20 Classic Fighting Games From The '90s That Still Hold Up

Capcom released the Street Fighter game way back in 1987. But in the few years between the first game to the release of Street Fighter II Turbo, the series was essentially upgraded and updated in every possible way. While Street Fighter 2 was already a classic, the Turbo edition took all of the great elements and made them even greater.

By the time this game came out (which honestly wasn't much after the original Street Fighter II was released), there were several new combo moves to use and new characters to play as. Yup, there's a reason Street Fighter II Turbo is still regarded as one of the best games of the entire franchise and is still played competitively to this day. 

If there's a competitor that can match Street Fighter in terms of sheer popularity, it's Mortal Kombat. While the first MK release was worthy in its own right, it was Mortal Kombat II that essentially started the legacy. The game's hyper-realistic graphics and over-the-top gore were so brash and outrageous that there was simply no way it wouldn't become an instant hit.

In addition to bringing a new attitude to the fighting arena, the combat mechanics were also upgraded (while still keeping the high level of violence of the first game). This way the game stayed unique but was still able to compete mechanically with other fighters. 

Some people prefer realistic fighting games, and then some people prefer Darkstalkers. Unlike traditional fighting games that focus on real-life moves and mechanics, this game is incredibly cartoony —both in graphics and fighting moves.

Instead of fighting humans, you fight epic monsters in this brilliant fighting game. Although the game never reached the height of other fighting games such as Street Fighter it still deserves to be played by fighting game fans. 

If it weren't for titles such as Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, Killer Instinct may have gotten a lot more attention. Still, the series has a massive following with gamers often claiming the original as one of their favorite games. Killer Instinct had revolutionary visuals and audio for the time, plus it was brutal enough to give the folks over at Mortal Kombat a run for their money.

And in addition to a roster of interesting, unique, and sometimes downright creepy characters, it also had an announcer that went crazy, making Killer Instinct one of the most hyped-up fighting game ever. Sure, the controls could be awkward at times, but the overall aesthetic appeal more than makes up for any in-game issues.

Technically the second Soulcalibur game (the first being Soul Edge, which was released in 1995), Soulcalibur was an arcade game first that was later ported to the Sega Dreamcast. Unlike other fighters at the time, Soulcalibur took advantage of 3D gaming mechanics, which, when coupled with sharp graphics, smooth controls, and an engaging storyline, made for one great fighting game.

Soulcalibur basically improved upon the original game in every conceivable way, which definitely helped solidify it as one of the most popular games to ever grace the Dreamcast. It also featured all the same characters (plus a whole lot more), which helped solidify its status as a diverse fighting game.

A classic series outside the States, the King of Fighters franchise is as vast and diverse enough to give Street Fighter a run for its money. King of Fighters '98 was the game that basically took everything that was great about the previous titles and combined it all into one.

The roster was huge, the gameplay was fluid, and the graphics — like always — were cartoony and tight.