8 of the Best Fighting Games in History

The fighting game genre dates back to the 1970s and has been a bedrock for the competitive gaming scene throughout much of its history. This is a gaming genre based on exciting one-on-one combat that has enthralled players for decades. Some of the most highly-rated games in history are from the fighting genre, especially those from the Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, SoulCalibur, Tekken, Super Smash Bros, and Virtua Fighter. These are some of the best fighting games in history.

Street Fighter II

Street Fighter II is the definitive game of its fighting genre. Street Fighter II was one of the best fighting games in history because of the revolutionary mechanics it introduced, with its six-button configuration and accessible special moves. Players loved Street Fighter II because of its deep and balanced gameplay, with characters that offered distinct fighting and identity styles. Street Fighter II’s iconic soundtrack and detailed character sprites were also a cut above other fighting games of its time.

Few other fighting games have matched the global impact of Street Fighter II. This was the game that almost single-handedly revitalized arcade gaming during the 1990s. Multiple iterations of Street Fighter II also kept the game at the forefront of console gaming for years. The best way to play SF II today is to check out Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers on the Switch.

Tekken 3

With a Metacritic score of 96, Tekken 3 is among the most highly rated fighting games in history. This is one of the best fighting games ever because of its fast and fluid combat and revolutionary 3D movement. It was the first Tekken game to move away from linear combat with proper side-stepping, adding a new layer of tactical play. This game included a variety of iconic bonus modes, such as Ball, Force, Time Attack, and Team Battle, for players to unlock Tekken 3 also pushed the technical limits of its PlayStation console with more detailed character models and advanced graphical effects for its time.

SoulCalibur

Many players consider SoulCalibur to be one of the best video games in history. SoulCalibur was a landmark fighting game because of how it enabled full 3D movement with its 8-Way Run system. Players loved the arcade-perfect visuals and accessible, but deep, weapon-based combat system. It was a game that was easy to pick up and hard to put down, which offered unprecedented content value for its time with the Mission Battle Mode for unlocking content. Consequently, SoulCalibur was the must-have game for the Dreamcast.

Virtua Fighter 4

Virtua Fighter 4 for the PlayStation 2 was a benchmark fighting game with revolutionary single-player content and a refined engine that made it the best installment in its series. This VF 4 game had streamlined controls for faster and more fluid gameplay than some of its predecessors. The elimination of the evade button in Virtual Fighter 4 made combat more balanced and less chaotic. It also incorporated a groundbreaking Quest Mode arcade-scene emulator that enabled players to fight against AI opponents based on real-life player data.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Super Smash Bros has always offered something different from mainstream fighting games, and Brawl was undoubtedly one of the biggest highlights of its series. Players fell in love with Super Smash Bros. Brawl because of its beloved Subspace Emissary story adventure mode that incorporated side-scrolling gameplay, co-op, and cinematic cutscenes. Aside from that, Super Smash Bros Brawl incorporated a massive character selection, with iconic newcomers such as Sonic, a detailed Trophy system, and a great soundtrack. Its accessible, fun gameplay made Smash Bros Brawl a great fighting game for casual players.

Street Fighter IV

Street Fighter IV was the game that resurrected the fighting genre in 2009 after years of decline. This fighting game revitalized its series with a fresh 2.5D graphical aesthetic that mixed 3D character models within a 2D plane. Its return to roots philosophy restored the more traditional 2D fighting mechanics from Street Fighter II with a new Focus Attack System that added a new strategic layer to SF IV’s gameplay. Thus, Street Fighter IV got players buzzing again as a fighting game that appealed to both SF veterans and newcomers alike.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is one of the best-selling and highest-rated fighting games in history. This is a great fighting game because it appeals to all players by offering a comprehensive single-player experience and very competitive one vs one combat. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has great content value because of its huge “Everyone is Here” character roster, hundreds of stages, and a wide variety of game modes that give players dozens of ways to play it. With its fast-paced combat, massive amount of combat, and beautiful presentation, Super Smash Bros Ultimate is a genuine fighting game masterpiece.

2011: Mortal Kombat

Warner Bros revitalized the Mortal Kombat series with this 2011 MK reboot. For many players, the 2011 Mortal Kombat game was the best title in its franchise because of its classic character roster and gameplay that returned to a 2D fighting plane, with a 2.5 graphical style akin to Street Fighter IV. Players loved how this game revived a lot of Mortal Kombat nostalgia with its cinematic, time-travel-based story mode that set a new standard for storytelling in fighting games. MK9 was also jam-packed with a huge amount of content for players to get stuck into, such as its Challenge Tower, Tag Team, and Tournament Ladder gameplay modes.

Those eight best fighting games made vital contributions to the DNA of their genre. Such games have earned their places in gaming history because of their technical innovation, great character rosters, content variety, and cultural dominance. If you prefer 2D fighting games, 2011: Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter IV, Super Smash Bros Brawl and Ultimate, and Street Fighter II are the best to play. However, Virtua Fighter 4, Tekken 3, and SoulCalibur set the standard for 3D fighting games.