Tekken 8: How to Play Lars

Once determined to stop an evil Devil Jin, now determined to save him, Lars Alexandersson returns in Tekken 8. Heir of Heihachi and wielder of Tekken Force powers, Lars is the pure, uncorrupted hero of the Tekken franchise, determined to save the world from evil at any cost. While Lars plays a pivotal role in the Dark Awakens story of Tekken 8, he is also a massive contender when it comes to online ranked matches, having an approachable yet diverse technique list. While some may brush off Lars as an easy fighter, those willing to master his energized tricks will be able to add an incredibly swift and powerful fighter to their arsenal.

tekken-8-all-new-characters-victor-reina-azucena

Tekken 8: All the New Characters in the Base Roster

Three new characters have been announced for Tekken 8; this article will go over who they are and what they are capable of.

Posts

By David Heath

Style Overview - Lars Alexandersson, The Lion of the Rebellion

A newer character to the Tekken franchise, making his debut in Tekken 6 as the main protagonist determined to bring an end to Devil Jin's world domination tour, Lars uses a Tekken Force Martial Arts style that incorporates charged lightning to bring the pain to his enemies. His fighting style is versatile and mobile, allowing him to attack from a variety of directions and approaches.

Lars was specifically added to the Tekken franchise with an easier layout in mind, and players who are new to Lars will find they can quickly learn to unlock some incredibly cool techniques. Whether a Beginner to the Tekken series or a Bushin, here are some general tips to keep in mind when playing as Lars Alexandersson:

Start low, explode high - Lars' three stances all duck and dash in or out before allowing him to engage with a variety of attack techniques. Players can easily dish out large amounts of damage by using these stances and Down inputs, then transition into a high-hitting kick combo or a Heat Smash to pack on additional damage.
Feet first - While Lars does have an all-around fighting style, some of his best techniques rely mostly on kick inputs to charge up his powerful lightning dashes, execute healing dash combos, and summon massive crashes of lightning that devastate enemies.

Tekken 8: The Hardest Characters To Master

Tekken 8 has a handful of beginner-friendly characters, but there are also several characters that require hours of practice before being effective.

Posts

By Jonathan Rodriguez

Lars' Move List

Lars has a very manageable move list, consisting of 101 techniques. He has three stances that he can transition through, allowing him to quickly change his direction, lane, and type of attack. Designed as a fighter that is easy to approach, especially for players who may not be overly familiar with the fighting style of the Tekken series, Lars is a fast and powerful storm of a fighter that can appeal to players of the series, new and old.

Lars Move List
Heat Moves
Move	Description	Input
Thunderbird Descent	Kick the enemy high into the air, then crash down with the force of lightning.	Heat Input OR RP + LK
Delta Slicer	A quick double jab followed by an empowered chop that activates Heat if available.	LP, LP, LP
Electric Jolt	Jump, spin, and kick the enemy, sending them flying back.	LK + RK
Double Barrel	Performed during Dynamic entry, a rising jab-cross that knocks the enemy to the ground and activates Heat (if available).	Dynamic Entry (Forward + LK), LP, RP
Bow Shock	Performed during Dynamic Entry, strike the enemy with a downward flying kick, activating Heat if available.	Dynamic Entry, LK
Lightning Thrust	Duck low while approaching the enemy, unleashing a blast of lightning into their gut, knocking them to the ground.	Silent Entry, LP
Rebellion	Available during Heat, engulf yourself with lightning before charging at the enemy.	Forward + LK + RK
Blue Jet	Available during Heat and performed from Limited Entry, gather lightning while approaching the enemy before sweeping the enemy's leg and exploding upwards into them, sending them flying back.	Limited Entry, LP
Rage Arts
Move	Description	Input
Zeus Unlimited	Call down the full power of the lightning, dazing the enemy as Lars transforms himself into an electric current. Blitz through the enemy multiple times, then regain form and crash down on the enemy with a final crack of thunder.	Rage Input OR Down-Forward + LP + RP
Normal Moves
Move	Description	Input
Legionnaire's Spin	Tag the enemy in the face with a quick jab, then spin and heel-crush their toes.	LP, RK
Ring Current	A spinning punch combo that transitions to Limited Entry.	RP, LP
Kick Start	Step forward and high kick - transition to Limited Entry by holding Down after execution.	LK
Flash Bang	A three-hit technique that ends with a massive empowered kick that sends the enemy flying back while transitioning to Dynamic Entry.	Forward + LP, RP, LK
Volcanic Lightning	Open with a spinning, rising knee strike, followed by three open-handed strikes that knock the enemy to the ground.	Forward + RK, LP, RP, LP
Ark Blast	Strike forward with both hands and unleash a small blast of lightning that knocks enemies to the ground nearby.	Forward + LP + RP
Outpost Blitz	Lock the enemy with a high kick, then flip backward with an empowered kick that sends enemies flipping back.	Down-Forward + LK, LK
Shadow Cutter	A sweeping low kick.	Down-Back + RK
Wind Liger	Duck low while approaching the enemy and charging up lightning. Then rise and spin, unleashing the lightning on your enemy.	Back + LP + RP
Zeus	Charge for a moment, then unleash a massive lightning blast that is unblockable, and sends enemies flying high into the air.	Back + LK + RP
Lightning Screw	A rising double kick that sends enemies high into the air, allowing for juggle combos.	Up-Forward + LK
Storm Axle	An empowered downward kick that bounces the enemy off the ground, allowing for ground juggle combos.	Up-Forward + RK
Dynamic Entry	Dash forward while ducking and charging lightning, opening a new line of attacks.	Forward + LK
Moves during Dynamic Entry (Forward + LK)
Move	Description	Input
Rimfire	A powerful uppercut that causes the enemy to stumble back, shift to Avalanche Flip with Up-Forward (Hold).	RP
Into the Storm	Release the charged lightning in a spinning strike that sends the enemy flying back. The momentum of the technique places Lars close to the enemy, allowing for follow-up techniques.	LP + RP
Stack Up	Stomp down on the enemy's toes, releasing the charged lightning.	LK + RK
Silent Entry	Duck and charge again, opening a line of more powerful attacks.	, Forward (Hold)
Moves during Silent Entry (Forward + LK, , Forward (Hold))
Move	Description	Input
Rising Storm	A spinning upwards kick that knocks the enemy into the air nearby, allowing for follow-up juggle techniques.	LK
Lightning Axle	Lift the enemy into the air with a toe kick, then slam them to the ground with an overhead kick that summons a massive lightning bolt to strike the enemy.	LK + RK
Limited Entry	Duck and charge for a third time, opening a line of even more powerful attacks.	Down (Hold)

tekken-8-character-guide-azucena-game-rant

Tekken 8: Azucena Character Guide (Move List, Combos, Tips, & More)

Dance your way to victory with every flashy combo and technique with one of Tekken 8's new fighters, Azucena.

Posts

By Dakota Evans

Combos for Lars

Basic Combo: Delta Slicer > Heat Dash + Legionnaire's Spin > Limited Entry + Blue Jet

A combo that can be used at the start of a round to quickly drop enemies to about half health, start by tagging the enemy with the rapid strikes of Delta Slicer, activating Heat, and automatically transitioning to Heat Dash. Strike the enemy in the mid-lane, then spin and stomp down on their toes while transitioning to Limited Entry. The moment Lars enters the stance, input the Blue Jet technique to knock the enemy to the ground with a lightning rush attack.

Input: LP, LP, LP, LP, RK, Down (Hold), LP

Advanced Combo: Flash Bang > Dynamic Entry + Stack Up > Silent Entry + Rising Storm

Punch your enemy twice before kicking them back with lightning, transitioning directly to Dynamic Entry. Release the charged lightning with a downward stomp, transitioning to Silent Entry by holding forward as the stomp executes. As Lars dashes forward to close the gap, spin and kick the enemy back before they can recover or roll away.

Input: Forward + LP, RP, LK, LK + RK, Forward (Hold), LK

Perfect Combo: Arc Combination > Limited Entry + Streamer + Dynamic Entry + Backward Rising Storm + Dynamic Entry + Double Barrel > Silent Entry + Lightning Thrust > Heat Dash + Left Right Combo + Rebellion > Silent Entry + Lightning Axle

A perfect technique with a fast start-up time that can guarantee victory round after round if players can perfect the alternating directional inputs. Start with a low punch and a spinning kick, then transition to Limited Entry. Release the stance, launching the enemy into the air with an uppercut as you rise. Transition to Dynamic Entry, sliding under the airborne enemy, then turn around and juggle them with a spinning kick. T ransition back to Dynamic Entry to close the distance and continue the juggle with the first punch from Double Barrel. Hold Forward during the Double Barrel input to transition to Silent Entry as the first punch lands, then send enemies flying back with a charged lightning blast that activates Heat and automatically dashes forward. Lock the enemy with a quick jab-cross combo that will chip enemies if blocked, then rush them down with a charged dash. Pause a moment to allow Lars to transition to Silent Entry, and bring down the lightning with a final Lightning Axle technique.

If the enemy manages to block some of the inputs above and is still standing for any reason, repeat the Rebellion > Silent Entry + Lightning Axle combo, burning through enemies with chip damage.

As noted in the input chain below, Lars will switch sides with the enemy halfway through the combo. At this point in the combo, any Forward input will use the opposite directional input. For example, if Lars starts on the left of the screen, meaning the right directional input is forward, once Lars switches sides with his enemy, the left directional input will become Forward, and the right directional input will become Back.

Input: Down-Back + LP, LK, Down (Hold), LP (Rising), Forward (Hold) *Switch Sides* Forward + LK, Forward + LK, LP, Forward (Hold), LP, LP, RP, Forward + LK + RK, LK + RK

Tekken 8: Complete Lee Chaolan Lore Breakdown

Among Tekken 8's huge roster of launch fighters is Lee Chaolan, a skilled fighter who has been in and around the roster since the first Tekken.

Posts

By Dan Amoroso

How to Win as Lars

While Lars is designed to be an easy character to approach, don't assume this rules him out as an effective fighter in the Tekken 8 lineup. Players who fully uncover all of Lars' lightning tactics will be able to maximize his mobility with Dynamic, Silent, and Limited Entry, dashing in and out of range of the enemy while applying constant damage.

Those looking to main Lars should master the following:

Maintain Entry - High-level Lars players are masters of transitioning seamlessly between the three Entry stances - by staying in this energized state, players can easily move in to attack, dodge back to avoid damage, and feint enemies into opening themselves up for a massive blast of lightning damage. Start by learning which techniques transition directly into one of these stances.
Juggle and bounce - Lars has great juggling potential with his techniques and can eliminate any possibility of recovery with the proper chain of techniques. Learn to take the enemy down, then keep them down while you charge your way to victory.
Learn the power moves - Lars has many power crush attacks that can smash through incoming attacks - use moves like Zeus when enemies are rushing or recovering to continue chaining techniques together.

Tekken 8: The Hardest Characters To Master

Tekken 8 has a handful of beginner-friendly characters, but there are also several characters that require hours of practice before being effective.

Posts

By Jonathan Rodriguez

Countering Lars

Lars can be difficult to fight without a proper strategy, being a very versatile fighter that is easy to approach. Since Lars' best damage comes from his Entry stances, which start low and explode up at the enemy, fighters with styles and techniques that focus on fighting in the low lane with ground attacks that can interrupt Lars' lightning dashes can prevent him from being able to initiate powerful and flashy techniques successfully. Consider fighters like Kuma or Lili for this approach.

Lars can also have a difficult time with enemies more focused on punishing and power crush strategies, like Jin and Kazuya. While smart Lars players can still effectively use the mobility of Lars' kit to secure wins, the low power crushes available to Jin, Kazuya, and even fighters like Alisa, can push through Lars' attempt to initiate low juggle combos.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image