Top 10 best Tekken 7 characters

There will always be a passionate discussion when it comes to which characters in a fighting game are the best. It depends on the skill level of the player, the general feel of the character, and so much more. 

With that being said, here’s our list of the top 10 best Tekken 7 characters, starting with one that needs no introduction.

DISCLAIMER: You might have noticed we didn't include Leroy, a character which dominated EVO Japan 2020. Leroy did receive various nerfs in update 3.20. Tekken 7 producer Michael Murray, however, explained this is just the first round of changes to the character. Therefore, we left out Leroy as his near-future ranking feels very uncertain at time of writing.

Devil Jin

Devil Jin in Tekken 7 (Picture: Bandai Namco) 

Devil Jin first appeared in Tekken 3, but only became a fully playable character in Tekken 5. Widely considered to be one of the best Tekken 7 characters, Devil Jin hellsweeps his way to the top of our list. Devil Jin is almost perfect with very little weaknesses to speak of. He has one of the best launchers in the game, great range, and a diverse arsenal at his disposal. 

He can punish opponents' weaknesses and if played correctly, he can escape from almost any sticky situation. Throw in a difficult but extremely effective moveset, as well as great damage, and you have a winner on your hands. 

Akuma

Who doesn't love a beastly, demonic fighter? That's where Akuma comes in to play as our favourite new character introduced in Tekken 7. 

Akuma is an intimidating beast that feels a bit slow when you first play with him, but he can sure dish out massive combos. It is just easier to show you why Akuma is so high on this list. With that in mind, watch Yuta "Chikurin" Take become the world champion with Akuma above.

Steve Fox

Hailing from England, Steve Fox was first introduced in Tekken 4 and he is a force to be reckoned with. While he was considered one of the best Tekken 7 characters in 2018, he has become even stronger.

This is due to some excellent buffs in Season 2. Furthermore, he received a new Rage Drive that is considered one of the best in the game. Going from having one of the worst Rage Drives to one of the best kicks Steve Fox up in our rankings. Watch two-time EVO champion Jae-Min "Knee" Bae above show off Steve Fox's power. 

Kazumi Mishima 

First appearing in Tekken 7, Kazumi Mishima is an extremely lethal character. She is fast, has a great moveset, and can decimate her enemies with ease.

With Kazumi, South Korean pro Soo-hoon "Ulsan" Lim, manages to defeat his opponents time and time again, showcasing her power in spectacular fashion. 

Noctis Lucis Caelum 

Noctis from Final Fantasy is a DLC character in Tekken (Picture: Bandai Namco) 

Introduced as a DLC character in Season Pass 1, Noctis should be familiar to you if you've played Final Fantasy XV. In Tekken 7, Noctis is a worthy fighter that has a fantastic range on his attacks.

This is thanks to his weapon summoning techniques as well as recent buffs, allowing him to jump into this top 10 best Tekken 7 characters list with style. 

Sergei Dragunov 

Sergei Dragunov is a member of Spetsnaz, Russia’s elite special operational force. First introduced in Tekken 5: Dark Ressurection, he definitely deserves to be on our list of top 10 best Tekken 7 characters. If you've been following the scene, you will remember pro Kim "JDCR" Hyunjin who went on an absolute rampage with the character during the Tekken World Tour Finals 2017. 

With the Season 3 update, Dragunov is making a return to the meta in a big way. He received multiple buffs, making him a frightening opponent to face. He has a very high skill ceiling and when used correctly, he can take out any other character on this list. 

Hwoarang

Hwoarang in Tekken 7 (Picture: Bandai Namco) 

First appearing in Tekken 3, Hwoarang has been kicking his opponents right in the face for many years now. With his primary attack stance being the Flamingo Stance, he can dish out some serious damage with his various kicks and combo moves. Hwoarang has a great moveset that isn't all that difficult to learn.

Players of intermediate skill level should definitely consider Hwoarang as he can be used effectively in competitive play and when you master him, the sky's the limit. 

King

King is a Tekken staple (Picture: Bandai Namco) 

King is a masked wrestler that has stepped out of the squared circle and into the fighting arenas of Tekken 7 as a DLC character in Season Pass 2. 

This character has numerous strengths, including high poking ability and powerful throws. If this character closes in on you, be prepared to take a beating. 

Jack-7

There just had to be a bio-enhanced superhuman on this list, didn't there? Jack-7 might look a bit clunky to play but when you get used to chaining his abilities together, he is an absolute machine.

While some players might not consider Jack-7 to be one of the best Tekken 7 characters out there, you only need to look at the results of Hoa "Anakin" Luu during the Tekken World Tour 2019 finals. Anakin placed fourth using Jack-7 and showcased just how powerful this character can be. 

Claudio Serafino

In our beginner's guide, one of our suggested starting characters is none-other than Claudio Serafino. He is one of the best Tekken 7 characters to pick up when you are new. However, he is also one of the best competitive characters, thanks to some buffs in Season 3.

His combos can yield quite a lot of damage if you can pull them off correctly, starting with his powerful hopkick. While Claudio still has some weaknesses, he just managed to sneak his way into our top 10.

Claudio is one of those characters that can be easy to learn for new players, while still contend at top-level play, which is why he deserves a spot on this list. Check out the fantastic guide video by King Jae above. 

Conclusion 

While everyone has their own personal favourite(s) in any fighting game, these top and best 10 Tekken 7 characters have all earned the place on our list. Keep in mind that Bandai Namco does plan on making balance adjustments before Tekken World Tour 2020 kicks off.

There's also an update coming in mid-February (Version 3.21) to look out for. When an update with several balance adjustments hits, it can really shake up the metagame and the power rankings of some characters.