So we’re back with another strategy article, this time in regards to Tekken!  I’m thrilled to introduce to you our newest contributor at SeattleVersus, Rob Plummer aka Zigmover21!  Rob has been in the community for quite a long time, mainly playing competitively in various Tekken games.  In this particular strategy article Rob goes over Tekken basics!  This is a great read for all of those trying to get into Tekken a bit more in depth, going into a detailed explanation of button and directional buffering.  This is only part one, of a series where Rob will break down the basics to playing Tekken competitively, so you can definitely expect to see more Tekken articles!

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Part 1-Basic Techniques

With the recent influx of SFIV players into the Seattle Tekken scene, we’ve seen a big demand for mentoring and assistance from the 3d community. As the newest contributor to Seattle Versus, I’ve been recruited for that very task. In this series of articles, I’ll discuss the important tricks and gameplay basics you won’t find covered in the manual or combo lists.

Chapter I: Buffering Button and Directional Inputs

First, a recap of the basic controls:

1=Left Punch

2=Right Punch

3=Left Kick

4=Right Kick

The directional notations (f,d,df,b,uf,etc.) are the same as in Street Fighter, although you’ll see more frequent use of N for a neutral input. For a full list of Tekken notations, please visit www.tekkenzaibatsu.com and click on “Legend” at the top of the home page. While you might be overwhelmed by how many there are, don’t worry; you only need to know the basic control inputs to understand this post.

Now, time for our first lesson. If you’ve played any fighting game competitively, you’ve probably encountered buffering. In Tekken’s case, there are two main forms of buffering: button and directional.

The first type, button buffering, is a great tool for executing multi-button moves. Whenever you hold down a button and press another, the game will think both buttons were pressed at the same time. For example, any 1+2 move can be done by pressing and holding 1, then pressing 2.

This technique is especially helpful for moves requiring a top and bottom button, like basic throws (1+3 and 2+4) and most chain throws. Such inputs can be a little difficult if you’re used to other control schemes or lack dexterity, so use button buffering until your hands get used to the different kinds of inputs found in Tekken.

The character you choose determines which buttons you should hold and when to hold them. For instance:

• Holding down 4 when playing as Lars or Armor King gives you easy access to their fast shoulder moves (f+1+4).
• Bryan players frequently hold two buttons for his taunt (1+3+4); one setup is to end their wall combo with his 1,4 string and holding each button as they press it, then pressing 3 to start the taunt.
• Marduk players will use buffering during his 1,2,3+4~3+4 cancel by doing 1,2,4(hold)~3~3; this also helps avoid doing his 1,2,3 string on accident.
• Kuma’s b+2,1,1+2 can be done as b+2,1(hold),2; this applies to any string or chain throw where a multi-button input includes a button from the previous input, with a few exceptions (i.e. Paul’s max-damage d+4,2,1+2 cannot be done with buffering).

These are just a few examples of how button buffering can benefit your execution. Try using it the next time you’re struggling with a multi-button input or want easier access to key moves.

That being said, relying on button buffering can get you into trouble. When deciding how to apply buffering, keep the following things in mind:

• Pressing and holding that first button is an easy way to get hit when the opponent is up close and has frame advantage; remember that you still need to do a move to buffer, and sometimes the best course of action is to not press anything.
• When it’s safe to button buffer, use fast moves with good recovery like standing jabs (1 or 2), crouching jabs (d+1 or db+1, depending on your character), and other pokes.
• Be careful when trying to button buffer after blocking; accidentally holding back and pressing a button might result in a move that’s slow and/or punishable on block.
• If your character needs a multi-button move for punishment, make sure you practice it without buffering; don’t settle for less damage just because you forgot to buffer.
• Don’t always hold a punch button when in throw range; if they grab you with 2+4 while you’re holding 1, pressing 2 will register as 1+2 and prevent you from escaping (and vice versa; I’ll cover throws in a later chapter).

That’s it for button buffering; now it’s time for directional buffering. All moves in Tekken allow you to buffer during their recovery, and the same thing applies when recovering from blockstun. While the window is quite small and usually allows for just one input, this technique is crucial for making sure a move comes out as fast as possible.

Take Bryan’s f,b+2 for example. On paper it’s one of the fastest launchers in the game, with a startup of 13~14 frames. Problem is, it’s not physically possible to do the forward~back input in a single frame. If you add the time needed for executing more than one directional input, it’s closer to 16~17 frames, and that’s assuming you do it as fast as possible.

Here’s where directional buffering comes in. Suppose I block a move that leaves the opponent at -15. To ensure f,b+2 will hit, I can buffer the forward input just before I recover from blocking. Then, once I fully recover, I can input b+2 and hit the opponent before they can block.

The key here is timing. The window for directional buffering is right at the end of your recovery, so I’m not actually doing f,b+2 any slower. I’m simply beginning my input slightly earlier than if I had waited until I had fully recovered. Unfortunately there’s no easy way to determine when you can buffer since the window is maybe 5~6 frames at most, so you’ll need to get a feel for the recovery of your moves.

This system also lets you buffer a move by doing other moves. If you’ve played Street Fighter, you might recall that you can combo a crouching fierce into dragon punch by inputting f,d+Fierce,df+punch. The same thing applies in Tekken. A great example is using a standing jab to set up King’s Giant Swing (f,hcf+1). If I input f+1 and hold forward, I just need to do hcf+1 after recovering and the throw will come out. With better timing, I can buffer part of the half-circle motion during the jab’s recovery and make the throw come out even faster.

That’s it for directional buffering. Some final notes:

• Buffering from moves with fast recovery (like standing 1) is always easier compared to slower moves.
• For characters such as Mishimas, Raven, King, Lars, and Bryan, directional buffering is the only way to do their best combos; this applies not only to individual moves, but dashing mid-combo as well.
• Using Hit Analysis in Practice mode, you can literally see when you recover from either doing a move or blocking; your character will turn dark blue during recovery, and the buffer window is right before they go back to normal.