Regardless of the tier, these tracks are all bangers in their own right.
Tekken has become well known among fighting game fans thanks to its iconic character select music that’s been key to forming the series’ identity. Character select music sets the stage for every fighting game as you’ll be hearing it a lot whenever you play. Fortunately, Tekken has consistently managed to make iconic themes throughout their 11 mainline games.
Cutting that down isn’t easy, but we’ve got there eventually. We’ve got a list that we can confidently say is the five best character select music in the Tekken series.
5. Tekken 8: Rude and Reckless
A number of fans find Tekken 8’s character select music to be rather cheesy due to the constant chanting. We, however, find it fun and charming. It’s as if it’s like the music is trying to hype you up for the upcoming fight. Pair that together with the upbeat bass and synth and you’ve got something that’ll get you in the mood to play multiple rounds of Tekken.
4. Tekken 6: Dist Thins Out
The guitar and bass is fast and frenetic with this one, which is perfect for the game it’s in. Tekken 6 is considered the turning point where they really leaned in on the spectacle of their combat. Androids and super soldiers are duking it out as World War 3 is happening in the background and this is the kind of music you want to accompany that action.
3. Tekken Tag Tournament 2: AIM TO WIN
This character select music is a homey throwback to Tekken’s techno and synth roots. A fast beat with a rising melody, a synthetic voice barely understandable in the background, it’s the classic Tekken sound to a tee. What‘s neat is how it mirrors the first Tekken Tag’s character select music, which helps identify them as spinoff games.
2. Tekken 7: Destroyers
A surefire way to tell if the music is good is if you’ve listened to it countless times and still haven’t gotten tired of it. That’s the case with Tekken 7, particularly their Season 4 character select theme. As the longest running Tekken entry, fans were listening to this track a lot but it just never grew old. The fast but low rumbling bass makes it really easy to be carried away by the music. Plus, it has an urgent tone that really sells you on how dangerous Tekken characters are when you consider what they’re capable of.
1. Tekken 5: Who’s Afraid Of…
And the top spot goes to one of the pinnacles of the series and the one that established the identity of modern Tekken. Sharp guitar riffs, a relentless beat, topped off with that grungy, electronic sound. We can’t deny that nostalgia plays a big part here but if you listen closely, you can hear the influence of this character select music in later Tekken instalments. It’s as if they got the formula right, so all they need to do is tweak it a bit in every new entry.
Banner image from Tekken 8 via Steam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Character select music is vital to Tekken’s identity because it sets the stage and tone for every fight. Since players hear this track repeatedly during gameplay, it plays a massive role in creating the atmosphere and hyping players up for the upcoming match.
Tekken 5’s theme, “Who’s Afraid Of…,” holds the top spot. It is widely considered a pinnacle of the series, featuring sharp guitar riffs and a grungy, electronic sound that established the identity of modern Tekken and heavily influenced the music of later installments.
Despite some initial fan debates regarding its constant chanting, the Tekken 8 theme is praised for its fun, charming, and high-energy vibe. Its upbeat bass and synth elements effectively hype up the player for the high-intensity combat that follows.
“Destroyers” is noted for being a track that never gets old even after countless hours of listening. Its urgent tone and fast, low rumbling bass perfectly sell the danger and power of Tekken characters, keeping players engaged throughout the long lifecycle of Tekken 7.
“AIM TO WIN” is a nostalgic throwback to the series’ techno and synth roots. It features a fast beat and rising melody with synthetic vocals, mirroring the style of the first Tekken Tag to help identify the title as a spinoff installment.
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