I've been playing fighting games for over 30 years — here are my top 3 current favorite games (and controllers)
I've been playing fighting games ever since Street Fighter II dragon punched its way to arcades in 1991. This was my absolute favorite genre during the '90s, thanks to other classics like Mortal Kombat, Darkstalkers, Virtua Fighter, Soul Calibur, and many more. If it featured 1-on-1 (or 2-on-2) battles, I was all over it.
My passion for fighting games was reignited last year when the Marvel vs. Capcom Collection—a collection I had wanted for almost two decades—was released. This opened the floodgates, and I'm playing more fighting games now than ever. Rarely a day goes by where I'm not playing the likes of The King of Fighters XV, Tekken 8, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, and Street Fighter 6.
I love fighting games, and I want to share that passion with anyone who'll listen. To that end, I want to tell you about my current top 3 favorite fighting games. And as a bonus, I'll also tell you about my favorite fighting game controllers, because you don't want to go into a battle without the right weapon.
Crafting this small list wasn't easy, but these are my top three favorite fighting games currently available.
You might think having the latest Street Fighter in an article about fighting games was a no-brainer, but that wouldn't have been true for me during the dark days of Street Fighter V. Thankfully, Capcom learned from its mistakes and delivered what I consider the best overall entry in this legendary series. Street Fighter 6 is truly that good.
From classic arcade and online modes to a sprawling open-world adventure, Street Fighter 6 has something for newbies and veterans alike. New mechanics like the Drive gauge work seamlessly with the decades-old controls, making this game feel both familiar and new. It also has a robust and varied character roster, detailed yet stylized graphics, and a lot of unlockable content.
Street Fighter 6 is my overall favorite fighting game of this generation and one I'd recommend to anyone interested in the genre.
Street Fighter 6 is a triumph thanks to features like World Tour mode and control schemes accommodating casual and advanced players. This is unquestionably one of the best fighting games of all time and one of the strongest entries in the long-running franchise.
Aside from Samurai Shodown, I didn't play SNK's fighting games growing up. Thanks to my newfound passion for the genre, I finally got into the company's long-running The King of Fighters franchise. Doing so primed me for what is now a fighting game I adore — Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.
Though a direct sequel to 1999's Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves and filled to the brim with references to SNK fighters, City of the Wolves is an excellent entry point in the long-running Fatal Fury series. It features a clean comic book-like art style, fluid animations, hard-hitting combos, and an abundance of single-player and online features.
SNK has been on an upward trajectory over the past decade, and City of the Wolves continues that trend gloriously. If you like Street Fighter and want to check out something different yet familiar, you owe it to yourself to play Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. It's fantastic.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a fighting game for fighting game fans, thanks to its deep gameplay mechanics and diverse character roster. Offering a slew of single-player and multiplayer modes, this game has something for just about everyone.
I was a huge Virtua Fighter fanboy growing up, so I always (foolishly) ignored the Tekken series since I viewed it as an inferior take on Sega's iconic fighting game series. But thanks to some holiday sales last year, I finally got into Tekken with the superlative Tekken 7. As great as that game is, the title that truly won me over is the latest installment, Tekken 8.
Like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 has plenty of engaging single and multiplayer content. I adore the Arcade Quest mode, where you take a cartoon avatar to various arcades in Japan. Story mode contains some truly hype moments, and the characters' endings are also very engaging. The online modes can be a humbling experience since I'm no Tekken expert, but ranking up can become addictive.
Tekken 8 is currently experiencing some woes after the recent season 2 patch threw the game's mechanical balance into disarray, but the team is working hard to fix it. That said, you'll still find an engaging game containing gorgeous graphics, precise controls, a huge roster and a slew of content. Don't count Tekken 8 out just yet!
Tekken 8 is a classy fighter that wisely never takes itself too seriously. Sweeping and silly, it uses cutting-edge graphical tech to deliver an experience that is both bruising and beautiful. However, it has too many self-indulgent story mode cutscenes.
Though modern fighting games are designed to work with standard controllers, you'll have a better experience with a proper fighting game controller. Here are three options to consider.
Though I initially played fighting games in arcades, I've played exclusively with controllers for the better part of 30 years. Given my recent obsession with the genre, I decided to finally master playing on the best fight sticks. The best one I've tested so far is the Victrix Pro FS.
As I said in my Victrix Pro FS review, it's the ultimate arcade stick for fighting game fans thanks to its sturdy aluminum frame, removable joystick, responsive Sanwa parts and excellent gaming performance. Toss in quality-of-life features like a removable joystick, easy customization and side handles, and you have a truly premium peripheral. Though the Victrix Pro FS is very expensive at $399, it offers an arcade stick experience like no other.
The Victrix Pro FS epitomizes arcade stick excellence thanks to its all-aluminum frame, responsive Sanwa Denshi parts, phenomenal performance and helpful quality-of-life features. Though one of the most expensive arcade sticks available, it's arguably worth every penny. This is the ultimate arcade stick for those willing to pay a premium.
I've been a fan of Hori's Fighting Commander controllers since the Street Fighter IV days, so I can confidently say the new Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro is on another level. It's the fighting game controller of my dreams, and one I'd recommend to any fighting game fan.
The Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro features an ergonomic design that makes it easy to hold even during the sweatiest matches. It also has a 6-button layout, flawless wired or wireless performance, and even swappable D-Pads. When I'm not using an arcade stick, the Fighting Commander Pro Octa is my go-to peripheral for fighting games.
The Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro raises the bar for fightpads thanks to its ergonomic design, smart button layout, high customizability and superlative performance. Though its light weight can make it feel cheap, Hori's controller sets a new standard for fighting game controllers.
Leverless controllers, or controllers with four directional buttons instead of a joystick, have become all the rage in the FGC (Fighting Game Community). This is a controller type I'm still getting used to, but it's clear that leverless controllers have many advantages over traditional arcade sticks. For proof of that, look no further than the exquisite Razer Kitsune.
Thanks to the leverless design, you can perform certain actions much faster than on an arcade stick. Using the Razer Kitsune is almost like playing in god mode, once you get used to it. This controller's low-profile design makes it easy to travel with, and its equally low-profile linear switches offer excellent performance. While not a cheap peripheral, the Razer Kitsune is arguably the best leverless controller out there.
The Razer Kitsune is an all-button fighting game controller that's arguably the best in its class. It features an ultra-portable design, spectacular performance, fast linear optical switches and fun RGB lighting. Though expensive, it's a worthwhile investment for serious fighting game enthusiasts.
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