Whether you are a fan of historical fighting franchises, such as Street Fighter, or more recent ones, such as Granblue Fantasy, there is something for everyone.
The golden age of arcade games may be over, but its greatest ambassadors are still flourishing. So we decided to take a look at the best fighting games still active in 2022, i.e. still competitive online and/or in tournament.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Tekken 7
- Mortal Kombat 11
- Naruto Shippūden : Ultimate Ninja Storm 4
- Dragon Ball FighterZ
6. Street Fighter V
So far, we’ve spent a lot of time on the Bandai Namco side of things, so it’s time to see what Capcom is offering, right? But we have to be honest: with its rather meager content and multitude of bugs, Street Fighter V wasn’t exactly selling dreams when it was released in February 2016 on PC and PS4.
Nevertheless, after numerous DLC and other fixes, the title has well and truly caught up to offer players a truly complete experience, with a nice roster of characters and a delightfully rebalanced gameplay. It’s impossible not to mention the Street Fighter franchise, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2022!
After a catastrophic launch, Street Fighter V made up for it very well through DLC and updates allowing a welcome rebalancing of the whole. From now on, the title is a safe bet for starting out in versus fighting and simply having fun with your friends via characters that are each more popular than the last!
7. Guilty Gear Strive
Let’s go to the 22nd century and the dystopian franchise that takes place there: Guilty Gear, whose last opus Strive was released in June 2021 on PC and PlayStation 4 / PS5. At the helm is Arc System Works, already behind the excellent Dragon Ball FighterZ and other titles in the fighting game genre.
As usual with this saga started in 1998, the graphics are particularly polished to the point that you quickly feel like you’re in an interactive cartoon. However, in this last opus, we can regret a certain lack of visibility during the fights.
Opus of discord, Guilty Gear Strive has taken a different direction from the rest of the franchise by opening up very frankly to the general public, through simplified gameplay. Beginners are therefore welcome. As for the veterans, they will be able to find their account, if they give the title a chance. Finally, there are few complaints about the graphics and music, which create an immersive and pleasant work.
8. SoulCalibur VI
Let’s go back to Namco Bandai’s side to talk about one of the most popular licenses in 3D VS Fighting: SoulCalibur. It is in October 2018 that the franchise releases its ultimate opus, SoulCalibur VI, on PC and PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles.
Visually, the game falls a bit short of what you’d expect from a game of the genre when compared to competing titles. Nevertheless, it offers the essential: nervous fights and an experience that is pleasant to the point of being addictive, especially thanks to a certain welcome renewal of the gameplay.
Not everything is perfect in this SoulCalibur VI, especially the graphics or the interface which are a bit dated. Nevertheless, in terms of gameplay, the title has managed to renew itself by managing to keep both its accessibility for beginners (especially thanks to its Training Mode) and a high degree of challenge for the veterans of the franchise.
9. Marvel vs. Capcom : Infinite
Let’s finish this selection with Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, a title that will certainly make those of you who would have preferred to see the indestructible Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 released in November 2011 cringe. However, we must admit that this title is perfect for beginners.
We won’t lie to ourselves, fighting game lovers will probably pass by this opus which will offer them little or no challenge. But, the formula is not really intended for them! Indeed, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite seeks to please the general public, and the title manages perfectly to make VS Fighting pleasant for beginners.
