The Best Fighting Games of All Time

Reference
Updated August 11, 2023 37.9K votes 3.2K voters 190.8K views
Over 3.2K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Fighting Games of All Time
Voting Rules
Your favorite fighting game to play, either single player or competitively.
Latest additions: Lego Brawls, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection
Most divisive: Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000

Nothing gets competition brewing between friends like the best fighting games of all time. Games like Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat II are guaranteed to spike peoples' salt levels after a few matches. But with so many fighting games released over the past few decades, which one is the best? See what other gamers think are the best fighting games of all time. 

This list of fighting games covers all consoles and systems, and includes cover art when available. These highly rated fighting games are ordered by popularity, so only the greatest fighting games are at the top of the list. But what constitutes the best? It's hard to say - some people play fighting games for the storylines while others play them for the competitive aspect. Ultimately, it varies from person to person.

So get to voting for your favorite fighting game of all time or add it if you don't see it below, but beware, the competition is down right fierce.

Ranked by
  • Tekken 3
    1

    Tekken 3

    1997
    887 votes
    • Developer: Production I.G, Namco
    Tekken 3 is the third installment in the popular Tekken fighting game series. It was released for Arcades in March 1997, and for the PlayStation in March - September 1998. The original Arcade version of the game was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 as part of Tekken 5 '​s Arcade History mode. Tekken 3 is still widely considered one of the greatest games of its genre, and of all time. With more than 8.5 million copies sold worldwide, Tekken 3 is the fifth best-selling Playstation game of all time. It was the first game released on Namco System 12 hardware. It was also the last installment of the series for the PlayStation. A non-canon sequel was released in 1999 and 2000 in arcades and PlayStation 2 respectively, titled Tekken Tag Tournament, followed by the canon sequel, Tekken 4, in arcades and PlayStation 2 in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
  • Soulcalibur II
    2

    Soulcalibur II

    Jul 05 2002
    655 votes
    • Developer: Project Soul
    Soulcalibur II is a 2002 video game developed by Project Soul and published by Namco and the third installment in the Soul series of weapon-based fighting games. It was originally released for the arcades, before being ported to the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox in 2003. The game's plot revolves around an assortment of characters, each with the goal of either destroying Soul Edge or obtaining it to achieve personal goals. Compared to Soulcalibur, Soulcalibur II had improvements in graphics and the game system and introduced several new and guest characters. The game was a major critical and commercial success. Its high-definition port, titled Soulcalibur II HD Online, was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2013.
  • Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
    3
    • Developer: Capcom
    Street Fighter III 3rd Strike: Fight for the Future is a 2D competitive fighting game produced by Capcom originally released for the arcade in 1999. It was ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. A downloadable online version titled Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition was released on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade in August 2011. It is the second follow-up to Street Fighter III, following Street Fighter III 2nd Impact. Like its predecessors, it runs on the CP System III hardware. 3rd Strike increased the character roster by adding five new characters, including Chun-Li. It also added further refinements to the previous game's play mechanics and rules.
  • Street Fighter II
    4

    Street Fighter II

    1992
    973 votes
    • Developer: Capcom
    Street Fighter II: The World Warrior is a competitive fighting game originally released for the arcades in 1991. It is the second entry in the Street Fighter series and the arcade sequel to the original Street Fighter released in 1987. It is Capcom's fourteenth title that runs on the CP System arcade hardware. Street Fighter II improves upon the many concepts introduced in the first game, including the use of command-based special moves and a six-button configuration, while offering players a selection of multiple playable characters, each with their own unique fighting style, and introducing a combo system and competitive multiplayer combat between two players. The success of Street Fighter II is credited for starting the fighting game boom during the 1990s which inspired other game developers to produce their own fighting game franchises, popularizing the genre, and setting off a renaissance for the arcade game industry in the early 1990s. It was then ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System home console, for which it became a long-lasting system-seller.
  • Mortal Kombat X
    5

    Mortal Kombat X

    2015
    426 votes
    • Developer: NetherRealm Studios
    Mortal Kombat X is a fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios. It is the tenth main installment in the Mortal Kombat video game series and was released on April 14, 2015 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, scheduled to be ported to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 by High Voltage Software on Q2/Q3 2015. NetherRealm's mobile team also developed a mobile version for iOS and Android devices. The iOS version was released on April 7, 2015.
  • Mortal Kombat II
    6

    Mortal Kombat II

    1993
    981 votes
    • Developer: Acclaim Cheltenham, Midway Games, Sculptured Software
    Mortal Kombat II is a competitive fighting game originally produced by Midway Games for the arcades in 1993. It was later ported to multiple home systems, including the PC, Amiga, Game Boy, Sega Game Gear, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and various PlayStation consoles. Mortal Kombat II was the second game in the Mortal Kombat series, improving the gameplay and expanding the mythos of the original Mortal Kombat, notably introducing more varied Fatality finishing moves and several iconic characters, such as Kitana, Mileena, Kung Lao, and the series' recurring villain, Shao Kahn. The game's plot continues from the first game, featuring the next Mortal Kombat tournament set in the otherdimensional realm of Outworld, with the Outworld and Earthrealm representatives fighting each other on their way to challenge the evil emperor Shao Kahn. The game was an unprecedented commercial success and was acclaimed by most critics, receiving many annual awards and having been featured in various top lists in the years and decades to come, but also perpetuating a major video game controversy due to the continuously over-the-top violent content of the series.