Fighting games are one of the most popular genres of video games in the United Kingdom – and Tekken is an enduring classic.
The Japanese video game, created by entertainment company Bandai Namco, took the world by storm after it was first released in Japan in 1994 – and, by the following year, had sold over 1.7 million copies worldwide.
And now, with this year’s release of the latest game in the franchise, veteran gamers who picked up the first one are still playing the series after three decades.
Try MEN Premium now for FREE… just click here to give it a go.
Liam Miller, 44 , from Salford, has been playing the Tekken series for 28 years. The part-time maths tutor picked up the first Tekken game when he was 16-years-old after being a fan of Tekken’s rival, Street Fighter.
“I still remember it like it was yesterday,” Liam said. “I actually bought Tekken 1 when I was abroad, I remember because I was worried it wouldn’t work because I was in the US.
“I had never been a ‘Tekken Guy’ due to always playing Street Fighter but I just gave in and decided to try it out. It wasn’t the one that got me into the series, I played Tekken 1 and 2 here and there but it was the third one that got me hooked.”
He continued: “It is the hardest video game out there, by far. It took me a while to get used to the switch from Street Fighter but wow, it was worth it. I remember having friends over and us doing tournaments and my mum bringing us some snacks.
“We really got competitive over it too! I still have my PlayStation 1 where my friend actually almost broke one of the controllers because he lost. But that’s where the love comes from.
“What I think people truly love about the game is the different characters. The diversity and the different styles makes it more enticing I guess. To learn one character will take you a very long time, you can’t just do it in a few weeks.
“When I play Tekken 8, the difference is genuinely insane. The way the game has changed is crazy and I see a lot of young people picking it up.
“I have even entered a friendly tournament in Manchester on February 3rd. The gamers at the current level are so much better then back in my day.”
Liam who lives with his wife, Coraline and son James, has been trying to get James to play Tekken and even has been playing against him to improve his skills.
“My son doesn’t play fighting games so I wanted to get him into it and I genuinely think he is now addicted. He asks me to play sometimes and I have to tell him I can’t! He’s already reached the orange ranks so he might hit my level soon.
“I have even been watching YouTube and Twitch streamers playing the same and watching combo helpers. It is crazy to see how far the popularity of the games have come.”
Tekken has indeed come a long way, with the eighth title topping the charts in physical games sold and having double the amount of sales at launch in comparison to Street Fighter 6, which released mid 2023.
Lincoln Rawlsey, 50, from Newcastle has been playing the Tekken series ever since ‘Tekken Tag Tournament’ – the first of the series to allow players to use multiple characters in one match.
After moving to the UK in 1999 for a job opportunity, Lincoln didn’t know anyone in the city, so he decided to visit arcade shops and play video games and to try and make friends.
He said: “I was new to this city and I stumbled across Tekken in the arcade actually, I am a video game fan so I had heard of it but never tried it.
“I fell in love with Tekken Tag Tournament instantly. I had even made a few friends from going to the arcade shop almost weekly. It became a regular hangout spot until I bought my first PlayStation.
He continued: “I have just bought Tekken 8 and it’s crazy – the evolution just shows how far technology has come, I wish I had started Tekken earlier, but honestly, 25 years of playing the game and I still keep going at it.
“I still use an arcade stick too – as that was what I started the game on and I cannot get used to controllers. I find it much easier to put in the inputs with the arcade stick too.
“I think this will be my last Tekken title though, I just can’t do it anymore, people don’t realise the memorisation and timing that you need to play this game at a high level.
“It is highly rewarding. My heart beats out of control when I play against someone. It is easily one of the most intense games out there. Honestly, I am one of the biggest fans out there in the UK. I have my own (figurine) collection even.”
He continued: “There is a decent Tekken player base in the UK, and I think it’s only going to get bigger. It is dangerously addicting though! I will warn anyone who does become a fan of it to have a lot of time on the side!
“I don’t have a wife or kids so I have a lot of free time, my girlfriend sometimes gets involved and plays with me but after work, I find myself playing for three to four hours.
“I still find it crazy that I play this game. After 25 years, I’m still not bored of it, it shows how this game is a cut above the rest of the fighting games.”
Source link
credite