How to Use the Heat System in Tekken 8 Like a Pro

Although Tekken 8 features many returning fighters and move sets, there are new mechanics to keep things fresh. Whether you’re fighting against strong CPUs or trying to survive against other online warriors, here’s what you need to know about how to use the Heat System in Tekken 8 like a pro.

What’s the Tekken 8 Heat System?

Brand new to Tekken 8 is Heat, which is a state that every character can enter once per round. It’s represented by a blue bar beneath your health bar. When activated, it provides access to additional attacks, some enhanced moves, and the benefit of dealing chip damage.

Once the bar has depleted, you’ll lose access to it for the rest of the round. However, the bar won’t deplete if the opponent is being hit or is down. This system is all about going on the offense.

How to Activate Heat in Tekken 8

There are two methods to activate Heat — either through a Heat Burst or a Heat Engager. The former is a smashing attack that’s preceded by a quick cinematic. Any character can use this with the universal input of 2+3 (or Right Punch + Left Kick). If you activate it this way, it will last for 10 seconds.

Heat Engagers are different in the sense that they’re a set of attacks specific to each character. If you land one on a standing opponent, you’ll send them flying away and then automatically run towards them for a follow-up attack. Activating Heat this way will make it last for 15 seconds.

Both of them have their own uses, although I do highly recommend learning the latter for the characters you’re interested in. Not only will it open up your options and help you master them, but Heat Engagers are also easier to accidentally activate than Heat Burst when you’re learning a new fighter. Making the best out of this mechanic will undeniably help you to become a better player.

How to Use Heat Dash and Heat Smash

Activating Heat gives you access to the Heat Dash and Heat Smash moves. Both of these will use up the remainder of the bar, which is why I would typically recommend not using them too soon after activating. 

Heat Dash is an interesting movement option that’s activated by pressing or holding Forward after a Heat Engager move. Players may recognize it from other fighting games as it essentially cancels the move into a quick dash. The typical use for this will be to extend your combos. That being said, you can also use it after a Heat Engager move has been blocked to give yourself an advantage towards attacking again or defending yourself.

Heat Smash is a unique enhanced attack for each character, using the same input as Heat Burst. This can deal a lot of damage, although it can still be blocked. Unless you know you’ll be able to interrupt your opponent’s actions and catch them off guard, I suggest trying to combo into it.

5 Tips to Use Heat Efficiently

The Heat System is pretty flexible in its uses. The best ways to use it are situational and depend on which character you’re using. Still, here are some handy tips for using it efficiently:

• Every aspect of the system caters towards offensive play, so you shouldn’t play defensively once it’s active.
• Between the enhanced moves and chip damage, it’s best to keep the state active for as long as possible.
• Use Heat Engagers and Heat Dashes to create juggle combos.
• Incorporate a Heat Smash before the bar depletes to inflict massive damage.
• Every character has different moves enhanced during Heat, meaning it’s vital to learn about those specific changes for your characters.

That covers how to use the Heat System in Tekken 8 like a pro. Now that you’re acquainted with this offense-based mechanic, it’ll help to master blocking as well. All other tips and tricks you need are available at our T8 guides hub.