For some, it is the blood, the savagery, and gory, while for some others its the sheer excitement of the bones crushing and dismembered flesh. All these are some of the things that have kept fighting games atop the favorite games of a lot of gamers; both casual and competitive. Whichever side of the divide you sit, we have collected some of the best fighting games that one can get to play.
It is important to know that while games like Mortal Kombat and Tekken that have been there for quite some time still dominate, many new fighting games such as BlazBlue and spiritual successor which are not on the list are still thriving.
Best Fighting Games Of All Time
10. Marvel vs Capcom
First release: September 25, 1996
Platforms: PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Sega Saturn, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, etc
The story in this game is made up of two game universes, and although it doesn’t make a lot of sense when you really think about it. Sigma and Marvel have merged together and so has their universes, with the aim of wiping out all forms of life.
There’s a lot of betrayals, a lot of zombie monsters needing to be destroyed, senseless uproar, and all kinds of uniquely designed characters pitted against each other. Ever had an argument about who would win a fight between Captain America and Mega Man? Well, you can settle it on this game.
9. Mortal Kombat
First release: October 8, 1992
Platforms: Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, etc
The best thing about the Mortal Kombat series is the murderous rage, guts, blood, gore, and bone-snapping. Seriously, countless parents and legislators have tried to sue, petition, or get the festival of violence off the markets so their kids can’t find it.
It’s an incredibly thrilling game, with many disturbing ways to murder your opponents. Until Grand Theft Auto came around, Mortal Kombat was the popular fighting game that boasted violence no other series could match.
8. Dead or Alive
First release: November 26, 1996
Platforms: PlayStation 3, Arcade game, PlayStation, PlayStation Vita, Sega Saturn, Sony PSP
Although the female characters in this game look unrealistic with their proportions and too perfect bodies, Dead or Alive was one of the first games to actually get their physique right, changing what the industry considered standard until then.
It has loads of sex appeal to batter, but that doesn’t diminish from how great the fighting parts of the series are. It’s one of the best fighting games you can play to this day.
7. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
First release: 31 January 2008
Platforms: Wii
This game franchise has been running for nearly two decades, and it hasn’t slowed down in the awesomeness. It takes a couple of iconic Nintendo characters, puts them together and let them beat the crap out of each other, but in a humorous and fun way.
It has everything you’d want in fighting games: hundreds of hours of amazing content, choice collectibles, and numerous playing modes. It doesn’t get much better than that.
6. Tekken
First release: December 9, 1994
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Portable, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, etc.
The Tekken franchise features hardcore fighting, a vast number of fight moves, and all-around terrific content. It gets even better when you master a number of the more complex moves.
The storyline is entertaining, and literally, every single game in the series can stand on its own as one of the best ever made. It’s one of the most exciting fighting games you can ever play.
5. Street Fighter
First release: August 30, 1987
Platforms: PlayStation, Nintendo, iOS, Windows, Xbox, etc.
You can’t talk about fighting games without mentioning Street Fighter. It inspired most of the displays, trends, memes, tropes, formatting, and hallmarks available in the genre today.
Simply put, it is one of the most influential and baddest fighting games in the entire world. It’s impossible to get enough of it, and the gameplay keeps getting better with each new installment.
4. Virtua Fighter
First release: October 1993 (Virtua Fighter)
Platforms: Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PlayStation 3, Virtual Console, Xbox 360, mobile, etc
Solid gameplay mechanics, depth of single-player mode, fully formed character customizations, magnificent AI, and incredible fight sequences are just some of the things the Virtua Fighter games franchise has to offer.
It has come a long way since the first installments in 1993, with the sketchy graphics and bland surroundings. More characters have been added, each with their own unique battle techniques and weaknesses.
3. Bushido Blade
Initial release date: 14 March 1997
Platforms: PlayStation
The thrill of Bushido Blade is that the slightest contact with any of the weapons will likely result in your death as there is no health bar to fall back on. The controls are realistic and one of a kind.
It features an open-world battle sequence, so players could go from one fight arena to another and shake things up however they liked. Although it only had two installments, it still remains one of the most unique fighting games in history.
See Also: Best Command And Conquer Games – 15 Top Picks
2. Soul Calibur
First release: December 1995 (Soul Edge)
Platforms: PlayStation Portable, Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, etc
This is one of the most phenomenal weapon-based games of all time and is thought of as one of the best fighting games ever. It is truly iconic for its graphics, fully developed characters, fluid controls, a brilliant and connected storyline that makes playing an immersive experience, and the tons of exciting surprised waiting in store.
It is very innovative and finds the right balance that can suit both younger and adult players, so the game never gets old. It is very high up there as one of the best fighting games of all time.
1. Killer Instinct
First release: October 28, 1994
Platforms: SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, Xbox One, Windows 10
There is some controversy surrounding the greatness of this game, but it’s pretty spectacular and one of the best fighting games out there.
The earlier installments had a few annoying kicks that didn’t really sit right with members of the gaming community, but it compensated for it with amazing controls, fighting combos and styles, solid game mechanics, great playable characters roster, good storyline, and original and unique character design. It is wonderful in so many ways, which is why it was such a crowd-pleaser.
