I’ve been into Best Fighting Games for as long as I can remember. It started back in the dusty arcade halls, the glow of CRT screens, and that electric tension when someone slapped a coin down on the machine, saying without words: “I got next.”
Fighting games aren’t just button-mashing. They’re muscle memory, timing, pattern recognition, and maybe a little trash talk. So here’s my personal countdown of the top 10 best fighting games of all time not just the most technically perfect, but the ones that made me lose sleep, break controllers, or form rivalries that lasted years.
1. Tekken 3 (PS1)
This is the Best Fighting Games that defined my childhood. Hwoarang’s taekwondo combos, Jin’s angsty intro, Eddy Gordo spinning like a maniac Tekken 3 had it al
It was also one of the first games where I felt like style and substance collided. The character roster was perfect, the music was a vibe, and each fighter had such a distinct feel. Plus, that arcade mode? Iconic. I’d spend hours trying to unlock Gon, the tiny dinosaur.
2. Street Fighter II: Turbo (SNES/Arcade)
Before esports was a thing, this game was esports. Street Fighter II Turbo made tournaments cool before “meta” was even a term. Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Guile each of them were household names if you grew up in the ’90s.
Speed and balance made this one special. Turbo mode turned casual matches into lightning-fast chess. And let’s not forget the rage of getting hit by Zangief’s spinning piledriver.
3. Mortal Kombat 9 (MK 2011)
This was the reboot Mortal Kombat needed. After years of mediocre entries, MK9 came in swinging brutal, fast, and faithful to its roots.
I remember learning Scorpion’s teleport combo and feeling invincible. But what really stood out was the story mode. It was cinematic, emotional, and didn’t pull punches literally or figuratively.
Oh, and the fatalities? As gruesome and glorious as ever.
4. Super Smash Bros. Melee (GameCube)
Let’s get one thing straight: Melee isn’t just a Best Fighting Games it’s a competitive battlefield. I played this for years without realizing how deep the mechanics were. Wavedashing, L-canceling, DI it’s practically a science.
Whether it was 4-player chaos with friends or serious 1v1s as Fox or Marth, Melee delivered infinite replayability.
5. Dragon Ball FighterZ (PS4/Xbox/PC)
I’m not even a diehard DBZ fan, and this game still blew me away. Arc System Works nailed the anime feel it looks like you’re controlling an episode of Dragon Ball Super. But beyond the flashy visuals, it’s a real fighter. Tag mechanics, 3v3 strategy, and a surprisingly high skill ceiling make this game both accessible and deep.
6. Guilty Gear Strive (PC/PS5/PS4)
This game is pure eye candy. Every move feels like a heavy metal album cover come to life. But don’t be fooled by the flash Guilty Gear Strive is a serious fighter.
What made me fall in love was the rollback netcode (finally!), the bold visual direction, and the unique characters like Nagoriyuki and Giovanna. And Sol Badguy? Always a legend.
7. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Arcade/Dreamcast)
That song still echoes in my head. MvC2 was chaos 3v3 tag battles, supers flying everywhere, and a roster so huge you could spend weeks finding your mains. I used to run Magneto/Storm/Sentinel like I was prepping for EVO. Broken? Maybe. Fun? Hell yes.
8. Injustice 2 (PS4/Xbox/PC)
I didn’t expect to love Injustice 2 as much as I did but wow, it pulled me in hard. NetherRealm Studios somehow made Superman vs. Batman fights feel grounded and tactical.
What made this game unique was the gear system I could customize how my characters looked and fought. The story mode was also one of the best DC storylines I’ve seen in any medium.
9. Soulcalibur II (PS2/GameCube/Xbox)
This was the weapon-based fighting game that nailed it. Smooth 3D movement, tactical spacing, and characters like Mitsurugi, Ivy, and Nightmare made every match a dance of steel. And who could forget the guest characters? Link on GameCube was god-tier.
10. King of Fighters XIII (Arcade/Console)
KOF has always lived a bit in the shadow of Street Fighter, but XIII proved it could go toe-to-toe with the big boys.
Gorgeous hand-drawn sprites, snappy controls, and those 3v3 mechanics that made every match feel like a battle of attrition. This was the first KOF that truly clicked for me, and I still go back to it from time to time.
Honorable Mentions:
- Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown – Technical as hell, but smooth as butter.
- BlazBlue: Central Fiction – Beautiful and insanely deep.
- Dead or Alive 4 – More than just eye candy. The counter system was genius.
Final Thoughts
Fighting games have been more than just games for me they’ve been chapters in my life. Each title above represents a different era, a different friend I battled, or a different controller I almost broke. Whether you’re a Tekken loyalist, a Street Fighter purist, or just someone who likes to button-mash after work this genre is alive because of the players. The rivalries, the comebacks, the salt, the pop-offs that’s what makes fighting games timeless.
