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Added by ape on 4 Sep 2012 01:12
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Fighting Games - ranked by preference

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People who added this item 114 Average listal rating (75 ratings) 8 IMDB Rating 0
Street Fighter Alpha 3 - PlayStation
Release Date: December 23, 1998 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

Well, this is it, in my opinion...The absolute best Street Fighter game ever created. Sporting one of the largest cast of characters in any fighting game up to this point, and a plethora of game modes, it was not an uncommon thing to hear of people sinking hundreds of hours into this game, even without playing any multiplayer. The ability to play each character with A, X, and V-Isms basically means that the roster is multiplied by three as each character has a slightly different move set depending on the Ism that you use. The awesome, RPG-like World Tour mode alone will make most fighting game fans lose hours of their life as they try to build up the most powerful version of their favorite fighters as possible, which you can then use that super-powered character in arcade mode and absolutely dominate the competition. I really can't say enough good of this game. It's Street Fighter perfection that hadn't been achieved before and hasn't been done since. This is a must-play for fighting game fans.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 245 Average listal rating (180 ratings) 8.1 IMDB Rating 0
Street Fighter II Turbo - Super famicom and SNES
Release Date: July 11, 1993 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

Street Fighter II was a huge hit and proof that fighting games could be incredibly fun when done well. After the success of the original release, Capcom put out a port of the second Street Fighter II arcade machine - Street Fighter II Turbo, which allowed players to play as any of the four final bosses, play as the same character against others (like Ken vs. Ken), and the fighting was sped up to a near perfect speed, making the nearly flawless Street Fighter II that much closer to perfection in the process.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 74 Average listal rating (38 ratings) 8 IMDB Rating 0
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution - PlayStation 2
Release Date: March 13, 2003 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Genre: Fighting

Virtua Fighter 4 was a great fighting game in its own right...And they could have left it at that. However, Sega had different ideas. Instead of releasing a plain, ol' Greatest Hits title of Virtua Fighter 4, they decided to add to and improve upon the game and release that as the Greatest Hits version at $20. The end result was Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution, which was, without question, the greatest 3D fighting game ever made up to that point. The Quest mode alone, which has you going from arcade to arcade to challenge other players in order to increase your "rank," was the greatest mode in a fighting game, in my opinion, since Street Fighter Alpha 3's World Tour mode. It created replayability previously unheard of in a fighting game. The fighting itself, which was near perfect in the original VF4 was tweaked as well, making it about as close to perfection as one could hope for. Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution was a landmark title and still influences many fighting games being released today.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 200 Average listal rating (138 ratings) 7.8 IMDB Rating 0
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! - Famicom and NES
Release Date: October 1987 (NA)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Fighting - Boxing

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! is a perfect game to point to when you hear the term "less is more." This game is so simple...and yet so deep. It's dang near flawless, honestly. The number of opponents with an ever-increasing difficulty and various weaknesses and flaws to discover and exploit make it a joy to work your way up the circuits to get destroyed by Mr. Tyson upon finally getting a shot at him. I'm proud to say that I beat Tyson (and the game) once...So my record against him is probably around 1-142-0. But I still won, dang it. This is the absolute best boxing game ever made...And it's so close to perfect that I don't think it will ever be topped.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 190 Average listal rating (126 ratings) 8.6 IMDB Rating 0
SoulCalibur - Sega Dreamcast
Release Date: August 5, 1999 (JP)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Fighting

Soul Calibur turned a lot of heads when it was released. Not only was everything arcade-perfect, but in many ways it surpassed the arcade version, which in itself was already an amazing game. Namco also tossed in a few extra modes to boot, including Mission Mode, which was absolutely addicting. There are also plenty of characters, costumes, and modes to unlock, creating plenty of replay value to ensure that you keep coming back for more. I don't consider this to be the best 3D fighting game of all-time any more, but back when it was released, there weren't too many fighting games that came even close to matching the quality of this gem.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 175 Average listal rating (106 ratings) 7.1 IMDB Rating 0
Mortal Kombat: Deception - PlayStation 2
Release Date: October 4, 2004 (NA)
Publisher: Midway
Developer: Midway
Genre: Fighting

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance was a good, solid revival of the Mortal Kombat franchise. Deception made it clear that Midway was aiming to make it one of the best fighting games of all time. With the same, solid fighting engine and system, Deception adds an open-world Konquest mode, allowing players to wander around in the various realms of the Mortal Kombat universe. The mode, while not perfect, has a decent length to it and is deceptively (pun intended) deep. With hidden items and characters only appearing in certain locations at certain times and a bunch of side-quests to do, Konquest mode will keep you busy for a long, long time. To make Deception even sweeter, also included are two mini-games - Puzzle Kombat, a variation of Capcom's Puzzle Fighter, and Chess Kombat, a slightly strategic game of chess with one-on-one fights when your pawn tries to take your opponent's rook or any similar scenario. Overall, this was an amazing overall package when it came out and it still holds up pretty well today. It's one of my favorite fighting games of all time and I highly recommend it to fans of the genre.
ape's rating:
Release Date: November 13, 1994 (JP)
Publisher: Panasonic
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting


If you loved Street Fighter II, this game alone was worth buying the 3DO for. This was the definitive Street Fighter II game, with Akuma as an unlockable boss fight and tweaks and refinements to the combat to improve on a formula that had previously seemed perfect. Most of my childhood belongs to Street Fighter II games, but even after all these years, it's still a joy to throw fireballs in the face of anyone, man or computer, that dares challenge me.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 40 Average listal rating (25 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 0
Virtua Fighter 2 - Sega Saturn
Release Date: December 1, 1995 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Genre: Fighting

Virtua Fighter 2 didn't just solidify Virtua Fighter as the franchise to beat in the 3D fighting world, it was considered by many to be THE best 3D fighting game for many years after its release. That opinion was probably largely due to the fact that the computer AI was very intelligent and it adapted to your fighting style, forcing you to make your attacks more varied unless you wanted to lose. If you want to play the best, early 3D fighters, Virtua Fighter 2 should be at the top of your list.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 474 Average listal rating (421 ratings) 8 IMDB Rating 0
Tekken 3 - PlayStation
Release Date: March 26, 1998 (JP)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Fighting

The first Tekken was good and Tekken 2 was better...But Tekken 3 solidified the series as one of the best fighting game franchises of all time. For its time, Tekken 3 was unmatched. Not only did it have all of the extra modes from Tekken 2, but it included some more like Tekken Ball (volleyball mixed with a fighting game) and Tekken Force (a side-scrolling brawler) to make sure that you continued to come back for more. I also don't focus too much on graphics usually, but the leap in graphical quality from Tekken 2 to Tekken 3 is really amazing. Tekken 3 improves just about everything from the first two games to near perfection. If you're a fan of fighting games, then this is a must-buy. If you're not a fan of fighting games, Tekken 3 might be worth giving a chance anyway...I've actually seen it win some people over.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 11 Average listal rating (9 ratings) 8.9 IMDB Rating 0
Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition - Sega Genesis and Mega Drive
Release Date: September 27, 1993 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

The Super NES got Street Fighter II and Street Fighter II Turbo, so when the third version of the Street Fighter II arcade game made its way to consoles, Capcom decided to toss it onto the Genesis. This is another very solid entry into the Street Fighter II franchise and a fantastic game to allow Genesis owners to see what they were missing and what SNES owners were enjoying. If you have a Genesis and love fighting games, then this is a game that you need in your library.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 366 Average listal rating (299 ratings) 7.9 IMDB Rating 0
Street Fighter II - Super famicom and SNES
Release Date: June 10, 1992 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

The fighting genre was around before Street Fighter II was released...But Street Fighter II opened everyone's eyes that fighting games could actually be fun when done right. And Street Fighter II was definitely done right - it's still just as fun to play today as it was back in 1992. The controls are still silky smooth and the graphics and music are still pretty nice to look at, too. It's a game that's easy to pick up and play, but it takes time to master, making it perfect for newcomers and veterans alike. To this day, Street Fighter II can hold its own against any other fighting game you throw at it.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 853 Average listal rating (822 ratings) 8.1 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: November 21, 2001 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: HAL Laboratories
Genre: Fighting

Before I purchased my own Gamecube, a friend in college conned his parents into sending him "book money" which was then spent on a Gamecube. The first title he bought was this game, and we then proceeded to have what he would call "Smash Parties" with a group of our friends. We'd play the game for hours at a time, day after day...And we never really got sick of it, either. While a different group of friends of mine were busy with their Halo parties, I was always playing this gem, which I think is the best game in the series released thus far.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 66 Average listal rating (39 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 0
Dead or Alive 2 - Sega Dreamcast
Release Date: February 29, 2000 (NA)
Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Team Ninja
Genre: Fighting

Dead or Alive 2 was one of the more sought-after games on the Dreamcast. Years after the death of the console, a used copy of Dead or Alive 2 was still fetching around $30 or so. Last time I checked, that price has dropped, but regardless of what it costs, this is a must-play game for fighting enthusiasts. In my personal opinion, this is the pinnacle of the Dead or Alive series, with improvements in every aspect of the original game. If not for Soul Calibur, Dead or Alive 2 would have been the best 3D fighter on the Dreamcast. But second place ain't bad either.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 147 Average listal rating (82 ratings) 7.4 IMDB Rating 0
Street Fighter IV - PlayStation 3
Release Date: February 12, 2009 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting - 2D (with 3D models)

When I heard that Capcom was bringing back Street Fighter, but in 3D, I immediately thought of the Street Fighter EX games, which weren't terrible, but they weren't anything to get excited about, either. Then I played it and realized that even though the characters were all in 3D, the fighting still played like it was on a 2D plane...Which resulted in fantastic Street Fighter action that us old fogeys remember from the early 90's, but on a platform that allows a brand new generation to fall in love with hurling fireballs across the screen at an opponent.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 17 Average listal rating (10 ratings) 8.2 IMDB Rating 0
Tobal 2 - PlayStation
Release Date: April 25, 1997 (JP)
Publisher: Squaresoft
Developer: Dream Factory
Genre: Fighting

Tobal 2 is a fantastic fighting game, improving on much of what made the original Tobal so fun...Unfortunately, it never made it over here to the 'States. The brawler/RPG mode is back with several improvements and the ability to unlock an insane number of characters to use in arcade mode by playing it. If you enjoyed the original Tobal, then you'll definitely find it worthwhile to import the sequel.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 90 Average listal rating (60 ratings) 7.9 IMDB Rating 0
Street Fighter Alpha 2 - PlayStation
Release Date: August 9, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

Almost one year to the date that the abomination known as Street Fighter: The Movie hit store shelves, Street Fighter 2 arrived to make up for everything. And make up for everything it did, with one of the best Street Fighter games to come out in years. It improved on just about everything found in Street Fighter Alpha, plus added new characters, and controlled so silky smooth that if you were a impressionable lady, you would have thrown your underwear at it....Heck, I wasn't an impressionable lady, and I still threw my underwear at it. Street Fighter Alpha 3 blew this game out of the water when it came out, but until that time, this was one of the absolute best fighters that you could find on any console.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 208 Average listal rating (143 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 0
Killer Instinct - Super famicom and SNES
Release Date: August 1995 (NA)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Rare
Genre: Fighting

Taking a break from their revival of the Donkey Kong franchise, Rare used the graphical technology from those games and applied it to a fighting game that I feel is a little underrated. Killer Instinct is a smooth-playing fighter that stole some ideas from other games (the most blatant being Mortal Kombat) but also innovated as well. The combo system that eventually became commonplace in fighting games first appeared in Killer Instinct. That's not the reason it's such a good game, though. The fighting itself is fun, and the combo system allows for unique-for-the-time combat that involved air juggles that were a blast to execute. It's not the best fighting game ever made, but for its time, it was one of the best around.
ape's rating:
Release Date: January 25, 1996 (EU)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

The best home version of Street Fighter Alpha was found on the Saturn. While the Saturn generally had poorer 3D graphics when compared to the Playstation, it definitely had the advantage as far as 2D games go. The Saturn version of Street Fighter Alpha looked great, played very smoothly, and was just a fantastic fighting game experience. Later games in the Alpha series improved upon and perfected the formula found here, but the first Street Fighter Alpha is still a fantastic game in its own right.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 14 Average listal rating (9 ratings) 8.2 IMDB Rating 0
Mortal Kombat - PlayStation Vita
Release Date: May 1, 2012 (NA)
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Developer: NeatherRealm Studios
Genre: Fighting

I was a huge fan of the console version of Mortal Kombat last year, so naturally I was interested in a portable version of the game. The story mode was just as entertaining as it was when I played through it on the consoles, and plowing through the arcade mode with every character was equally fun. This version of the game also includes new, bonus challenge tower missions to enjoy as well as all four DLC characters available right out of the box, alongside Kratos from God of War. This isn't just the best fighting game I've played so far on the Vita, it's one of the best games I've played on the Vita, period.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 52 Average listal rating (27 ratings) 6.9 IMDB Rating 0
Guilty Gear - PlayStation
Release Date: May 14, 1998 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Arc System Works
Genre: Fighting

If you're looking for a quality fighting game on the Playstation, then Guilty Gear is fantastic. The only thing preventing me from giving it a better score is the lack of game modes...around the time it came out, fighting games were moving away from only having arcade modes and adding in other modes to keep replayability up. Otherwise, the game looks absolutely gorgeous, it plays smoothly, and is just a very good overall experience. If you like fighting games, you'll likely love Guilty Gear.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 5 Average listal rating (5 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: July 7, 2011 (NA)
Publisher: SNK Playmore
Developer: SNK Playmore
Genre: Fighting

Well, for about a year and a half, Street Fighter IV reigned supreme as the best fighting game available on the iPhone. That all came to an end when this gem came out. King of Fighters i has pretty much everything that Street Fighter IV has, plus several extra modes and options that Capcom's fighter doesn't have, which adds to the replay value quite a bit. Also, there are goals for you to complete during the match, which may convince you to alter your strategy in order to obtain some of the goals as you pummel your opponent. Add in a large roster of fighters to choose from as well as some absolutely gorgeous graphics, and King of Fighters really is a complete package and THE fighting game to get for your iPhone.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 136 Average listal rating (76 ratings) 6.7 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: November 16, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: Midway
Developer: Midway
Genre: Fighting

I was mildly a fan of Mortal Kombat II when I was a kid, so I wasn't too excited about Deadly Alliance...And then I played it and instantly fell in love. The abilities to swap between three fighting styles on the fly during the fight and even lodge weapons in your opponent to make them bleed out and slowly lose health for the rest of the battle were awesome new gameplay mechanics for a fighting game. The Krypt's luck-based way of unlocking stuff kept me playing this game much, much longer than I normally would have and the Konquest mode was a neat addition as well. More recent Mortal Kombat games have improved on the fighting and added better extras and modes, but for its time, Deadly Alliance was a must-have fighting game. It's still quite good today.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 11 Average listal rating (6 ratings) 7.8 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: November 18, 2012 (NA)
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Developer: Namco Bandai Games
Genre: Fighting

Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition is the same, solid fighting game that you'll find on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, but with a few extras - the most notable being the return of Tekken Ball, the quirky and fun mesh of fighting and volleyball. Also new to the Wii U version is the mushroom battle, where the famous mushrooms from Super Mario Bros. appear on the Tekken battlegrounds, allowing you or your opponent to grow to tremendous size, dwarfing your unfortunate opponent. Keeping with the Nintendo theme, there are also Nintendo costumes to unlock for the fighters and all that fun stuff. So, you get the fighting quality you'd expect from a Tekken game, plus a few bonuses for choosing to play it on Nintendo's new console...Not too shabby.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 52 Average listal rating (19 ratings) 7.2 IMDB Rating 0
Persona 4 Arena - PlayStation 3
Release Date: July 26, 2012 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Arc System Works
Genre: Fighting

When fans squealed for a new Persona game, this likely isn't what they had in mind. Persona 4 Arena is a very enjoyable fighting game from Arc System Works, known for their terrific BlazBlue and Guilty Gear fighting games. Persona 4 Arena plays very much like those games during the action, but one of the real things in this game that separates it from most other fighters is the story mode, which is essentially an interactive book - You read through lots and lots of text (a written story for the character of your choice) and occasionally make a decision or fight a battle. This mode won't be for everyone, but I enjoyed it, and I assume that many fans of the Persona RPGs will enjoy this mode as well. That said, Persona 4 Arena is an impressive package that has enough for fighting game purists to love as well as enough to make it a worthwhile purchase for fans of the RPGs that rarely, if ever, play fighting games.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 116 Average listal rating (80 ratings) 8.1 IMDB Rating 0
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 - Sega Dreamcast
Release Date: March 30, 2000 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is a hectic fighter full of unbalanced characters where a button-masher has a good chance of defeating a player who learned all the moves and tries to fight strategically, depending on the players chosen. So why is it so beloved? Well, 'cause it's fun. This sequel improves upon the original Marvel vs. Capcom in most aspects and adds a few new modes and features, making it one of the most enjoyable fighting games on the Dreamcast.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 78 Average listal rating (54 ratings) 7.3 IMDB Rating 0
Skullgirls - PC Games
Release Date: August 22, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Marvelous AQL
Developer: Lab Zero Games
Genre: Fighting

Skullgirls is fantastic. It looks great, plays great, and is just an overall enjoyable game. My only real gripe with it is a lack of characters...The roster is a little small for my tastes - I like a roster of 30 or more characters since I like to play as everyone...It makes me come back and play more. But Skullgirls is very, very solid. A few more characters and an extra mode or two and I'd say it would be dang close to perfect. If you like fighting games, definitely give this game a go.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 6 Average listal rating (5 ratings) 8.6 IMDB Rating 0
YลซYลซ Hakusho: Makyล Toitsusen - Sega Genesis and Mega Drive
Release Date: September 30, 1994 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Treasure
Genre: Fighting

Yu Yu Hakusho was Treasure's attempt at the 2D fighting genre, and like most of Treasure's games, it's pretty dang good and has some innovation tossed in as well. Not only does this game have the traditional one-on-one fighting that we all know and love, it had the option for four players to go at it in two-on-two battles. This is possible due to the fact that you can jump between planes, so two folks may be fighting on one plane and two on the other...or maybe two are double-teaming your partner on one plane, forcing you to hop over and help out. Toss in a good variety of characters, all of whom are well-balanced, and you've got one of the best fighting games of the 16-bit era.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 7 Average listal rating (4 ratings) 8.8 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: June 29, 2000 (JP)
Publisher: ASK
Developer: Polygon Magic
Genre: Fighting

Now here's an interesting hybrid. With games like Bust-A-Groove, we see music games with fighting game elements tossed in. In Slap Happy Rhythm Busters, we've got a fighting game with music game elements tossed in. Basically, Slap Happy Rhythm Busters is a solid, 2D fighting game with a Street Fighter-like power meter. When the meter fills up, you can unleash a super combo of sorts on your opponent. The catch? Upon unleashing the move, you go right into a rhythm-based music mini game and how well you do depends on the effectiveness of the combo. It's interesting, fun, and a really neat novelty attached to an already solid fighting game.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 233 Average listal rating (145 ratings) 7.5 IMDB Rating 0
Tekken Tag Tournament - PlayStation 2
Release Date: March 30, 2000 (JP)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Fighting

Ridge Racer V was the first game that I bought when I got a Playstation 2. This was number two...And I played the heck out of it. Tekken Tag Tournament is kind of like a side game in the series, with nearly every playable character in previous Tekken games available to play as in tag-team fighting competition. The tag team aspect is fun and adds a new element to the fighting. There are also modes to unlock like one of my favorites, Tekken Bowling, which just add even more replay value to an already good game. I highly recommend it fans of fighting games and/or fans of decent and odd bowling games...well, after you unlock Tekken Bowling, of course.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 19 Average listal rating (14 ratings) 7.9 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: January 1, 2003 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Marvelous
Genre: Fighting

King of Fighters EX2 is my favorite fighting game on the GBA handheld. It just does everything really well. The battles in the story mode are usually 3-on-3 team battles, with the need to knock out all three opponents one after the other. However, later battles it'll be 3-on-1 with your team of three battling against the final bosses. The downside to the game is the difficulty, as it's easier than King of Fighters EX was, and in turn, you likely won't need all three fighters on your team to put away the final bosses - they're not quite difficult enough for that. But difficulty is a minor gripe. I'm a huge fan of this game, and I don't think I'll discover another fighter on the GBA that I enjoy more than this one.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 8 Average listal rating (6 ratings) 7.5 IMDB Rating 0
SNK Gals' Fighters - Neo-Geo Pocket Color
Release Date: January 27, 2000 (JP)
Publisher: SNK
Developer: Yumekobo
Genre: Fighting

SNK Gals Fighters is an all-ladies fighting game with females beating the ever-lovin' snot out of each other in the handheld fighting perfection that SNK was known for. This is one of the best handheld fighting games that I've personally played. The game controls like a dream, the graphics are quite nice for an 8-bit handheld, and you've got the convenience of playing this wherever you feel like playing it...Like on a tree branch, a seat in a city bus, or in a port-a-potty.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 16 Average listal rating (11 ratings) 8.3 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: September 27, 2001 (JP)
Publisher: Agetec
Developer: SNK
Genre: Fighting

I need to get this out of the way right off the bat - there's a fighter in this game named "Butt." If that's not enough reason to praise this game, I don't know what is. With that said, Mark of the Wolves is a fantastic 2D fighter that hasn't been played by nearly enough people. This is one of the best-made SNK fighters that you can find. Beautiful 2D models brawl it out with smooth controls and fun, unique move sets for each character. It may not have an overwhelming amount of game modes, but the fighting is done so well, that it can get away with it. If you're into fighting games, hunt this game down. You'll be glad you did.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 290 Average listal rating (189 ratings) 7.2 IMDB Rating 0
Tekken 2 - PlayStation
Release Date: March 29, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Fighting

While Tekken was good, but not great, Tekken 2 was a large step in the right direction towards making this franchise one of the most popular fighting game series of all time. Better gameplay, a larger cast of characters, and more game modes to add to the replay value are all reasons why the second Tekken was extremely successful. Tekken 2 was a very good fighting game, maybe just short of being great, but still worth playing for any fan of the franchise.
ape's rating:
Release Date: November 12, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Genre: Fighting

If you like the modern Mortal Kombat games, and you were a fan of the story modes found in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and the latest Mortal Kombat release, then you'll likely love Injustice. Story mode aside, there's also a unique take on the traditional arcade mode, with the arcade mode we all know and love with the player facing random opponents until they reach the final boss. In Injustice, there are a large assortment of variations of this formula to prevent the arcade mode from feeling too stale. With all the extra DLC from the original released added into the package, Injustice: Ultimate Edition is very much a worthy purchase for fighting fans, and fans of the DC Universe alike.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 8 Average listal rating (5 ratings) 6 IMDB Rating 0
Joy Mech Fight - Famicom and NES
Release Date: May 21, 1993 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Fighting

How this game was never released in North America is something that I'll never understand. Nintendo created this unique fighting game in the later days of the Famicom, which has you pick a robot that has no limbs (kinda like Rayman) so that you can battle another robot that has no limbs. It sounds weird, and this game is a little weird, but it's very fun and pretty innovative to the genre with its story and "capturing" of robots after beating them in battle. It's a quality game on all levels and one well worth checking out should you ever stumble across a copy.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 29 Average listal rating (13 ratings) 7.2 IMDB Rating 0
Arcana Heart - PlayStation 2
Release Date: October 11, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Examu
Genre: Fighting

Arcana Heart is an all-female, 2D fighting game. It's got a unique system called the "arcana" system, which is essentially like a second move set that the player gets to choose prior to the fight. So if you really like one arcana over the others, you can pretty much pick that arcana with every fighter and you'll always have at least a few moves that you'll be able to use regardless of the fighter that you're playing as. Of course, you could also use the arcana system to vary things up a bit, too. It's a very solid fighting game and worthy of a place on the shelf of any fighting game fan.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 45 Average listal rating (24 ratings) 7.5 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: July 13, 2001 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

Super Street Fighter II Turbo: Revival, up until I played King of Fighters EX2, was my favorite fighting game on the Game Boy Advance. It's got a few minor additions to make it more than just a port of the 3DO Super Street Fighter II Turbo...Though, quite frankly, a port of a CD-based game on a cartridge-based handheld isn't shabby. But anyway, the lack of anything really new prevents me from having it higher on this list. It's a great, solid fighter, perfect if you want to play Street Fighter on the go, but it might leave you wanting a little more if you're looking for lots of extra content.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 9 Average listal rating (6 ratings) 6.8 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: April 26, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Takara
Developer: Gaibrain
Genre: Fighting

King of Fighters '95 plays like a console fighting game, not a game you'd find on a handheld. It's also got a team arcade mode to go along with the regular one-on-one arcade mode, as well as a versus mode for both styles as well...Back when this was released, most console fighters didn't have this many modes, let along handheld fighters. The end result is a smooth-playing fighting game that is to Game Boy games exactly what the title states it to be - the King of Fighters.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 99 Average listal rating (52 ratings) 8.1 IMDB Rating 0
Tekken: Dark Resurrection - PlayStation Portable
Release Date: July 6, 2006 (JP)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Developer: Namco Bandai
Genre: Fighting

Tekken: Dark Resurrection was a fantastic addition to the PSP library, and even today could be in a debate about what the best fighter on the system is. Dark Resurrection has all of the 3D fighting goodness that one would expect from the Tekken franchise, plus the highly addicting ranking system lifted from the Virtua Fighter series, which can keep fighting game fans hooked long after completing arcade mode with the large cast of playable characters.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 32 Average listal rating (15 ratings) 7.1 IMDB Rating 0
Guilty Gear X - PlayStation 2
Release Date: September 30, 2001 (NA)
Publisher: Sammy Studios
Developer: Arc System Works
Genre: Fighting

Guilty Gear X was a superb fighting game on the Dreamcast, released only in Japan, so when it was announced that North America would be getting the opportunity to play it via their Playstation 2's, I was pretty happy. As a college kid, I couldn't afford to buy it, but a friend of mine whom I've since lost contact with, a male model named Ryann (the extra 'n' was so potential employers would remember him better...if you're reading this, Ryann, how've you been, amgio?) picked it up, as he was a fighting game fanatic, and we'd gather a group of friends and battle each other in this gem and in Tekken Tag Tournament. He generally destroyed everyone with me usually putting up a fairly decent fight, but often (but not always) falling prey to his superior skills in the fighting genre. With that story out of the way, Guilty Gear X is a great 2D fighter that plays wonderfully and looks just as good as it plays. It can feel chaotic at times when playing, but I find that to be part of the fun. If you missed playing this gem on the Dreamcast, and you love 2D fighting games, you should really track the PS2 version down. You won't regret it.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 5 Average listal rating (5 ratings) 8 IMDB Rating 0
Dead or Alive 5 Plus - PlayStation Vita
Release Date: March 19, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Tecmo Koei
Developer: Team Ninja
Genre: Fighting

Dead or Alive 5 Plus is a solid fighting game with a decent story mode attached to it. Personally, I prefer the story mode found in Dead or Alive Dimensions on the 3DS but the one found here isn't terrible. The fighting is the same as it always was, but now with a few Virtua Fighter cast members added in for good measure. If you're a fan of previous entries in the franchise, then you'll definitely enjoy this game as well.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 6 Average listal rating (4 ratings) 7 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: August 29, 2000 (NA)
Publisher: Crave
Developer: Anchor
Genre: Fighting - MMA

Ultimate Fighting Championship isn't a fighting game with fireballs coming out of the hands of the fighters. There aren't exotic locations that they fight in. There's no limit breaks, no combos, no fatalities...This game is purely mixed martial arts action. Just punches, kicks, takedowns, and submissions. But Anchor did a tremendous job bringing the sport of MMA to video games. At its time, this was the best MMA game ever made. More than ten years later, it may not be the best any more, but it's still near the top of the heap.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 26 Average listal rating (12 ratings) 6.9 IMDB Rating 0
Capcom vs SNK - Sega Dreamcast
Release Date: September 6, 2000 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

Capcom vs. SNK covers kind of a wide range, doesn't it? A better name for this game would have been Street Fighter vs. King of Fighters since, minus a couple of characters, pretty much every playable character is from one of the two franchises. That minor complaint aside, Capcom created a nice fighting game that provided a dream match for fans of fighting games, pitting characters from two of the best 2D fighting game franchise against each other...or teaming them up, depending on how you play, I suppose. If you're a fan of either fighting franchise, this is definitely worth checking out.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 7 Average listal rating (4 ratings) 6.5 IMDB Rating 0
Fighter's History - Super famicom and SNES
Release Date: May 27, 1994 (JP)
Publisher: Data East
Developer: Data East
Genre: Fighting

I thought I remembered playing Fighter's History and I thought I remembered it being bad...But it's not. In fact, Fighter's History plays a lot more smoothly than I expected. The only real knock I have on the game, and one that drops the rating down a little, is the difficulty. The game is very easy...Until you get to the final boss, Karnov, in which you've got a real fight on your hands. It's almost as if the game intentionally keeps the difficulty low so that newcomers are completely unprepared for when Karnov lights the player up with various fire attacks. But, it's still a good, solid game, and well worth playing if you're a fan of 2D fighters.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 9 Average listal rating (5 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: January 18, 2006 (NA)
Publisher: SNK Playmore
Developer: SNK
Genre: Fighting

I adore Samurai Shodown games, and Samurai Shodown V, with its giant roster of fighers is like a dream come true for me. It lacks a bit in gameplay modes - arcade, practice, and versus (which was supported by Xbox Live) but the actual fighting is still top-notch. It's slow-paced and methodical fighting. You've gotta be strategic in your fights otherwise you're going to lose...Especially since there's a possibility that you'll be blasted with a one-hit kill. It's fun both against the computer and against friends, so despite the lack of modes, you may just keep coming back for more. I sure did.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 162 Average listal rating (106 ratings) 7.4 IMDB Rating 0
Mortal Kombat II - Sega Genesis and Mega Drive
Release Date: September 9, 1994 (JP)
Publisher: Acclaim
Developer: Probe Entertainment Limited
Genre: Fighting

The first Mortal Kombat was playable, but it mostly just got attention because of the violence and gore. Mortal Kombat II aimed for more attention with more gore, but this time around, they improved on the combat (or is it kombat?) to create a very solid fighting game. It still wasn't Street Fighter-level great, but it was very, very well done and very well could be the game that ensured that Mortal Kombat was a franchise that would be around for a long, long time.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 281 Average listal rating (173 ratings) 7.3 IMDB Rating 0
Tekken 4 - PlayStation 2
Release Date: March 28, 2002 (JP)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Fighting

I was never a big fan of Tekken 4. It's an okay game, don't get me wrong, but after playing a ton of Tekken 2, Tekken 3, and Tekken Tag Tournament, Tekken 4 just didn't wow me. It's not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, but with the awesome Virtua Fighter 4 being released just a month or two before this game, it almost felt like Namco slacked off when developing Tekken 4, just adding minor improvements to the already established fighting game franchise, where as Virtua Fighter 4 blew everyone away with an absolutely amazing fighting game in comparison. Tekken 4 isn't bad, but I'd go with one of the other PS2 games in the franchise if you want to enter the King of Iron Fist tournament on your Playstation 2.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 14 Average listal rating (8 ratings) 5.8 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: January 1, 2002 (JP)
Publisher: Sammy Studios
Developer: Marvelous
Genre: Fighting

If you're looking for a solid fighting game on the Game Boy Advance with some challenge, look no further than NeoBlood. This 3-on-3 fighting extravaganza is one of the better fighters not just on the Game Boy Advance, but on any handheld, in my opinion. It may not play quite as smooth as, say, a Street Fighter game, but it's dang close. And as I mentioned, there's some challenge here. You won't just mow through the game your first attempt at doing so. The game's final boss is also deceptively hard to beat, as you walk into the fight with a 3-on-1 situation. The catch is that you have to beat him three times to win...So, essentially, you're facing a team of three of the most difficult opponent in the game. All that said, NeoBlood is a great addition to the King of Fighters franchise and a fantastic fighter for on-the-go fighting.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 11 Average listal rating (10 ratings) 7.8 IMDB Rating 0
Release Date: March 10, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

On most iPhone games, touch screen joysticks and buttons can be kind of iffy. I'm not a programmer, so I don't know if they can adjust sensitivity to the touch controls or what...But I do know that whatever Capcom did for Street Fighter IV took away 90% of the problems I usually have with touch screen controls. I was playing Street Fighter like I had on consoles in no time...And I loved every second of it. This is a surprisingly good Street Fighter experience for on the go.
ape's rating:
People who added this item 8 Average listal rating (4 ratings) 8.3 IMDB Rating 0
Street Fighter Alpha - Game Boy Color
Release Date: 1999 (EU)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Crawfish Interactive
Genre: Fighting

Street Fighter Alpha is kind of what I wanted the Game Boy version of Street Fighter II to play like. Everything is very, very smooth. While not as graphically impressive as SF2, Street Fighter Alpha more than delivers in the gameplay department, making it a great title that holds its own among the best games of any genre on the Game Boy Color.
ape's rating:
Load more items (100 more in this list)

Like the "ranked by preference" lists I do for systems, I'm doing for genres now as well. The comments and such are the same as found in those lists, unless the comment(s) were list-specific, in which case, I wrote up a new little diddy for it.

Games will be added regularly as I play 'em.

Added to

18 votes
Video Games - ranked by preference (55 lists)
list by ape
Published 12 years, 9 months ago 8 comments



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