While fighting games can have a somewhat steep learning curve and barrier of entry when it comes to playing with skill, they can be one of the most rewarding types of competitive multiplayer games around. While every console generation is home to its fair share of fighting games, Steam is full to the brim with some of the best fighting games around, with both modern fighters and classics alike.
10 Most Influential Fighting Games Of All Time That Defined The Genre
Classic arcade games introduced the world to the highly addicting and competitive fighting genre. Which games had the most influence on the genre?
However, with such a massive pool of games, and varying netcode quality, it can be difficult to figure out where to start, which games are worth playing, etc. So, this list will introduce prospective players to some of the best fighting games that are currently available on Steam.
Updated on October 2, 2023, by David Heath: The fighting game world has shifted quite a bit since this list's original publishing in 2021. 2023 alone has seen some gigantic releases with Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1, indie hits like Pocket Bravery, and new content for Guilty Gear Strive, Punch Planet, and more. So, this list has been updated to include these new entries and mention any new additions to older games that could make them more tantalizing to any would-be fighting game fan with a Steam account. So, keep an eye out for these games once they pop up on Valve's PC service. Especially when they're on sale.
20 Slap City
Slap City is a criminally underrated platform fighter developed by Ludosity, the company behind Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. While the game’s graphics are nothing to write home about, Slap City has an excellent sense of humor and is quite charming.
Slap City’s roster of characters is rather slim, featuring characters from their other games, its core gameplay is some of the best that the Platform Fighter sub-genre has to offer. It even has its own fun Slap Ball mode where players can try to juggle the ball toward their opponent's goal. For a PC alternative to Super Smash Bros., it's hard to beat Slap City.
19 Punch Planet
Though still in early access as of 2023, Punch Planet is another highly underrated indie-fighter available on Steam. It's a 2.5D fighter with an emphasis on footsies and fundamentals a la Street Fighter 3: Third Strike. Punch Planet has one of the most distinct and eye-catching visual styles of any fighter on the market too, with its neon-heavy sci-fi aesthetic.
The game has been in early access since 2017, with a full release date yet to be announced. But it's already developed a positive reputation thanks to its regular updates and fun gameplay, with its latest edition offering a sturdy 8-character roster for players to test out.
18 SNK's Classic Fighting Game Library
While this may seem like kind of a cop-out, SNK has produced a frankly enormous amount of fighting games over the years (especially during the 1990s), with nearly all of them being available on Steam, be it King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, SNK Vs Capcom: Match of the Millennium, and Garou: Mark of the Wolves.
Steam contains all of those and more, each for notably low prices, especially during their sales. For those looking to play some of the strongest fighters from the 1990s, any of SNK's classics would make for an excellent choice. The Last Blade duology is particularly underrated, but Garou: MOTW is a good place to start. Especially with its sequel Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves on the way.
17 Pocket Bravery
Players could also buy the SNK Neo Geo Pocket Collection and play a whole host of fighters that the company made for their Neo Geo Pocket Color handheld. While it didn't catch on, it was perhaps the only handheld back in the day to have fighting games worth playing. Statera Studio certainly thought so when they made Pocket Bravery.
Inspired by the NGPC library, the game has the same chibi look, but with more colorful graphics. It gives players the option to play its humble 12-character roster with classic KOF-like controls or simpler Smash-esque commands. But the gameplay is so deep it'll keep people playing for days, especially with more DLC characters coming along the way.
16 Blazblue Collection
BlazBlue: Central Fiction
- Developer(s)
- Arc System Works
- Publisher(s)
- Arc System Works, Aksys Games
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
Like SNK, Arc System Works is a developer that is responsible for a wide range of excellent fighting games like Persona 4 Arena, DNF Duel, and Guilty Gear. While they are most well-known for their one-on-one fighters, Steam offers players a generous selection with the BlazBlue Collection.
It contains all the main games in the series from the original Calamity Trigger to (as of this writing) the last mainline entry Centralfiction. While the games are flashy and fast-paced, they feature easy-to-learn mechanics that make it quite forgiving for genre newcomers. So, why play one BlazBlue game when people can play all of them?
15 Them's Fightin' Herds
Them’s Fightin' Herds is a 2D fighter with a polarizing art style. Its cuteness comes from its origins as a fangame based on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It's since become its own game that's incredibly well-polished mechanically, featuring a small yet well-balanced cast of characters and robust combat systems.
15 Best Anime Fighting Games Of All Time
Plenty of anime games have come out over the years. But these amazing titles each did something to set them apart from the rest.
In addition to great core 2D fighter gameplay, the game features several extra layers of polish. It has a dynamic music system that changes the song's instrumentation based on which character is winning a match, a really informative practice mode, and one of the best online lobby systems in fighting game history. It may look like kid's stuff, but it's not kidding around.
14 Rivals Of Aether
Rivals of Aether
- Released
- March 28, 2017
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Developer
- Aether Studios
Rivals Of Aether is another platform fighting game that slipped under the rug. It's heavily inspired by Smash Bros. While maintaining its own identity. With original characters based on the elements, as well as several guests like Shovel Knight and Ori from Ori and the Blind Forest, the game features a diverse roster that caters to a wide variety of play styles.
Since the Smash Bros series is exclusive to Nintendo, Rivals of Aether is another great choice for fans looking for a Steam alternative. Especially when its netcode blows Smash's out of the water, playing much more smoothly online. All it lacks is Mario and the gang, which the enthusiastic modding community has already sorted out.
13 Brawlhalla
Brawlhalla
While there are plenty of great platform fighters out there, with Smash Bros being the most successful, it's hard to pinpoint what the next most successful entry in the genre is after that. MultiVersus and the Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl games are certainly angling for that accolade. But it likely belongs to Brawlhalla, which is available on a wide range of consoles, including the PC via Steam and iOS/Android devices.
Brawlhalla is a free-to-play platform fighter with a gigantic roster, including guest characters from Street Fighter, Tekken, Halo, Rayman, Kung Fu Panda, WWE, and more (which admittedly largely require payment as DLC). While the gameplay isn't quite as tight as Smash Bros, it has the same goal of smashing the opponent off the level and supports 8-player matches and crossplay. There are no pay-to-win mechanics either. Just download for free and brawl away.
12 Samurai Shodown 2019
Samurai Shodown
- Developer(s)
- SNK Corporation
- Publisher(s)
- Athlon Games, Deep Silver, Netflix Games, SNK
- Platform(s)
- PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Arcade, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Android, iOS, PC
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
Following the success of KOF XIV, SNK brought back Samurai Shodown in 2019, where the developer's expertise in the genre shines through. Being a 2.5D weapon-based fighting game, Samurai Shodown is characterized by its high-risk, high-reward gameplay as everyone on the roster can do heavy damage with their blades. This means players just have to be careful when they strike, as their opponents can make them pay if they screw up.
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While combos can be done, the game is a good choice for players who'd rather focus on the fundamentals than mess with mechanics to boost their combo count. The downside is that its online play is rough. SNK promised a new rollback netcode for September 2023, but it's been delayed as of this writing.
11 Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
- Released
- November 15, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Eighting, Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 3, PS Vita, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
Marvel Vs. Capcom Infinite has a somewhat disastrous reputation thanks to its messy development. Luckily its more beloved predecessor, Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, is still available on Steam. A fast-paced team fighting game that is based around flashy combos and over-the-top super moves, UMVC3 is viewed by many as one of the best games in the genre.
However, due to the game's 10+ year age, it tends to have a much smaller active player base than the majority of other entries on this list. But it's still possible to find matches, and it's found a rich modding fanbase who've produced an entire extra game's worth of new characters via their own "EX Edition".