Pro wrestling got you down? Follow our guide on the chain throws of King in Tekken 8 and we’ll have you no selling in no time.
There's a few things you just have to come to grips with if Tekken 8 is your first in the series. Yes, we know the story makes almost no sense. No, we don't know where Kuma got that fish. And, yes, we know that Tekken's resident pro wrestler, King, feels indomitable. While lacking movement options, many noobs find the hardest part of dealing with King in Tekken 8 is his seemingly unstoppable chain throws.
If you're unaware of what to do against the Bryan Danielson of Tekken then it feels downright demoralizing. After all, here's this cat-man just throwing you over and over for, roughly, fifty percent of your health. Believe it or not, the counter is incredibly simple. However, it does require some homework, as well as a bit of good luck when it comes to guessing.
So, let's not waste any more time in learning how to counter King chain throws in Tekken 8.
Instant Knowledge Check
- Most of King's throws can be countered by hitting 1, 2, or 1+2 on impact
- Which button you hit is based on what arm he leads with (left, right, or both)
- With 48 throws total, it's important to know, spot, and counter the correct throws
- Throws to know: Cobra Clutch (1 or 2), Reverse Special Stretch Bomb (2), and Arm Breaker (1)
- You can escape throw chains from King by hitting the correct punch while the animation for the next throw is going off
- If you aren't sure which punch to use, go into King's move list and it will list the needed escape
Tekken 8 King chain throws primer: Escapes
It's important to know how throws even work in Tekken 8 before we start talking about countering King and his infinite abyss of grappling. If you've not played Tekken in a few generations or come from 2D fighters like Street Fighter, know that throw teching (countering) is different here. In most fighters, you counter a basic throw by inputting the same command as your opponent, at the same time. It stands to reason that in Tekken 8 you'd also hit 2+4 or 1+3 to counter a throw. And if you thought that was how to counter throws then, congrats: You're wrong!
Before we get too far in the weeds: Here's some standardized Tekken 8 notation.
Symbol Used | Meaning |
|---|---|
u | Up |
d | Down |
b | Back |
f | Forward |
1 | Left Punch |
2 | Right Punch |
3 | Left Kick |
4 | Right Kick |
In Tekken 8, a majority of throws can be countered simply by hitting the punch button that corresponds to the hand the enemy is leading with when they do the grab. Is their left hand extended at the start of the throw animation? Tap 1 to counter. Right hand? Tap 2. Did both hands extend? Tap 1+2 together. If you've ever countered a throw while mashing out a jab and didn't know why, then that's why.
This same principle applies to most of the King chain throw commands in Tekken 8. Exceptions exist, but the moves that cannot be escaped sit at the end of a long and dusty road of throws that led to that point.
So, let's talk about those chain throws.
How to counter King's tech throws in Tekken 8
For those that aren't King players, here's the rundown of his chain throws in Tekken 8. King is able to string together multiple throws in a sequence by hitting the command of the next throw in said chain at a specific moment. Take a look at the video below and make note of the command inputs being made during the chain.
The timing for placing the next input falls between the point of impact of each throw. Likewise, to counter King's chain throws you'll need to hit the correct punch button(s) to break the chain. After the initial throw, knowing which button to hit boils down to either knowing the exact button to counter each chain throw, or mashing. But either way, you're going to input 1, 2, or both to counter his throws.
The gallery below features a pair of handy charts made by Matias11D and Bomko, respectively. Each shows the various break methods across Tekken 8 King and his chain throw commands.
But, what does it look like when you successfully break a chain throw? Take a look.
Our advice in a pinch? Mash out 1 and 2. There's no throw tech lockout for hitting the wrong button like other fighting games. So, if you're just starting out and don't know King's throws by heart, take a guess. However, know that some chain throws--such as the infamous Rolling Death Cradle--have no escape button and deals massive damage.
Best of luck out there, fighters.
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