Part 16

Understand Tekken 3 control quality from bad to flawless and the 5 player skill levels: Masher, Scrub, Poker/Pit-Bull, High-Level, and Highest.

Control Quality Characteristics:

• Bad Controls: Delays on switches/buttons, inconsistent diagonals, and improper controller spring tension. Results include no low parries on reaction, few reversals, normal throws becoming jabs, motion throws becoming hopping attacks, WS moves becoming hops, and Paul Phoenix being overpowered.
• Semi-Decent Controls: Minor delays that register most of the time, somewhat equal diagonals, and somewhat effective controller tension. Results include few low parries on reaction but most reversals coming out, throws and complex inputs having a decent chance of success, poking patterns being somewhat effective, Paul Phoenix still being overpowered, and Heihachi Mishima's sweep strings being nasty.
• Good Controls: Imperceptible delays, virtually identical diagonals, and adequate controller tension. Results include very few moves failing to come out, low parries being possible on reaction, and Law being overpowered.
• Very Good Controls: Controls work every time and are easily adapted to, flawless diagonals, and flawless tension. Results include the player being denied nothing and the game becoming a mental battle where the better mental game wins with any character.

Level of Play:

This guide references five levels of expertise encountered in Tekken 3.

Level 1: Masher

Predominantly chooses Eddy Gordo, Forrest Law, and sometimes Lei Wulong. Involves rapid, unthinking joystick yanking and button mashing. Blocking is rarely understood.

Level 2: Scrub

Predominantly chooses Paul or Jin. Uses simple move-strings (e.g., Paul's d+4~2, Jin's b~f+2{1{d+2) and basic juggles without float or unconventional techniques. Matches are often decided by who lands their ten-string first.

Level 3: Pokers/Pit-Bulls and Turtles

Wider character selection, excluding Kuma, Gun-Jack, or Mokujin. Involves knowledge of most ten-strings and blocking patterns. Parries, reversals, and chickens are used, but parries are rarely at full potential. More complex juggles with unconventional starters (e.g., grdt3) are used. Turtlers use some complex defense (low parries with some effectiveness), while Pokers/Pit-Bulls use advanced custom strings. Pokers/Pit-Bulls are more likely to win.

Level 4: High-Level Play

Any character can be chosen. Low parries are devastating, and normal juggles are avoided. Juggles used are typically float or unconventional forms (e.g., after blocking Law's fc~df~d~df+3 or Lei's grda4~3). Only the fastest moves are used due to recovery times allowing counterattacks. High-low mixups are employed, with low kicks used sparingly and difficult to predict. Reversals are also used sparingly. Pokers who bait punishable attacks win, with Forrest Law being effective.

Level 5: Highest Level (Expert Play)

Leans towards turtling. Only simple, safe custom strings are used for offense and defense. Low kicks are only used if 100% guaranteed against low parries; low punches are used as interrupts or when low parries are unlikely. Juggles are used in unorthodox situations. The game becomes a guessing game of mid-level attacks and throws initiated within simple custom strings. Custom strings are not repeated, consisting almost exclusively of mid-level attacks, as high and low attacks are punishable. Standard matches involve one player starting a safe custom string ending in a throw or fast mid-level juggle starter. If damage is not inflicted, attack ceases.