Tekken 8 is already cheaper than I thought it would be on Prime Day

Until Dragon Ball Sparking Zero comes out, is there really any disputing that Tekken 8 is the best fighting game of the year? Even when we get to the end of 2024, I’d be willing to bet that we see Tekken 8 on a lot of game-of-the-year lists. It feels like a step forward for the franchise – like it transcends the fighting game genre.

With my stance on it pretty clear, I’m happy to report that a week before Prime Day, Tekken 8 has come down to half-price at Walmart. If you act fast, you can grab it for just $34.99 (down from $69.99). While it’s sometimes best to wait for the event to start officially before adding something to your cart, I for one would be shocked if we saw one of the biggest games of the year drop below this price next week.

Prime Day PS5 deals are supposed to start next Tuesday, July 16, but serious deal hunters should know that some of the early deals actually end up being better than the ones that pop up during the event. This is also a great example of how competing retailers can often have better deals than Amazon itself.

As if a great fighting game at half price wasn’t enough, one of the best PS5 controllers is also discounted at the moment, and its fightpad attachment could make it a perfect tool to climb competitive ladders. The Victrix Pro BFG can have six face buttons, which essentially turns it into a tiny little arcade fight stick. It’s discounted to $164.99 at Amazon right now.

Should you buy Tekken 8?

Tekken 8 screenshot

(Image credit: Bandai Namco)

I’ve been playing the latest Tekken 8 with my closest friend these past few months, and even though he can comfortably perfect me because he knows every King combo grab there is, I still have a lot of fun playing. For me, the mark of a solid multiplayer game is if you can still enjoy playing it when you’re losing, and Tekken 8 passes that test with flying colors.

Even if playing competitively against other humans isn’t your jam, I like how much else there is to do in Tekken 8. The story mode’s production value is wild this time around. There’s even a level where you take part in a third-person hack-and-slash style battle. Besides that, all the characters have their usual arcade-mode stories to burn through as well.

I think what I like most about Tekken 8 is its refreshed gameplay. It makes it so approachable for newcomers who have no idea why a strange squid man is swinging a sword at them, but there’s also so much depth for returning fighters who want to master the game’s new systems. It has that inherent Tekken DNA, but it moves the franchise forward. At half-price before Prime Day gaming deals have even begun, it’s very easy for me to recommend.