Nintendo’s E3 Direct event started off not with a bang, but with a flurry of punches and kicks. During its conference today, Nintendo revealed that Kazuya from Tekken would be the game’s next DLC fighter. With the reveal of Kazuya, only one slot is left to fill in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s roster.
Kazuya has been present throughout the Tekken franchise, appearing in every entry save for Tekken 3. He joins the roster’s growing number of representatives from fighting games, which includes Ken and Ryu from Street Fighter and Terry from Fatal Fury.
From the trailer shown today, Kazuya is an up-close and personal fighter, with a buffet of attacks to chose from taken from his appearances in Tekken. Many of his moves include multiple hits, locking opponents in apparently without a chance to escape. However, that also means that Kazuya will be extremely vulnerable if he misses one of these lengthy chain attacks.
Kazuya also has a demonic, powered-up form. While we don’t have any details, it’s safe to assume that while he’s in this state, his attacks will deal more damage. It’s not clear how he achieves this form, but it may be akin to Sephiroph’s mechanic, where he transforms after reaching a certain damage percent.
A release date for Kazuya has not been revealed yet, but a presentation from Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai has been announced. The presentation will take place on June 28 at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET, and will come with a full rundown of Kazuya’s abilities and likely a release date.
