from at launch. The base version of the game has 32 fighters, with even more being added further down the line with DLC.

It's an impressive selection of characters that covers the series' 30 year history, and includes OGs like Law, Paul and Nina and brand new fighters like Reina and Azucena.

With a wealth of options available to players, it may be difficult figuring out who is the best character to mainline. That's where our Tekken 8 Tier List comes in. We've ranked every character in the launch version from best to worst, to help you figure out the main character you should play as.

Tekken 8 Tier List

Here's our rankings of all characters in Tekken 8 from best to worst:

Tier Character
S-tier Jun, Jin, Azucena, King, Dragunov, Bryan, Hwoarang, Devil Jin, Reina
A-tier Kazuya, Lili, Victor, Feng Wei, Jack-8, Claudio, Lars, Zafina, Law, Paul, Nina
B-tier Lee Chaolan, Leo, Raven, Ling Xiaoyu, Leroy, Steve, Shaheen, Yoshimitsu
C-tier Asuka, Alisa, Kuma, Panda

Our Tekken 8 Tier List ranks all of the characters in the launch version. It's based on our own playtime, and also takes into account the community rankings on TierMaker, as well as the opinions of creators like TheMainManSWE.

Ultimately though, fighting games are a very personal thing - one character's playstyle may suit a certain type of player, but they might not be a good match for someone else. If you see a character you like the look of that's ranked lowly in our tier list, don't let that deter you. They may suit your very own fighting style, so try them out along with a few other characters and see who you prefer.

Whoever you choose, don't get too hung up on character rankings. Arguably the most important thing with fighting games is to just have fun - especially if you're not too worried about online play. And there's plenty of fun to be had in the latest offering from Bandai Namco, as our Tekken 8 review explains.

S-tier

Jun Kazama looking pensive in Tekken 8.
Image credit: VG247/Bandai Namco

Jun

  • Tier Rank:S
  • Fighting Style: Kazama-Style Traditional Martial Arts
  • Country: Japan
  • First appearance: Tekken 2

Jin

  • Tier Rank:S
  • Fighting Style: Karate
  • Country: Japan
  • First appearance: Tekken 3

Azucena

  • Tier Rank:S
  • Fighting Style: Mixed Martial Arts (Striker)
  • Country: Peru
  • First appearance: Tekken 8

King

  • Tier Rank:S
  • Fighting Style: Pro Wrestling
  • Country: Mexico
  • First appearance: Tekken

Dragunov

  • Tier Rank:S
  • Fighting Style: Commando Sambo
  • Country: Russia
  • First appearance: Tekken 5

Bryan

  • Tier Rank:S
  • Fighting Style: Kickboxing
  • Country: USA
  • First appearance: Tekken 3

Hwoarang

  • Tier Rank:S
  • Fighting Style: Taekwondo
  • Country: South Korea
  • First appearance: Tekken 3

Devil Jin

  • Tier Rank:S
  • Fighting Style: Unknown
  • Country: None
  • First appearance: Tekken 3

Reina

  • Tier Rank:S
  • Fighting Style: Unknown
  • Country: Unknown
  • First appearance: Tekken 8

A-tier

Kazuya in Tekken 8 making a fist, with sparks of energy surrounding him.
Image credit: VG247/Bandai Namco

Kazuya

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Mishima-Style Fighting Karate
  • Country: None, relinquished his Japanese nationality
  • First appearance: Tekken

Lili

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Self-Taught Style
  • Country: Monaco
  • First appearance: Tekken 5

Victor

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Super Spy CQB
  • Country: France
  • First appearance: Tekken 8

Feng Wei

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Taijiquan
  • Country: China
  • First appearance: Tekken 5

Jack-8

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Brute Force
  • Country: Unknown
  • First appearance: Tekken

Claudio

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Sirius Exorcist Arts
  • Country: Italy
  • First appearance: Tekken

Lars

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Tekken Force Martial Arts
  • Country: Sweden
  • First appearance: Tekken 6

Zafina

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Ancient Assassination Arts
  • Country: Unknown
  • First appearance: Tekken 6

Law

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Martial Arts
  • Country: USA
  • First appearance: Tekken

Paul

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Integrated Martial Arts Based on Judo
  • Country: USA
  • First appearance: Tekken

Nina

  • Tier Rank:A
  • Fighting Style: Assassination Arts
  • Country: Ireland
  • First appearance: Tekken

B-tier

Lee Chaolan in Tekken 8, striking a pose that beckons another player to fight him.
Image credit: VG247/Bandai Namco

Lee

  • Tier Rank:B
  • Fighting Style: Martial Arts
  • Country: Japan
  • First appearance: Tekken

Leo

  • Tier Rank:B
  • Fighting Style: Bajiquan
  • Country: Germany
  • First appearance: Tekken 6

Raven

  • Tier Rank:B
  • Fighting Style: Ninjutsu
  • Country: Unknown
  • First appearance: Tekken 5

Ling Xiaoyu

  • Tier Rank:B
  • Fighting Style: Baguazhang, Piguazhang-based Chinese Martial Arts
  • Country: China
  • First appearance: Tekken 3

Leroy

  • Tier Rank:B
  • Fighting Style: Wing Chun
  • Country: USA
  • First appearance: Tekken 7

Steve

  • Tier Rank:B
  • Fighting Style: Boxing
  • Country: UK
  • First appearance: Tekken 4

Shaheen

  • Tier Rank:B
  • Fighting Style: Close Quarters Combat
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • First appearance: Tekken 7

Yoshimitsu

  • Tier Rank:B
  • Fighting Style: Advanced Manji Ninjutsu
  • Country: None, formerly Japan
  • First appearance: Tekken

C-tier

Asuka in Tekken 8.
Image credit: VG247/Bandai Namco

Asuka

  • Tier Rank:C
  • Fighting Style: Kazama-Style Traditional Martial Arts
  • Country: Japan
  • First appearance: Tekken 5

Alisa

  • Tier Rank:C
  • Fighting Style: Thruster-Based High-Mobility Fighting Style
  • Country: Russia
  • First appearance: Tekken 6

Kuma

  • Tier Rank:C
  • Fighting Style: Heihachi-Style Advanced Kuma Shin Ken
  • Country: None
  • First appearance: Tekken

Panda

  • Tier Rank:C
  • Fighting Style: Heihachi-Style Advanced Kuma Shin Ken
  • Country: None
  • First appearance: Tekken 3

That's it for our Tekken 8 Tier List. For more on the latest Tekken game, find out why it has so much content on-disc at launch, how Tekken 8 honors arcade culture and why the game's most boring mode is the series' most important innovation in years.

Read this next