Fighting games come in many shapes and sizes
Credit: Capcom
There’s nothing quite like matching up against another person in a battle of skill, wits and smarts where there can only be one winner, and that is where fighting video games excel. While there are many types of combat games, fighting games that focus on one-on-one or two-on-two battles are some of the most mechanically demanding but satisfying games you’ll ever play. Their simplicity is what makes them great, as typically anyone can pick up and play, throwing a few punches and kicks at your opponent. But as you start to master each game, it becomes almost a vocation with infinite learning possibilities that you can never truly perfect. The best fighting games can be played for thousands of hours, and these are the best of the best.
Top Fighting Games
Fighting games are a genre of their own, with most thinking of the likes of Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat. But you can also include some sports games in that classification as well, with the likes of wrestling, MMA and boxing games all fitting within the genre, as well as many types of martial arts.
While there may not be as much variety as other genres, with a lot of the games in this list following the same basic formula of putting two players against each other in hand-to-hand combat, each game is unique in its own way. This means you can spend hours mastering one, but then be a total newcomer to the next. So with so much time investment needed to get good picking the right game for you is very important. The games in this list are all good places to start, and have been chosen based on crucial and fan reception as well as longevity.
15. For Honor
For Honor was almost dead on arrival in 2017, but years of work from Ubisoft Montreal have turned it into a great, if unusual, fighting game. It’s a 3-D historical sword fighting game with multiple players that is one for history buffs or those looking for something unusual. It’s on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
14. SOULCALIBUR VI
Released in 2018 by Bandai Namco, SOULCALIBUR VI is, confusingly, the seventh entry in the series. It stands out became each character has a weapon rather than their fists or magic. It’s a fairly traditional 3-D fighting game, and one for fans of the characters or big weapons. It’s on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
13. Injustice 2
2017’s Injustice 2 from NetherRealm Studios is the DC Comics fighting game that allows you to finally beat up Batman as the Joker. It’s obviously one for DC fans, but everyone will enjoy the surprisingly good story in this fairly traditional fighting game. It’s on PC, PS4, Xbox One, iOS and Android.
12. The King of Fighters XV
King of Fighters uses a unique 3v3 mechanic where one player has three members on their team to use in fights, making it perfect for those who don’t want to stick to one character. XV from 2022 is on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC and the best SNK has produced in years.
11. Pokken Tournament DX
In 2015 Bandai Namco and Nintendo decided to combine Pokémon and Tekken, creating a surprisingly good fighting game featuring the iconic creatures. It’s great for fighting game newcomers as it’s designed to be accessible to everyone, but hardcore fans will find a lot of depth. It’s in arcades, and on Wii U and Switch.
10. EA Sports UFC 5
If you want an MMA game then UFC 5 from EA Vancouver is your best bet. Released in 2023 it features the most up to date UFC roster with improved grappling to make this the definitive UFC experience for fans of the sport. It’s on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
9. Killer Instinct
Not to be confused with the 1994 original, this 2013 reboot from Double Helix Games got multiple updates in the last year to make it a great modern fighting game. At it’s core it’s an old school fighter with cool characters, so perfect for veteran players. It’s on Xbox One, Series X/S and PC.
8. Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
Released in 2018 by Digital Eclipse on PC, Switch, PS4 and Xbox One this is a collection that combines 12 different retro Street Fighter games. It’s obviously one for old school fans, with the most modern game in there releasing in 1999, but it’s an incredibly well done retro collection all old fans should play.
7. Dragon Ball FighterZ
This gem from 2018 is one of the best 2.5-D fighters out there. Arc System Works made a great fighting game full of action, with a team based mechanic that makes it stand out even if you’re not a Dragon Ball fan. It’s on PS4, PS5 Switch, PC, Xbox One and Series X/S.
6. WWE 2K24
The WWE games are inconsistent, but 2K24 from Visual Concepts is the best in years and perfect for any fan of the graps. It’s a surprisingly deep fighting game that looks amazing, and allows you to live out your dream of main eventing WrestleMania. It’s on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One and Series X/S.
5. Super Smash Bros Melee
Released in 2001, Smash Melee from HAL Laboratory is still one of the most popular fighting games and features loveable Nintendo characters beating each other up. It defined the platform fighter genre and set the standard for hundreds of games that tried to emulate it, making it an all-time great. But it’s only on GameCube.
4. Mortal Kombat 1
A reboot for the iconic series, this 2023 game from NetherRealm is the definitive Mortal Kombat experience and even outshines the classics. If you like brutal combat and gruesome deaths, this is the fighting game for you, with iconic characters ripping each other to shreds. It’s on Switch, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
3. Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Take the iconic Smash formula, include every character that’s been in the previous games and put it on modern hardware, and you are onto a winner. 2018’s Ultimate, which was weirdly from Bandai Namco, is, unsurprisingly, the ultimate version of Smash and a must-play for Nintendo fans. It’s only on the Switch.
2. Tekken 8
Tekken 8, another Bandai Namco game, from 2024 is already considered an all timer. It added a ton of new features and depth, making this one of the most complex fighting games ever, so one for experts of the genre or those looking to learn. It’s on PS5, PC and Xbox Series X.
1. Street Fighter 6
2023’s Street Fighter 6 is the best fighting game ever made. Capcom built on the iconic series with tech improvements and production value but didn’t mess with the gameplay. If you are a newcomer or a veteran, this should be your first choice. It’s on PS4, PS5, PC and Xbox Series X/S.
Bottom Line
Fighting games can be very similar on paper, but look a little deeper and there’s a lot of variety. They can be tough to pick up, but once you master one it will be one of the most rewarding experiences in all of gaming, and incredibly satisfying.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Are Good Boxing Video Games?
There hasn’t been a great boxing game for almost 15 years, so if you want the best of the best going all the way back to EA’s Fight Night series from the mid-late 2000s is your best bet. It’s the last good boxing game to try and mirror the real thing at the pro level.
If you have VR then Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition from Survios is a surprisingly good for a movie tie in, and your best bet for VR boxing, but the audience for that is probably quite limited. Other options include the classic and remake versions of Punch Out!! Which is a cartoony arcade style boxing game from Nintendo, or you could always go for Wii Sports boxing, from Nintendo which is a slightly dummed down version of the same idea.
What Are Good Karate Video Games?
There isn’t really any true karate games in the same was as boxing or MMA games, but some do feature interpretations of the sport. Sleeping Dogs from United Front Games is essentially Grand Theft Auto with martial arts, while Tekken 8 from Bandai Namco has a loose interpretation of martial arts in a fighting game.
If you want to head a little further away from true martial arts style then Absolver from Sloclap features an incredibly deep, but simple to pick up, combat system for an action RPG that generally resembles martial arts, but I wouldn’t want to call it Karate!
What Are Good MMA Video Games?
This one is nice and simple. When it comes to MMA games, the official UFC series from EA Sports is the best, and really only, option that you should be considering, even if you go back to the earlier titles.
It tries to mimic the real sport as closely as possible in the virtual world, much like the other EA Sports games, and it does a surprisingly good job. The combat is complex and can take hundreds of hours to master, with each fighter having different styles that mimic the real world. UFC 5 is obviously the best choice given its up-to-date roster, but any of the games are worth playing if you are an MMA fan.
