Summary

  • PvP games like Nidhogg 2 offer quick, intense matches perfect for short gaming sessions or game nights with friends.
  • Street Fighter 6 provides classic PvP fighting action with fast matches that don't drag on, ideal for players with limited time.
  • Stick Fight: The Game delivers snappy PvP gameplay where rounds only last a few minutes, making it a great choice for casual gaming.

Player vs. Player games are among the most popular and commonly played in the world. MOBAs like League of Legends have millions of players, and other titles like Apex Legends and Fortnite boast consistent player bases. It's hard to deny that PvP is a massive draw for many gamers, whether it's team-based or a free-for-all.

Sonic and Tails running up a hill, and Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles cheering
Best Sonic The Hedgehog Co-Op Games, Ranked

Co-op has been a staple feature of many Sonic games for decades now. These examples are the best of the bunch.

Although many PvP games are hugely popular, a lot of them have matches that can take a long time. League games usually run upwards of thirty minutes, and Apex Legends rounds last around twenty minutes. For those who lose interest quickly, it may seem like the most popular PvP games all take way too long to play. Luckily, there's a wide selection of games with quick matches for gamers who want snappy and fun sessions, where they can take on their friends without investing a large amount of time.

1 Nidhogg 2

Frustratingly Addictive

Nidhogg 2 gameplay screenshot
Nidhogg 2
Display card tags widget
Fighting
Action
Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
August 15, 2017
Developer(s)
Messhof Games
Genre(s)
Fighting, Action

For those who have never encountered it, Nidhogg 2 is the much-improved sequel to the classic fighting game Nidhogg. But it's likely this two-player side-scroller is nothing like any game most players have encountered before. A mix of limited abilities and one-hit deaths makes this game incredibly fun but very intense.

The premise of Nidhogg 2 is to duel one's opponent, defeat them, and run as far as possible into their territory. The enemy player will respawn with a new weapon and needs to be defeated again to continue progress. The ultimate goal is to reach the end of the opposite side, which is three screens away. Nidhogg 2 is simple in theory, and usually, games don't last much more than a few minutes - but the best of the best might spend upwards of ten minutes trying to take each other out and win the game.

2 Street Fighter 6

Classic Fighting PvP

Ed's Light Combo in Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6
Display card tags widget
Fighting
Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
June 2, 2023
Developer(s)
Capcom
Genre(s)
Fighting

Street Fighter 6 is the most recent installment in the classic fighting game series. It features three different modes, two of which center around PvP combat. Fighting Ground and Battle Hub encourage both local and online multiplayer, where gamers can fight until one person is victorious - much like the arcade style of the franchise's roots.

image showing a list of accessories and pieces of gear in street fighter 6.
Street Fighter 6: Best Gear and Accessories, Ranked

Here are the ultimate accessories and pieces of equipment for Avatars in Street Fighter 6.

Most Street Fighter 6 PvP matches only take a few minutes, and are very unlikely to run for a long time. It's the definitive fighting game, packaged with brilliant graphics and updated gameplay. Street Fight 6 is the perfect title for players who don't like long-winded games, and it's ideal to hop in with friends and go a few rounds during a spare hour.

3 Stick Fight: The Game

Snappy PvP

Stick Fight players jumping and engaging in combat
Stick Fight: The Game
Display card tags widget
Side-scroller
Fighting
Action
Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
September 28, 2017
Genre(s)
Side-scroller, Fighting, Action

Stick Fight: The Game is exactly what it sounds like. Players assume the role of a stick figure and battle other players in a fast-paced fight to the death. It's for 2 to 4 players and can be played locally or online - making it the perfect, snappy PvP choice for a game night.

The whole point of this game is that the rounds are quick, often taking a few seconds and never usually more than a few minutes. Players can continue to go up against each other and obtain various weapons for new take-downs, racking up kills until one person remains victorious. The player who won the previous round will get a neat little crown, which makes it all the more fun to take them down.

4 Dead By Daylight

Escape Camp ASAP

One Quality of Life Feature Would Be a Game Changer For Dead by Daylight
Dead by Daylight
Display card tags widget
Horror
Survival
Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
June 14, 2016
Developer(s)
Behaviour Interactive
Genre(s)
Horror, Survival

Dead by Daylight is a multiplayer survival game where one player takes on the role of a killer, and the others become victims desperately trying to escape. It's a unique style of PvP that requires players to use specific perks and environmental aspects to win. Typically played as a 1v4, it's a fresh take on PvP games with a lot more focus on atmosphere and wits rather than brute force.

Isaac from Dead Space with his copper helmet on, next to Sam from Until Dawn in her towel with a flashlight
5 Horror Games With Big Plot Twists

As if these games weren't unsettling enough already.

Most Dead by Daylight games take around twenty minutes, potentially longer if players are either very good or very bad. It's more complex than a lot of other PvP games, but it doesn't lose the intensity of player-on-player conflict, which makes it a nice in-between. While it is on the lengthier end of quick-to-play PvP titles, it provides a different enjoyment to dual/fighting-based games.

5 Rocket League

Fast-Paced Rounds

Best Sports Indie Games Rocket League
Rocket League
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
July 7, 2015
Developer(s)
Psyonix
Platform(s)
PC, PS4, Xbox One, macOS, Linux, Switch
Genre(s)
Sports

For those who have never played Rocket League, the game might look bizarre - probably because it kind of is. Rocket League is, at its core, a sports simulator where players go head-to-head in soccer. The catch: everyone is in a car.

This fast-paced, team-based PvP game has become massively popular since its release in 2015, quickly becoming a big name in esports. The best part is that Rocket League matches last around five minutes, so players can get a quick match in whenever they have some spare time. After five minutes, the game goes into sudden death where the next person to score wins the whole game - meaning there's very little chance of the game accidentally running over.

6 Brawlhalla

Speedy Fighting

Two Signature Moves meeting - Brawlhalla Mistakes
Brawlhalla
Display card tags widget
Fighting
Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
October 17, 2017
Developer(s)
Blue Mammoth Games
Platform(s)
PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Android, iOS
Genre(s)
Fighting

Brawlhalla is a Super Smash Bros. Style fighting game where players battle it out to see who's the best. A selection of different maps and game modes keep it interesting, and the controls are incredibly easy to learn. Whether it's 1v1 or a free-for-all, Brawlhalla is a brilliantly fun game that will have players cheering, raging, and celebrating victories. It's also another game that picked up a lot of traction in competitive esports, proving how popular it is.

For those who don't want to invest hours of their life, Brawlhalla matches typically only last a few minutes - even if players go multiple rounds in a row. As the characters take damage, they become progressively more likely to be knocked off-screen, and eventually, one person will be the sole survivor. A combination of the easy-to-learn mechanics and short matches make Brawlhalla an easy go-to during a few free minutes.

10 Best Co-Op PvP Games On Steam, Ranked with Dota 2, Apex Legends, BattleBit Remastered feature image
10 Best Co-Op PvP Games On Steam, Ranked

For players looking to team up with some friends online or on the couch for some PvP action look no further than these Co-Op games available on Steam.