Summary

  • Fighting games can be intimidating for new players due to their lack of transferable skills, but there are brawlers available that can ease the learning process.
  • Footsies is an indie fighter that focuses on spacing-based combat, making it a great tool for improving fighting game skills.
  • Granblue Fantasy Versus and Mortal Kombat 11 are beginner-friendly games that have comprehensive tutorials and simplified mechanics to help newcomers get started.

From the late '70s to nowadays, the community (or FGC) has become a big part of the gaming landscape. From old-school boxing games to today, these titles showcase flying fireballs, helicopter-like kicks, and massive super combos.

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Jojo's Bizarre Adventure? Dragon Ball Z? Naruto? All of these titles have great anime fighting ♚games. Here are the b🅷est ones, ranked.

Despite fighting games becoming a vast genre, it's also one of the most intimidating for new players. It has next to no transferable skills with any other genre, creating a big learning curve to endure. This narrow point of entry is why it's essential for fighting games to ease the learning process. Here are some brawlers you can count on to cushion the blow.

Updated on October 14, 2023, by Chris Sanfilippo: Our latest update adds new spec boxes with information for each fighting game on our list. These specs include Developer(s), Publisher(s), Platforms, ESRB Rating, and more.

17 Footsies

footsies fighting game

Footsies

Publisher(s): HiFight


Developer(s): HiFight


Platform(s): Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

Available on Steam, Footsies is an indie fighter that strips down fighting game fundamentals to their core. While most fighting games emphasize spacing or "footsies," this game exclusively emphasizes strict spacing-based combat. Players must land a single hit to win a round.

Footsies' barebones design makes it an excellent tool for fighting game players to improve their skills. Without the distraction of elaborate command inputs, colorful characters, and overstimulating stages, Footsies focuses on the mind games synonymous with competitive play.

16 Divekick

divekick round ending gameplay screenshot
divekick johnny gat

Divekick

Publisher(s): Iron Galaxy


Developer(s): Iron Galaxy, One True Game Studios


Platform(s): Windows, PS3, PS4, PSVita, Xbox One


ESRB: Rated T for Teen - Drug Reference, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol Anᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚd Tobacco, Vꦉiolence

Another simplified fighter, Divekick, is a fully-fledged fighting game that removes elements such as blocking or walking, only using two buttons: one to dive and one to kick.

Divekick players can find manဣy core principles here. The diverse cast of characters all have a unique super move, activated by pressing the dive and kick buttons simultaneously. Few fighting games can get a player to the point of playing with intentionality as quickly as Divekick.

15 BlazBlue:🥂 Cross Tag Battle

The Character Select Screen for BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

Publisher(s): Arc System Works


Developer(s): Arc System Works


Platform(s): Nintendo Switc💦h, PS4, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox 🐻Series X, Xbox Series S


ESRB: Rated T for Teen - Language, Suggestive Themes, 🍨Violence

Team-based fighting games may appear complicated due to their lengthy combos and flashy gameplay. For instance, consider the hectic speed of games like Marvel Vs. Capcom 2. Still, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is an excellent pl𒅌a✨ce to start for those interested in this sub-genre.

Without sacrificing the game's depth, BBTAG features notably easy and lenient command inputs for each character's special moves. So, if a player can perform moves as one character, they can do so with every character in the game.

14 Stꦑreet Fighter 2

Street Fighter II gameplay screenshot

Franchise: Street Fighter


Publisher(s): Capcom


Developer(s): Digital Eclipse


Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PS4, Windows, Xbox One


ESRB: T for Teen - Alcohol Ref🅺erence, Mild Blood, Sugge𒁏stive Themes, Violence

is a great place to start for those interested in the history of fighting games. Many core design philosophies and character archetypes of the fighting game genre can be traced back to Street Fighter 2.

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Fans' e✨xpectations for the genre keep getting higher, especially whenever a fighting game has at least 50 charact🔥ers even before any DLC.

As the first fighting game to allow 🎉players to choose from several unique cha🀅racters with individual abilities, attacks, and attributes, many consider it the first proper versus fighter ever made.

13 Fantasy Strike 🎀

Fantasy Strike Nintendo

Fantasy Strike

Publisher(s): Sirlin Games


Developer(s): Sirlin Games


Platform(s): Linux, macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PS4


ESRB: Rated T for Teen - Violence

Fantasy Strike is a free-to-play indie fighter that removes elements such as command inputs and even crouching. Each special move activates at the ♌press of a button.

The game features characters of various archetypes, meaning payers can access zoners, grapplers, rushdown characters, an﷽d even an RNG-based gambling character in a forgiving environment.

12 ♎ Samuraiꩲ Shodown

Samurai Shodown Jubei ready to strike

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Samurai Shodown (2019)

Franchise: Samurai Shodown


Publisher(s): SNK, Athlon Games, Deep Silver, Netflix


Developer(s): SNK


Platform(s): Windows, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Andr✤oid, iOS


ESRB: R𝕴ated M for Mature - Blood And Gore, Partial Nudity, Violence

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Samurai Shodown (2019), a weapon-bas𒐪ed fighting game, places the spacing and hard-hitting nature of games like Footsies and Divekick within a more tꦰraditional fighting game experience.

Heavy slashes and super moves deal absurd amounts of damage, but they're easy to read. So, the emphasis is on spacing and predicting your opponent's actions rather than lengthy combos.

11 🦋 Guilty🐭 Gear Strive

May petting Mr. Dolphin in Guilty Gear Strive

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Guilty Gear Strive

Franchise: Guilty Gear


Publisher(s): Arc System Works


Developer(s): Arc System Works


Platform(s): PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, X💞box Series X, Xbox Ser🍌ies S


ESRB: Rated T for Teen - Blood,ও Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users I🔥nteract

One of the premier anime fighting game franchises on the market, the series has always been known for its fast-paced gameplay, edgy rock music, and visual flair. However, it hasn't always been the most accessible.

Luckily, the most recent entry in the Guilty Gear series, Guilty Gear Strive, is significantly more forgiving for newcomers, offering players solid tutorials and flexible mechanics that make the game a blast.

10 ൩ Granblue Fantasy Versus

The finishing blow of Vira's Affection Abyss Super Skybound Art in Granblue Fantasy Versus.
GranBlue Fantasy Versus

ESRB
T For Teen due to Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence ℱ
Developer(s)
Arc System Works, Cyg𒐪ames
Publisher(s)
💞 X๊SEED Games
Platform(s)
PS4, PC

While Arc System Works is known for complex fighting game series, such as Guilty Gear and BlazBlue, the company also has a catalog of games designed for beginners. One example is 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Granblue Fantasy Versus, a spin-off/sequel to the mobile RPG.

GBVS has plenty of beginner-friendly tools. Its tutorials are deep, breaking down basics, character skills, and matchup guides. A single-player-focused RPG Mode teaches the ropes of the game within a side-scrolling beat-em-up environment.

9 DNF Duel

Kunoichi performing the MP Special Move Flame Tornado in DNF Duel

DNF Duel

Publisher(s): Koei Tecmo


Developer(s): Arc System Works, Eighting, Neople


Platform(s): Windows, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch


ESRB: Rated🐻 T for Teen - Blood, Violence, Users Interact

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:DNF Duel features similar beginner-friendly mechanics as GBVS, including simplified command inputs. Plus, the game's tutorials are as detailed, if not more so, than its peer.

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Still, while DNF Duel is a quick game to learn, its levels of complexity run deep. For instance, the game's MP Skill system heavily emphasizes deft resource management. Plus, its canceling mechanics open the possibili෴ty for long strings of combos.

8 Mor𒁃tal Kombat 11

Mortal Kombat 11 DLC News Scorpion WB Games Nether Realm

ESRB
M for Mature🦹: Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Langua💙ge
Developer(s)
𝔉 NetherRealm Studios
Expansions
🧸 Mort🍌al Kombat 11: Aftermath Kollection

While the arcade era of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mortal Kombat relied on absolutely bru🌱tal AI to get teenagers to pump quarter after quarter 🐈into the machine, modern Mortal Kombat games are much more forgiving.

Mortal Kombat 11's tutorials break down simple and advanced mechanics, including a comprehensive frame data lesson, very well. Combine that with easy fatalities triggered by a single button press, and newcomers will rip out spines in no time!