There is something very old about fighting games. I mean, this concept is a preview that takes its cues from real fighting techniques and takes them to the extreme. The sky is very loud because two people enter and one person leaves. Only this time, the person who leaves is whoever loses the game. It is one of the most competitive gaming genres out there.
8 Best Fighting Games for Beginners
We all have to start somewhere.
And it’s actually been that way since the inception of fighting video games. While the complexity and detail has evolved over the decades, fighting games are still at their core about someone exploring themselves. That can be by fighting friends in person and online or by taking on the arcade mode for extra difficulty.
Over the years, there have been a number of games that have shaped the fighting game landscape in ways you may not have noticed, while others have always been obvious. These are some of the best games that have helped shape our modern fighting game experience.
10
The Karate Champ
Sweep the Leg
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Platforms |
Arcade, Apple II, C64, NES, FDS |
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Publisher |
Data East |
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Release date |
September 1984 |
In the mid-’80s, no one was fighting in the streets yet. In fact, 1v1 fighting games weren’t really a genre yet. All that changed when Karate Champ arrived. Arcade players used a double-joystick setup to attack and defend against their opponents’ moves. It was a classic, but at the time it was a new game and introduced fighters to the world and the idea of having a range of attacks.
While its gameplay mechanics may seem unusual by today’s standards, none of the more sophisticated fighting titles we enjoy today without Karate Champ being a first-generation fighter. Be sure to bow your head and show some respect.
9
Skullgirls
The Indie Darling
There’s a lot to appreciate about Skullgirls. Not only does it have amazing anime-inspired art, it’s also one of the most powerful fighting games out there. While most fighting games have you stick with a single playable character or set up teams of two or three, Skullgirls lets you choose how big you want your team to be and adjust their abilities and health accordingly. It’s not something you really see outside of this particular game, and it needs everything to have an amazing character balance.
Skullgirls is also worth noting because, unlike all the other titles on this list, it’s an indie-developed game that made a name for itself simply because of how good it is. If you’re a fan of fighting games, and you haven’t checked out Skullgirls, make sure you fix that.
8
Killer Instinct
Combos are unlimited
Killer Instinct is an interesting beast. It came to life as Nintendo’s first foray into the arcade fighting game space using developers Rare. The new version is an online fighter that lives on Microsoft’s Xbox. To say it’s been a rough road for KI would be an understatement, but it still stands out as the best player for having the most insanely open combo system of any game ever. You can jump in the air in a combo forever if you know what you’re doing.
I also appreciate how many of the characters speak in the language, and many of them feel like direct characters to other title characters. I mean, there’s no way you can tell me that Glacius isn’t a distant cousin of Sub Zero or that TJ Combo and Balrog don’t go to the same gym.
7
Virtua Fighter
The 3rd Dimension
While I’m not much for the original polygonal game designs, there are a few things I appreciate about Virtua Fighter. The big thing is that the game is responsible for bringing fighting games to 3D environments. Being able to go left and right and not block or get out of an attack added a lot of flexibility to the fight.
It’s also a big step forward in the game’s fighting physics, adding realistic movements and physics with natural feedback. While it may not get as much credit as the other fighter franchises on this list, Virtua Fighter is still a classic that has added a whole new dimension to fighting games.
6
Tekken
Coming out of the Organ
Another 3D fighter on this list, Tekken and its many iterations are one of the top fighting franchises out there today. There’s just a certain fluidity to how attacks and combos play out in this game. Unlike most fighters out there that rely on power-themed button attacks, Tekken maps each arm and leg buttons, making it one of the most unique setups out there. It also benefits from having different fighting styles for each of its characters. There aren’t many games out there where you can get Sumo up against a giant robot, but you can get that matchup in Tekken.
10 Multiple Iconic Character Selection Menus
Games like Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and Mortal Kombat have some of the coolest character selection screens in gaming history.
Tekken has always stood out to me as a fighting game that has something for everyone. It really shows how creative you can be and not every fighter in the game’s lineup should play the same way. Definitely check it out if you want to be the king of the iron fist tournament.
5
Street Fighter 6
Leveling the Playing Field
Of all the great fighting game series out there, I feel like Street Fighter is willing to take risks and try new things more than any other series. Just look at the difference between SF 2 and 3. Now, it’s taking another bold step to improve fighters with Street Fighter 6. The game allows players to choose between a classic button setup or choose an introductory setting that allows for one-button combinations with special attacks.
While highly skilled players will always have an advantage over new competitors, you have to give Capcom props for trying to level the playing field. It’s a sincere attempt to bring new blood into a gaming community that has had a steep learning curve for a very long time. Although I think some of their arc choices are weird to say the least…
4
Super Smash Bros.
First Party Fighter
There is a veritable laundry list of ways Super Smash Bros. which changed the fighting game world. First, its free-to-play multiplayer fighting style was one of a kind when it was first introduced. There just weren’t any other games out there that allowed Mario to punch Pikachu in the face while Star Fox and Captain Falcon traded blows.
Objects and interactive environments just raised everything to a new level again. Since its launch, it has helped usher in a subgenre of fighting games known as “Smash-Clones” that take the game’s core formula and wrap it in a different style. However, none of those clones can hold a candle to Nintendo’s Smash lineup and special guest characters.
3
Mortal Kombat
Sweetness of Blood
If Street Fighter is a PG-13 action movie, then Mortal Kombat is an R-rated spectacle that required an older sibling to enter the theater to see. Whether you’re talking about the game’s many brutal deaths or driving your opponents up a pit full of spikes, MK has taken the fighting scene to a graphic, sinister extreme. The game that is largely responsible for creating the ESRB and setting age restrictions on purchases.
However, Mortal Kombat wouldn’t be anything new if it didn’t have a solid fighting system underneath it all. Sure, you can try to win by tripping and uppercut your opponent over and over again, but that only works against noobs. Today, MK is one of the reigning FGC champions.
PB&J for Fighters
Long before Marvel vs Capcom 2 hit the scene, Capcom had made a name for itself as a major fighting game publisher. The first MvC title, along with X-Men vs Street Fighter, had made waves, but they didn’t hit the bullseye in the same way that MvC 2 did. Besides having a huge roster made up of your favorite X-Men, Avengers, Street Fighters, Darkstalkers, and beyond, it also introduces a 3v3 team fighter to players everywhere.
Marvel vs Capcom 2 was also very kind to make all hyper moves the same for all characters. MvC 2 is considered one of the greatest fighting games of all time, not only for its amazing and diverse selection of characters but for its accessible gameplay.
1
Street Fighter 2
All is well
If Street Fighter 2 never existed, we wouldn’t have the amazing catalog of fighting games available today. Time. This is the game that put fighters on the map and made us all learn how to do hadouken. That’s still the first move I try in almost every fighting game I play. You have to understand, the concept of movement that required skill and finesse to pull off well wasn’t something you saw all the time back in the day. It was like being in a secret club of gamers who don’t know if you can pull off something better than Chun-Li’s button mashing moves.
Street Fighter 2 launched just in time for the theatrical release and it was an event. Players lined up to get into their seats even if it meant getting kicked for two rounds by the computer or someone else.
10 Most Revolutionary Games Every Fan Needs to See
Fighting games have a long and interesting history, which is dominated by these classic games.
