Summary
Tekken 8is the latest entry in the long-running fighting game franchise. The title was one of 2024’s first, a year which marks the series' 30th anniversary.Tekkenhas been around for decades, but some of the series' traditions are newer than others. For instance,Tekken 7was the first game to emphasize the inclusion of guest characters. Currently, no guests have been announced forTekken 8, but many fans are clamoring for their return. If Bandai Namco wants to establish a tradition of consistently including guest characters similar toMortal Kombat, there is one seriesTekkenshould cross over with again.
Tekken 7included Akuma fromStreet Fighter, Noctis fromFinal Fantasy 15, and Negan fromThe Walking Deadas guest characters. Now, with the launch ofTekken 8, fans have been clamoring for the inclusion of Tifa Lockhart fromFinal Fantasy 7. Tifa would be a natural fit for the series and the demand for her from fans is unsurprising consideringFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthis right around the corner. The demand forTifa inTekken 8is so great, in fact, that the game’s director responded to it on social media. However, while fans want moreFinal Fantasyrepresentation,Tekken8should also feature a guest from another series it has collaborated with before:The Walking Dead.
Tekken 7featured Neganas one of its Season Pass 2 DLC characters. At first, his reveal for the game came off as odd to fans, but the character quickly found himself at home inTekken. Using his bat, Lucille, Negan was something of an oddity for the series, in which few fighters use weapons. Despite this, his fighting style is grounded and mostly realistic, and as such, he felt less at odds with the game than some other crossover characters like Noctis. The grounded nature of Negan’s fighting style is a trait that can be found in many ofThe Walking Dead’s characters and their approach to combat, so another character from the series would likely fit right intoTekken.
Negan Smith was already given his time to shine inTekken 7, so if the two series are going to crossover again, there should be a different representative fromThe Walking Dead. The obvious choices for crossover characters are Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon, and Michonne. These three characters are all well-liked and it would please fans if they were included in a fighting game. Of these three characters, Michonne seems like the best fit forTekkendue to her iconic sword and penchant for melee combat. She will also find herself at the center of an upcomingThe Walking Deadspin-off entitledThe Ones Who Livealongside Rick.
How Would Michonne Play in Tekken 8?
Like Negan, if Michonne was inTekken, she could use a combination of short-ranged punches and kicks as well as her katana.Tekken 8has two sword wielders already, and how Michonne uses hers could draw inspiration from either. Victor Chevalier keeps his sword sheathed most of the time and pulls it out for specific attacks;Tekken’s Yoshimitsu, on the other hand, keeps his sword drawn, and it is a more fundamental part of how he works. Michonne could potentially split the difference, featuring a stance where it is drawn and one where it is not. This would give her a lot of versatility as a character and make her a unique member ofTekken 8’s roster.
WhileFinal Fantasyfans are clamoring to get Tifa intothis newest installment,The Walking Deadis another franchise that deserves to return in aTekkengame. Negan introduced a unique combat style toTekken 7and a character like Michonne could do the same in the eighth entry.The Walking Deadis a series with visceral, grounded combat, a trait that it shares withTekken, and if there are going to be guest characters in this newest entry, its developers should consider including a character fromThe Walking Deadagain. While awaiting news about guest characters, fans can check out theconclusion of the Mishima saga inTekken 8.
