Tekken 8 Heat System explained: Heat Burst, Engager, Smash & Dash

The Heat system is the all-new mechanic in Tekken 8 along with other new features available in the latest installment. So here’s all you need to know about the Heat System in Tekken 8 along with along with Heat Burst and Heat Engager methods, and more.

After nine years of hiatus, the Tekken series is back with a brand-new experience for fighting game fans. Tekken 8, the latest installment features not only an exciting roster of characters but also unique movesets, a great campaign, new animations, as well as new mechanics.

One such mechanic in Bandai Namco’s new game is an all-new Heat System which replaces Rage Drive seen in Tekken 7. This system is essentially a new gauge mechanic that brings new moves that are unique to the characters.

If you’d like to know all the ins and outs of this new mechanic, here’s the Tekken 8 Heat System explained.

• What is the Heat System in Tekken 8?
• How does Heat work in Tekken 8? Heat Burst & Heat Engager
• Tekken 8 Heat Smash & Heat Dash explained
• How to use Heat in Tekken 8

What is the Heat System in Tekken 8?

Heat is a new blue gauge in Tekken 8 under the player’s Health bar that players can use to turn the tide of a fight and put them on the front foot. Once activated, your character will have a light blue aura around them, and the Heat bar will go purple.

According to the blog, Heat sends the user into “a state of enhancement and awakening for a certain period of time, and can create a starting point for tactics and offensive actions.”

How does Heat work in Tekken 8? Heat Burst & Heat Engager

Heat can be activated through two different methods: Heat Burst and Heat Engager. It refreshes each round and can be activated “once per round for 10 seconds,” it will also stop going down when the opponent is hit or in a downed state.

The Heat Burst is a single-command move that instantly engages the Heat state with a smashing move. The Heat Engager is a character-specific move or moves that activate Heat upon a successful hit on the opponent.

Check this video for an example of the Heat Burst move in Tekken 8:

Heat Smash & Heat Dash explained

There are two things you can do after activating Heat: Heat Smash and Heat Dash.

The Heat Smash is a detrimental attack that can be used for big damage in exchange for the remainder of your Heat Energy. Heat Dash can be activated once you are in Heat or straight after a Heat Engager, and it sees the player run towards the opponent for a “significant advantage.”

Further, while in Heat, you will be able to do recoverable damage to your opponent while they are guarding. You can not KO the opponent with this damage, but it certainly puts pressure on them to get their health back with successful hits.

Here’s a video showing the Heat Dash in Tekken 8:

How to use Heat in Tekken 8

You can activate Heat in Tekken 8 by performing either a Heat Burst or Heat Engager. To perform a Heat Burst, simply press R1 on PlayStation.

To perform a Heat Engager, you must study your character’s moves and find out which ones activate Heat. While in Heat, you can either use a Heat Smash to consume a large portion of the gauge and perform a Rage Art style move for big damage or the Heat Dash (R1 or the direction of the opponent right after a Heat Engager) for more pressure and less consumption.

For more on Tekken guides, make sure you also check out our pieces on Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1:

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