Roger Jr. Hands-on Preview – TEKKEN 8’s Fighting Kangaroo Returns With Pressure and Mind Games
The latest DLC fighter joining Tekken 8 is none other than Roger Jr., the fan-favorite boxing kangaroo who makes his long-awaited return as part of the game’s Season 3 lineup. What was once one of the series’ most unusual characters has been reimagined for TEKKEN 8, bringing back the humor, personality, and unique playstyle that made Roger Jr. a memorable part of the franchise.
Who is Roger Jr.?
Roger Jr. is the son of Roger, a kangaroo genetically enhanced for military purposes through experiments conducted by the Mishima Zaibatsu. Despite his unusual origins, Roger Jr. grew up alongside his parents and became a recurring character in previous TEKKEN games.
Roger Jr.’s new story begins after his father once again causes trouble. Following Roger’s infidelity, Roger Jr.’s mother launches her husband into the air with an explosive uppercut, sending him crashing into a top-secret G Corp research facility. The resulting destruction places a bounty on the head of a glove-wearing kangaroo, leading G Corp to pursue the Roger family. As attacks against them continue, Roger Jr. learns that his father is at the center of the chaos and convinces his mother to help save him. Together, the two set out to confront G Corp and reclaim their peaceful life.
A Pressure-Focused Fighter Built Around Mind Games
If there is one phrase that defines Roger Jr.’s gameplay, it’s aggressive mind games. Roger Jr. in Tekken 8 is designed as a close-range specialist attacker who utilizes multiple stances, command throws, and Heat mechanics to constantly force difficult decisions on opponents. Rather than relying on long-range pokes, he excels at staying in his opponent’s face and creating mix-up opportunities that can quickly snowball into sustained pressure.
His gameplay in Tekken 8 revolves around three major pillars: Astronauts stance, Rocket Stance, and Heat-powered Bobbin Dance offense.
The first major stance in Roger Jr.’s arsenal is Astronauts. When Roger Jr. enters Astronauts with frame advantage, he can immediately begin applying pressure through a series of layered offensive options designed to test an opponent’s reactions.
The standout move here is Space Slam, an inescapable throw that can catch opponents off guard. Opponents attempting to defend against the throw by crouching expose themselves to Roger Jr.’s mid attacks, creating a powerful strike/throw mix-up that can be difficult to deal with. Other Astronaut’s tools also include a safe mid attack that cannot be punished on block, and another mid attack that leaves Roger Jr. at an advantage even when blocked.
The second key stance, Rocket Stance, expands Roger Jr.’s offensive arsenal with a variety of low-risk ways to begin pressure.
One of Rocket Stance’s biggest strengths is that Roger Jr. can access it from relatively safe attacks, allowing him to safely move into another layer of offense. Once inside the stance, players gain access to mid attacks, low attacks, and Heat transitions that make defending against him tricky, making it ideal for players who enjoy continuously forcing defensive guesses while maintaining control of the pace of the match.
Heat also grants access to powerful attacks that transition into a unique stance called Bobbin Dance, which acts as the centerpiece of his strongest offensive sequences.
In Tekken 8, Roger Jr. looks poised to become a very entertaining DLC character who features a surprisingly complex toolkit centered around stance transitions, throw pressure, frame advantage, and layered mix-ups, and will certainly feel at home for players who enjoy aggressive, momentum-based gameplay.
