A sidestep (u~n or d~n) is one of the major movement options in Tekken, and the defining factor in it being a 3D fighting game. A sidestep can make an opponent's move whiff regardless of distance, making it more likely to create whiffs than a backdash up close. Making a move whiff this way will also often keep you in range for your strongest punishing launchers.
Though sidesteps are fully cancelable into other actions, there is still an inherent risk involved in doing them as you can't guard without first cancelling the sidestep. This risk can be mitigated by step blocking with proper timing.
While sidestepping is often a very important part of high level Tekken play, it isn't the easiest mechanic to utilize as it tends to require solid knowledge of an opponent's options and precise timing. Many moves will track to one specific direction or are entirely homing, punishing a player heavily for stepping incorrectly. Furthermore, a simple delay in an opponent's attack timing can completely mess up a player's sidestep timing and cause the step to fail. There is no hard-coded "crush" mechanic involving sidesteps like there is for highs and lows, so everything is determined by nuanced interactions between hitboxes and hurtboxes.
Sidewalk
A sidewalk is done with u~n~U or d~n~D. This extends the length of a sidestep, allowing a character to walk in the sidestep's direction indefinitely. There are situations where a sidewalk will cause a whiff, but a sidestep won't, and vice versa. The animations are different, and the evasion of a sidewalk generally reduces the longer it is held up to a point.
As a general rule, sidewalks are better against slower moves like mid launchers, while sidesteps are better against quick moves like high jabs. For certain characters, sidewalking is almost always better than a sidestep.
Buffering and neutral
While being pressured on block, the sidestep input can be buffered as a means to escape follow-ups. While in neutral, however, the step doesn't start until releasing the direction, so you're slightly vulnerable during the frames of u or d without moving at all. This makes the neutral sidestep slightly less evasive and reliable—it may only be a difference of 1–3 frames, but when most moves are stepped by about 8–12 frames of step, it can make or break your ability to step a move successfully.
Timing
The u can be held for up to 8 frames and still get a step. While u is held the start of a jump is tweened, which can in some cases be evasive. Holding u for 9 or more frames locks in the jump.
| Sidestep | |
| Jump |
The d can be held for up to 7 frames. If a high is crushed while d is held, crouch assist is entered and the step is no longer possible.
| Crushed high | |
| Sidestep | |
| While standing |
Stance
Most characters have moves that can only be done from sidestep, making it a temporary stance. These moves can't be done from a sidewalk, so doing a walk instead of a step is one way to avoid them.
Sidestep moves can be input immediately from the step starting, but the attack won't start until the 10th frame of the step (adding 9 frames minimum).
| Sidestep | |
| SS.2 startup |
The stance lingers for 42 frames and is cancelled by doing any other move, including guarding.
| Sidestep | |
| 2 startup | |
| SS.2 startup |
d skip
In Tekken 7, pressing d during a sidestep into the foreground causes the animation to skip ahead by 1 frame. This can be used to step things that otherwise can't be stepped. It can also just be done for the sake of it since there's no real cost to doing so other than the added input.
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Frame-by-frame demonstration. Black costume does d skip, while white costume does a normal step. Black costume is clearly ahead from frame 5.
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Using this, Akuma can step Leo's b+1,4 when he otherwise can't.
Differences between characters
Much like backdashes, sidestepping capabilities can vary quite a bit between characters. Even besides general distance/animation differences, characters with unusually wide bodies such as Kuma, Panda and Jack-8 are going to struggle with being able to dodge moves as well as characters with thinner bodies. Lili has both a thin body and a sidestep that goes significantly farther than other characters, cementing her as a sidestep-oriented character.
Comparison of characters' sidesteps (Tekken 7)
This table tallies situations where some but not all characters can successfully cause a whiff with a sidestep or sidewalk. Yellow cells are for if it only works under certain conditions or if it's done with a d skip or delay.
| Character[1] | [2] | [3] | [4] | [5] | [6] | [7] | [8] | [9] | [10] | ✔︎ | ≈︎ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alisa | ✔︎ SWL | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSR | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SWL | 8 | 0 |
| Asuka | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 3 |
| Bob | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSL,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 2 | 5 |
| Bryan | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✔︎ SWR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 4 |
| Claudio | ✔︎ SSL | ✔︎ SWR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 3 |
| Devil Jin | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✔︎ SWR | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 4 |
| Dragunov | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 5 | 1 |
| Eddy | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | 1 | 0 |
| Feng | ✔︎ SSL | ✔︎ SWR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 2 |
| Gigas | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | 0 | 1 |
| Heihachi | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 4 |
| Hwoarang | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSL,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 4 |
| Jack-7 | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | 0 | 1 |
| Jin | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✔︎ SWR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 3 |
| Josie | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SWR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 4 |
| Katarina | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SWR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 3 |
| Kazumi | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 3 |
| Kazuya | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 3 |
| King | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✔︎ SWR | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 2 |
| Kuma | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | 0 | 1 |
| Lars | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSL,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 2 | 4 |
| Law | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 4 |
| Lee | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSL,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 2 | 5 |
| Leo | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 4 |
| Lili | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SWL | ✔︎ SSR | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SWL | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SWL | 9 | 0 |
| Lucky Chloe | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 3 |
| Master Raven | ✔︎ SSL | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 2 |
| Miguel | ✔︎ SSL | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 1 |
| Nina | ≈︎ SSL,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 5 |
| Paul | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✔︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 4 |
| Shaheen | ✔︎ SSL | ✔︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 3 |
| Steve | ✔︎ SSL | ✔︎ SWR | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 4 |
| Xiaoyu | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 3 |
| Yoshimitsu | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 1 | 5 |
| Akuma | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSL,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 1 | 4 |
| Eliza | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 3 |
| Geese | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✔︎ SWR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 2 |
| Noctis | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 3 |
| Anna | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 3 |
| Lei | ≈︎ SSL,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 2 | 5 |
| Marduk | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWR | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | 1 | 1 |
| Armor King | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✔︎ SWR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 4 |
| Julia | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 3 | 4 |
| Negan | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | 3 | 2 |
| Zafina | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | ✔︎ SSR | ✔︎ SWR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ✔︎ SWR | ✘︎ | 6 | 0 |
| Ganryu | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 2 | 4 |
| Leroy | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SS,d | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SWL | 2 | 5 |
| Fahkumram | ≈︎ SSL,d | ✔︎ SWR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✘︎ | ✘︎ | 1 | 4 |
| Kunimitsu | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 5 | 1 |
| Lidia | ✔︎ SSL | ≈︎ SSR | ≈︎ SSR,d | ≈︎ SSR | ✔︎ SSR | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SSL | ✘︎ | ✔︎ SWL | 4 | 3 |
- ↑ Order is as per the in-game Simple Select to make filling in the table easier.
- ↑ Leo – b+1,4 (step between hits on block).
- ↑ Lidia – 1,2,2 (step on hit) CFT.2,3. For the cast that do SWR, the timing is such that they clear the first hit with a SSR then transition to a walk for the second hit.
- ↑ Lidia – 1 (step on block) d+4.
- ↑ Lidia – ws1,2 (step on hit) df+2. Most of the cast can step here, but only if they're P2. That's P2, not “on the right side”. Side switching doesn't change the behavior.
- ↑ Kazumi – db+4 (step on hit) df+1.
- ↑ Kazumi – db+4 (step on hit) df+4.
- ↑ Kazumi – db+4 (step on hit) 1,2. Of the cast that can SSL here, they can't do so after 1,2,2 or b+2, even though those are also +4. Only exception is Zafina.
- ↑ Kazumi – db+4 (step on hit) d+3+4.
- ↑ Dragunov – d+2 (step on hit) ws4.
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