Great moments in PC gaming Celebrate your favorite game memories in bite-sized pieces.
tekken 7
Developer: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Year: 2015
Recently, I decided to stop mashing buttons and actually get better at Tekken 7. Transitioning is hard. Why waste time in the lab thinking about frame data and combos when you can furiously move your thumb? Have you tried all the face buttons and still have some effect? It feels pretty easy to mash out, especially in a game like Tekken 7, but he’s one of the hardest fighting games to start as a beginner. However, I was on a quest to get good enough to play in tournaments, and that meant I had to actually try to learn this fucking game.
I’ve had a long obsession with Lucky Chloe – hated by many and loved by underdogs like me. She’s not a very nice person, she reminds me. She regularly sits low on her tier list, and the majority of her movelists are punishable at launch and easily evaded. But she’s kind of goofy and a mega-goblin, so I decided to follow her.
The problem is that you have to play against other real people to improve. Fighting ghosts is good, but going head-to-head with other humans is nothing like that. I don’t like fighting other humans. Nevertheless, I threw myself into ranked mode determined to beat the better player on the other side.
The ranking of online Tekken is color-coded, and each color has a different stage. These days, we start with a blue-green rank, then a green rank, then a yellow, orange, red, ruler (light purple), and blue rank. And the peak is purple rank and gold rank. tekken god omega. A really good player can usually reach Tekken God his prime one rank below the top. Omega is mostly held by professional players.
I had one goal. It’s about reaching Warrior, the first Yellow Rank and a milestone for new players. It doesn’t seem too difficult, but in the second half of Tekken 7’s life, ranking is pretty hell. Frustrating gimmicky players, Smurfs, Cheetahs, and Pluggers (players who disconnect right before they lose and can’t count their wins without having any effect on their plugs) are rampant in the lower ranks. That’s not to say these things can’t happen on the upper tier, but online Tekken can be a truly horrifying experience for those just starting out.
Was it the worst? a little bit. I eat shit often, but haven’t had enough experience to understand why. rough. Thankfully, I am surrounded by great friends who are ridiculously good at Tekken. Given to all low-level players for being able to stream their game and receive instant feedback on what they did wrong, what moves to use, and how to avoid gimmicks Not really, but it put me in an advantageous position.
When you noticed, actually… were you fine? I was able to get out of the Teal ranks surprisingly easily, leaving Warrior to the seemingly daunting task of winning the Green ranks. Learning to play patiently, watch out for punishing moves, and learn a few combos helped me move through the match smoothly. It turns out that I kind of have an idea that what I’m doing actually feels pretty good. Being able to pull off the entire combo without dropping it was a win in itself, but even better was being able to get the win over your opponent while doing it.
After 59 victories, promotion to Warrior is finally near. Ultimately trivial stuff like stupid online ranks, but I was nervous to finally tackle it. However, I was playing well and only had to take three more rounds before finally being able to parade the yellow ranks in front of my friends (just in case, all my friends much higher than mine). I played as well as I could, waited for the moment, and did my best to remember everything I typed.
The match ended and Lucky Chloe’s victory screen was displayed. i did it. I messed up! I won and was rewarded with a full-screen “Promote to Warrior” graphic. My friends on Discord who have been my constant support congratulated me on my achievements, and I’m so happy that I’ve come this far in just a few weeks. Getting better at any game is a fun journey, but nothing has been more satisfying than getting better at a fighting game. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel that being able to display a yellow rank is the first step to becoming a better player.
Maybe one day I’ll join friends with orange rank or higher, but for now I’m pretty happy with where I am.
