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[cj_iwakura]

Another little genre that I don't think we've had voting for before, and since I love fighting games and would love to see everyone's consensus, let's get it on.

Voting Phase


Voting will be open for the next two weeks, ending on August 14th, 2016 at 11:59PM EST.

Feel free to edit your votes until then, but use your original post instead of duplicating the list on a new post. After the voting phase, I'll tally everyone's picks and create an OP with summaries of the top games.


1. Each member can vote for up to 5 games + 5 honorable mentions. If you include 5 games or less on your list, I'll count them all as regular votes. If you have more than 5 games on your list but do not specify which ones are honorable mentions, I will assume the first 5 are regular votes and the ones after that are honorable mentions. If you want to list more than 10 games (some users did in the RPG thread), put them under a second heading called "Unranked Honorable Mentions".

2. You need to vote for at least 3 games to qualify. The purpose of this thread is to highlight fighting games that you think are essential or worth playing, not to boost the ranking of 1 or 2 of your favorites.

3. Votes are semi-weighted. This is done to (hopefully) avoid ties in the final list. All regular votes are worth 2 points and all honorable mentions are worth 1 point. Following rule #1, this means you can have up to 5 games that each receive 2 points and 2 honorable mentions that each receive 1 point. Ideally, this will help to break up the number of ties.

4. All sub-genres of fighting games are eligible for voting. Votes can be for any title released any system(or PC) at any point in time prior to the time you post your list.

Much like in the other voting threads, I won't be picky about what is or isn't a fighting game. If there's an element of defeating the other challenger, go for it. Puzzle, action, rhythm game(!?), whatever.

If you think someone's nomination isn't appropriate, let it be, the votes will tell the tale.

5. It's encouraged to back up your choices! It's more interesting to read a post that explains why you enjoy them, and it's also good feedback for the results thread.

Screens and music encouraged!

I highly encourage voters to include a few choice songs within their lists, ideally with links to youtube recordings or what not, i.e. You Blow My Mind(3rd Strike).

6. Use full titles for the games you are voting for. Tallying votes is a tedious process that is made more difficult when people vote for SFIV instead of Street Fighter IV and so on.

7. Votes for ports and expansions of a game will be counted together with the original, platform won't be a factor. Try to avoid voting for the same game twice, i.e. Ultra SFIV vs Super SFIV, unless it's a wildly different game(i.e. Alpha 2 VS Alpha 3).

That said, feel free to vote for a specific version of a game (and/or to explain why that is the best version).

Here is a ballot template you can use:

1) Fighting Game 1 - Explanation
(image)
Soundtrack Example (Game)

2) Fighting Game 1 - Explanation
(image)
Soundtrack Example (Game)

3) Fighting Game 1 - Explanation
(image)
Soundtrack Example (Game)

4) Fighting Game 1 - Explanation
(image)
Soundtrack Example (Game)

5) Fighting Game 1 - Explanation
(image)
Soundtrack Example (Game)


Honorable Mentions

1) Fighting Game 1 - Explanation
(image)
Soundtrack Example (Game)

2) Fighting Game 1 - Explanation
(image)
Soundtrack Example (Game)

-------------------------------------------------------------

Feel free to modify the format if you want to include pictures or whatever.

Happy voting! I'll post mine soon.

 

["God's Beard!"]

1) Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

The fighting game with the highest density of fighting game mechanics. They couldn't cram in enough, so they let you play as two characters at once!

2) Hokuto No Ken

Just good old fashioned footsies and hard reads. Test your fundamentals with HnK. ST my ass.

3) Reckless Cyclist

Divekick before Divekick was an idea in Keits' brain. Old man bike sumo, let's go.

4) Marvel vs Capcom 1

I hate blocking.

5) Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

It's basically Jojo's 2, and that's good enough for me.

Dishonorable Mention:

The king of kuso.

 

[Tizoc]

Oh this is relevant to my interests

 

[Azuardo]

1. Dead or Alive 5: Last Round
Grossly overlooked as a series, DOA5 is a really rewarding and beautiful fighting game that is incredibly easy to learn, but has considerable amounts of depth beneath its layers, with a fun and unique parry/counter system. There are lots of modes and characters, but the greatest thing is just how well balanced it all is - any character can beat anyone. Team Ninja takes feedback from fans and applies updates to ensure it continues to play as competitive and balanced as possible. Fan involvement is a big part of what makes the relationship between developer and community so good; annual costume design contests are run, with winners getting their outfits made and put into the game, and TN appears at events, engaging with pro players. There is also a fantastic F2P version, with almost every mode unlocked - just buy your main characters and you can live off the F2P version without paying anything extra. DOA has become the current home for Virtua Fighter characters, and with Mai Shiranui being added, I hope to see some King of Fighters players joining the lobbies soon!

Soundtrack:
Roar of the Crowd / Oiran Drive / Roaming Blossom / Hitohira DW SW Mix / Tehu Tehu DW SW Mix / Ryu's Determination DW SW Mix


2. Soul Calibur 2
I loved the original on Dreamcast, and I would have bought this regardless, but after Link was confirmed for the GC version, that just cemented the deal. The Weapon Master story mode is still one of the best single-player modes in a fighting game, with lots of cool and gimmicky scenarios employed to offer a twist on the normal fighting mechanics.

Soundtrack:
Confrontation / Raise Thy Sword / Healing Winds


3. Dead or Alive 2 (/DOA2 Hardcore)
My first DOA game that I played on Dreamcast, I fell in love with the characters and fast-paced fighting system. I hadn't learned how to play fighting games properly when I got this, but going back to it today, it still holds up perfectly and looks great.

Soundtrack:
Kasumi Remix / Blazed Up Melpomene / Excelsior / Hitohira / The Shooted / Vigaku


4. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
SF2 on SNES is probably the first fighting game I owned, but the HD Remix is the ultimate version I can easily come back to, with optional remixed music and graphics.

Soundtrack:
Ken Stage Remix / Zangief Stage Remix / Balrog Stage Remix


5. BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend
The story is confusing, but also amusing and funny, with lots of unique and quirky characters to satisfy just about everyone's desires. I love the flashy fighting system and heavy metal soundtrack.

Soundtrack:
Six Heroes / Under Heavy Destruction II / Black and White


Honourable Mentions:
1. Dissidia Duodecim Final Fantasy
I'm a huge FF fan, so this was like heaven to me when it was announced. The sequel gets the mention for the extra characters.

2. Soul Calibur
Incredible and satisfying weapons-based fighting game, only not making my main list because of SC2's story mode. Seung Mina is the best.

3. Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator
It's hard not to fall in love with the fantastic visual presentation of this.

4. Super Smash Bros. Melee
Such a massive improvement over the original game. A Nintendo fan's dream.

5. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
I liked this one for the introduction of a proper story mode and the excellent music remixes. Smash 4 was a massive downgrade in these departments, hence me preferring this.

 

[dancingphlower]

1) Marvel vs Capcom 3 - This is the fighting game that gets me the most hype, and it combines two of my favorite things in life, Marvel comics and Capcom games. I have never had more fun with a fighting game than I have had with Marvel vs Capcom 3.

2) Street Fighter IV - I have always like fighting games, but this is the one that really made me interested in the FGC and the tournament scene. V plays better but this game was the complete package as far as being a game goes.

3) Mortal Kombat X - So much content! As far as content goes, this game has it all. A really satisfying combat system, the sound design in particular is standout for the hit feedback.

4) Injustice: Gods Among Us - I like this for similar reasons as MK9/MKX, but with the added bonus of having DC characters. The fighting is not quite as polished as MKX though.

5) Soul Calibur II - Still the GOAT as far as 3D fighters go. Much of my youth was spent playing this game.

 

[Neoxon]

MY TOP 5

1. Street Fighter III: Third Strike - Capcom
   
   

   

   
   This is by far my favorite Street Fighter game in the franchise. The amount of variety within the cast is still fantastic to this day, & the visuals have aged beautifully thanks to the spectacular sprites & animations of the game. To me, this is the pinnacle of fighting games.
   
   
   
2. Street Fighter V - Capcom/Dimps
   
   

   

   Easily the game of the FGC right now. It has its problems right now, certainly, but the gameplay is fantastic & it will be supported for the long-term. If you're looking to get into fighting games (especially for the competitive scene), this would be my first recommendation. I kinda feel bad about putting 2 Street Fighter games on the list, but I just enjoy these 2 games too much.
   
   
   
3. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 - Capcom/Eighting
   
   

   

   
   It's lasted this long at EVO for a reason. Even for how broken the game is, UMvC3 is just pure distilled hype. I wouldn't trade this game, or the series, for anything in the world.
   
   
   
4. Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- - Arc System Works
   
   

   

   
   If UMvC3 was pure insanity, then GGXrd is hype on a leash. It's nowhere near as broken as UMvC3, but it still has much of that hype. Not to mention that the models look fantastic in this game & will likely age like fine wine going forward. Arc System Works should be commended for what they were able to pull off with this game.
   
   
   
5. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U - Nintendo/Sora Ltd./Bandai Namco Games
   
   

   

   
   Soon to be Super Smash Bros. for NX (or whatever the final name of the NX is) if recent rumors are to be believed, Smash 4 is quite easily the 2nd best Smash game in the franchise in my eyes (under only Melee). The only reason why I didn't mention Melee in this list is because I'm mainly focusing on games that can still be obtained within reason (yes, Capcom's license to sell UMvC3 expired a few years back, but you can at least pick up a used copy of UMvC3 at a reasonable price). That said, Smash 4 has a massive roster, solid balance, & interesting gameplay that's still growing to this day. And while sure, it's not as hype as Melee right now, Smash 4 is well on its way to catch up. Sure, Smash 4 isn't your typical fighting game (same for the other Smash games), but it's still a great fighting game for what it is.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (In No Particular Order)

• Skullgirls: 2nd Encore - Lab Zero Games
  
  

  

  
  Everyone has their lesser-known favorite, & this is mine. Skullgirls embodies much of what I love about the MvC games. On top of that, its cast of characters are interesting, its 2D art is beautiful (& something we don't see much from fighting game developers anymore, BlazBlue aside), & the fact that you can choose how many people you want on your team is an interesting dynamic. It's a damn shame that this game didn't pick up steam in the FGC, but I'm glad that it exists. You owe it to yourself to give this game a shot (preferably the PS4 version).
  
  
  
• Super Smash Bros. Melee - Nintendo/HAL Laboratory
  
  

  

  
  It kinda pains me to put this in Honorable Mentions, seeing as this is my favorite Smash game. But as stated in the Smash 4 justification, Melee isn't exactly readily available for cheap (the disc, I mean). Melee is one of those rare instances where the metagame has the depth of a black hole, & we're still going down the hole. The game is a marvel to watch during competitive play and is fun as hell to play for both casual & competitive play.
  
  
  
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2 - Bandai Namco Games
  
  

  

  
  This was literally the dream Tekken game with everyone I could imagine in the Tekken universe (at the time) being playable. I'll probably swap this out for Tekken 7 whenever that drops, but this was a damn good fighting game that deserves your time. If nothing else, it'll tide you over until Tekken 7 comes to consoles & PC. It's just a shame that I can't use my arcade stick on the Wii U version (at least not the Brook Multi-Console PCB, but I think the converter may work).

 

[RS4-]

1. Street Fighter II Super Turbo
- If it wasn't 3s, it was ST.

2. Street Fighter III 3rd Strike
- See above.

3. Street Fighter Alpha 3
- CCs kinda ruin it

4. Capcom vs SNK 2
- Best crossover game

5. Virtua Fighter Final Showdown
- Best 3d fighter

Honorable Mentions
1. Powerstone
2. Bushido Blade
3. Guilty Gear XX +R AC RELOADED something something

 

[Tizoc]

I will tidy this up in time

1. Garou: Mark of the Wolves

Among SNK's top 10 fighters. Great visuals, wonderful soundtrack and easy to get into combat system. It's 14 characters each have their own style and even though it has a few balance problems, it's a great fighter all around.

2. Street Fighter V

From a gameplay PoV, I really like the combo system and its sub systems. Like Garou, I like it for its simplicity from a casual stand point.

3. Real Bout 2

A great dream match that takes Fatal Fury's traditional 2 lane system and offers a great traditional fighting game with a wide variety of characters with their own style.
While not necessarily the most combo-centric game ever, it has a fluid combo system.
May not be the easiest fighting game to learn, especially with the Super inputs, it remains a solid fighting game worth getting into.

4. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

5. Guilty Gear Xrd REVELATOR

 

[SephLuis]

I will post my reasons later, but for now a few games with no particular order:

1) Street Fighter V

Playing it daily and didn't got tired of it. I hope I like it as much in the following years, but so far it's been truly a great game.

2) Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator

I love past GGs, but this one has a better set of mechanics. And Elphelt.

3) Street Fighter III Third Strike

My go to SF game before V. The amount of things you can do in this game is insane.

4) Soul Calibur II

SC2 and SC4 were my favorites of the series, but II takes the cake because it's a much more complete package than 4 ever was.

5) Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax

I doubt many people played this which is quite sad. I consider FC to be great because every character has the access to universal mechanics that make the guessing game on this absolutely amazing. Everyone has a wake up. Everyone has a move with armor. Everyone has an overhead. And so on. Everyone has the tools for all times needed so it's up to the player to make the difference.

Honorable mentions:

Super Smash Bros Wii U
Arcana Heart 3 Love Max
Dead Or Alive 5
Blazblue Continuum Shift
Street Fighter X Tekken

Extra honorable mentions:
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Tekken 5

 

[pizzacat]

All I wrote disppeared so
1)Vampire Savior
2)3S and 2I
3)KOF2002
4)Tekken Tag 2
5)Shaq Fu

Y'all boys missed out an essay about vsav and shaq fu

 

[.la1n]

1) Vampire Savior - I have no other fighting game that I consider to hit every single bullet point of features I want in a fighter. Art direction is always going to be divisive but if you loved classic monster movies as much as I did growing up then this game is the ultimate love letter.

This would have been enough for 13 year old me but fortunately there was also a fantastic fighting game engine at the core. Rounds? Nope. Just two life bars to keep things moving (my personal first known example of this type of "round" implementation is the Darkstalkers series.) Forward and backwards rolls after being grounded. Dark Force Supers that could completely change the way a character plays. I could go on and on but you need to try it for yourself if you haven't. Don't be intimidated - it's actually a reasonably balanced fighter from Capcom and still brings amazing tournament matches with it to this day. Also check out Mizuumi Wiki on VS - one of the best guides ever created: http://wiki.mizuumi.net/w/Vampire_Savior

Did I mention the Darkstalkers series brought with it the greatest fighting game character ever created? Hsien Ko, of course.

I won't take up more time but the soundtrack deserves a mention as it's a very important aspect of each of my favorite fighting games. It is unfortunate that Capcom doesn't produce work like this anymore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIVGLUZcgWI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrEFYwBacbs

2) Street Fighter III - This game was and will always be hotly debated among SF aficionados. I grew up spending every moment I had with friends at the local arcade playing Street Fighter II. It was easily the most played game of my childhood. To say I was excited to hear there was a true third entry coming to the franchise would be an understatement. I waited for what felt like hours to get some play time in on the machine when my arcade got it and was not disappointed. It felt really fresh, both in game play and the roster. Speaking of the roster, this was the source of most player's love or hate for the game at launch. You either liked the weird new ensemble or pined for more Ryus and Kens.

Aesthetically the game blew everything else out of the water (and still does.) Some of the most detailed sprite work you will ever see.

The game had several updates and roster expansions. I think most will agree that Third Strike was the best version of the game. I can still play all version of the game and have a great time. I recommend the Iron Galaxy port on 360/PS3 if you want a way to check the game out, great netcode as well.

The soundtrack was also as divisive as the cast and parry system but there were quite a few gems in there:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFBg8gVHKrQ&index=4&list=PL99E7866E06EC14C8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCRTKhNWbW8&index=18&list=PL99E7866E06EC14C8

3) Killer Instinct (2013) - I was wracking by brain over which game from the current roster of fighting games that deserved to be in my top 3 and ultimately decided on KI. I never took the originals seriously but always loved the loud music and crazy aesthetics (for much of the same reasons Darkstalkers appealed to me.) When I heard they were bringing it back I could not believe it but remained highly skeptical they would pull off a legitimately good reboot.

As luck would have it they did pull it off. Big time. The game hits almost all the same bullet points for a great fighting game in my eyes as Vampire Savior. The cast is unique and plays off the horror/monster/action movie tropes really well. The game play is just as unique going from character to character. Combat director Adam "Keits" Heart makes every new character feel completely different to play than the last.

I think it says a lot for the game when I can absolutely loathe a portion of it (combo breaker system) but everything else around it is just so fun that I keep playing.

Easily the highlight is the attention they poured into the sound track. While season 3 has stumbled a bit due to Mick Gordan leaving I still believe it has easily one of the best soundtracks available period, not just in a fighting game.

My personal favorites:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZLmf3n00IM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JapDyUwAu8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGU8sBBNLZY

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

1. Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator
   

   

   Classic series with great characters that are all unique, great systems that aren't a total pain to use, and unlike Accent Core it's not prohibitively hard (while still not being too simple).
2. Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs Full Boost
   

   

   If Smash is allowed to be a fighting game so is this. A Gundam fan's wet dream in an infuriatingly fun 2v2 format, and like 90 playable suits or something that all manage to be pretty unique and viable in their own way. Probably the most deceptive games on the list in terms of difficulty, being good at this game takes work.
3. Street Fighter III 3rd Strike
   
   
   
   Not much to say, this is what I think of when I think of Street Fighter. This gif specifically as a matter of fact.
4. Tekken Tag Tournament 2
   

   

   I won't lie, Tekken the kinda game that I'll always say the newest one is my favorite, so this could change (especially since most of my characters are in 7). 3D fighting doesn't get much better than this.
5. Under Night In-Birth
   

   

   I wanted to give this spot to Melty Blood, but as much fun as that game is and despite it's long history, I think UNIEL is just a better game all around. It's all the fun of poverty anime games but it looks real perty. Overall it's a clean game, no weird systems or super obtuse characters, which is nice is a genre where games get bogged down in their attempts to be new and fresh.

Honorable Mentions:
Persona 4 Arena: Great game, but I hated the sequel and no one wants to play the old version with me

I'll probably flesh this out later but who knows. There's only so many ways to say I like a game.

 

[CommandThrower]

I nominate the following:

1: Killer Instinct

The revival of the classic arcade fighter by Rareware on Xbox One. Killer Instinct returned with a vengeance, bringing back every character from the original two games, and completely revitalizing the game's combo system and characters. While the game feels very much like a modern Street Fighter, the game's combo system and some of the individual character mechanics make Killer Instinct unlike any other fighter currently on the market. The soundtrack is also done by the illustrious Mick Gordon, and it's one of the very best video game soundtracks ever released. Here's three examples: TJ Combo Thunder Orchid

2: Soul Calibur 2

The first sequel in the Soul Calibur franchise holds up as it's best one. Guard impacts were simplified, character fighting styles were expanded upon, and overall it is a very simple 3D fighter that is very easy to get into. The console version's weapon master mode is also a very fun single player mode, with a lot of gimmicky fights against the AI. I think it may also be the first fighting game to really introduce guest characters from other game companies.

3: Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown

Virtua Fighter has had the reputation of being a hard game to play. Honestly, playing and understanding Virtua Fighter's system mechanics and the "rock paper scissors" style gameplay is a lot easier than it seems. While VF5: FS is not the most technical VF game, I think it stands out at the most fun VF game. The character customization is the best in all fighting games, and all the game's mechanics come together so well. It's my favorite 3D fighter.

4: The King of Fighters 98

The KOF game that many herald as the best one in the franchise. I'm not a KOF pro, but KOF 98 is a very fun KOF game with a solid roster, at a time when KOF was at it's most solid. The game is very fast, very frantic, and super high stakes when played at it's highest level.

Honorable Mentions

1: Street Fighter V

The game is a very, very solid fighting game. It's currently on top of the FGC, as it was expected to be. I don't really have a lot to say about it other than that.

2: Soul Calibur 5

Soul Calibur 5 tried a lot of new things with it's mechanics, and took a lot of risks with it's roster. It's a very technically sound fighting game, and is a very fun experience when compared to it's prior entries. Unfortunately, I feel that lot of the added mechanics give the game a level of complexity that I think is unnecessary when compared to the much simpler Soul Calibur 2, but the game is still very fun regardless.

 

[NEO0MJ]

Oh man, this is gonna be tough. So many games to choose from. So many reasons to pick one over another.

1) Super Smash Bros. Melee - Flawed as it may be, this is probably my favorite fighter of all time to play. It arrived at just the right time where I didn't have much to do yet was smart enough to understand how to improve. I was on a Nintendo high at the time and so the cast was perfect for me. Fast gameplay, up to four play with free for all and teams, nice variety of characters with plenty of strange picks, and a sweet soundtrack.

Fountain of Dreams is art.

2) Vampire Savior - Another game I really got into, though this time mostly online. While I was originally introduced to it via Darkstalkers Chronicle I only in depth with it later with GGPO. So much time was spent on it. In my humble opinion the game probably has the best designed and animated characters of all time in a fighter. What I liked about the gameplay was while it was technical never felt impossible to grasp.

Though to be frank I thought it had one of the weaker OSTs in a fighter ¯_(&#12484_/¯

3) Tekken Tag Tournament 2 - From here it starts becoming more difficult. I wasn't even sure if this game should take this rank but I'll allow it for now as it's top 5 regardless.

Game had a lot of good tracks, and Condor Canyon is one of those that stuck with me. So catchy.

4) Gundam Extreme VS: Full Boost - I fucking loved the game Gotcha Force on the gamecube but you know what its problem was? Not enough mechas. From the same team comes Gundam VS which takes Gotcha Force's combat and pushes it to the next level. More moves, techniques, and better balance from their past work. And most importantly, more mechas. You get to choose your avatar from a huge cast, starting from the orginal all the way to the latest series, as well as lesser known mobile suits from mangas and novels.
This is the arena fighter which clicked the most with me. the 2vs2 style makes coordinating with your partner and spacial awareness essential. Play on your own and you'll lose every time. Only flaw how melee mobile suits seem underpowered. And no localization or lan play.

Music is pretty good. Our Own Heart, Clear, and Serene Hand, Like Raging Flames from G Gundam is a favorite.

5) Super Smash Bros for Wii U - While I originally didn't want to include more than one game per series I just had to give 5th place to this. Smash 4 sits at a nice place tween Melee's super competitive gamestyle and Brawl's easy to play style, while having the most balanced and varied roster in the series history. Guests were so well implemented and while not perfect Omega mode allows players to play on what are often considered gimmicky stages.

Soundtrack is insane here. So many tracks to chose from, both in original form or remixes. Unfortunately they decided to cut almost every track to two minutes. Punch Out's Jogging theme is a favorite.

Honorable Mentions

1) Killer Instinct X1 - This game was close to entering my top 5 but didn't enter due to how relativity new I am to it while at same time feeling like I'm still in the honeymoon phase.
While some might not enjoy the artstyle, I dig it and it and really appreciate having a modern game made up monsters like the Vampire Series. The variety of cast isn't just aesthetic as it helps make each fighter something truly unique, each playing the game tr own way. Combo system is also really cool and a everything is a gamble. Only problem is that it feels like some managed to memorize every linker and auto making landing a good combo difficult. I guess that's what counter breaker is for, though.

Music is amazing, Mick Gordon was a god. Each track really felt like it encompassed a character's essence. Hinnamatoom is a favorite.


2) Marvel VS Capcom - I fucking loved this game wen I was younger. Even though I could only play it at the arcades the roster and gameplay was amazing to me. Spider Man? Megaman? Gambit? Wolverine? Zangief that can turn into a mecha? This was a dream roster for me. Plus badass characters that I've never sen before like Jin and Captain Commando.
The crazy moves and to me amazing simple mode meant I could imagine myself being awesome at the game just by mashing. And when I later found out about the PS1 emulators I bought a copy and spent ages with it on PC. I never actually knew what I was doing and never dealved deep into the game but I had insane fun with it, enough to make up for playing with others in 3, which is why I picked this over the other VS games.

I loved the character themes in this game, they really got me pumped. Captain America probably had the best theme in the game, and it's a shame what was done to it in 3.

3) Street Fighter IV - While some might not look on it fondly, I still played this and had more fun with it than any other SF game besides Alpha 3, but for that one I mostly played alone while with IV I played both locally and online a lot. It's also the point where I took fighters seriously so I give it points for that as well.

4) Guilty Gear Xrd - Even though almost none of my old faves made it to this game I still picked this over XX because I feel I had more fun with this and got to play with others. Actually knowing what you can do here really helps with enjoying this game, and I found an extremely fun new character with Bedman.

5) Skullgirls - Probably one of the most beautiful fighting games ever. While the style is not for everyone, you got to give them credit for how well it's animated. This was a labor of love and you can't help but feel that the universe was out to get it but somehow they persevered. Game plays like a more grounded Marvel and while it had some difficulties finding it's footing Mike and Co eventually got it right. Unfortunately the constant changes made keeping up kinda difficult and I feel that might have hurt the game.
Soundtrack was nice though I can't help but feel that some tracks were a bit out of place. Nightmare Crest was a favorite.

 

[ZeroTheShadow]

Tekken 5R

Soul Calibur 2

Tekken 6: BR

Tekken 7: FR

Marvel vs. Capcom 2

 

[petghost]

no order.

Vampire Savior: i like the fact that while being incredibly fast paced it manages to have a very interesting space control game. feels like a super fast, bizarro world alpha game.

GGXXAC+R: loads of mechanics but isnt strangled by them and still leaves room for lots of personal expression which is something rare imo. dont think other arcsys games including xrd succeed in the same way.

3rd Strike: another game which leaves so much room for personal expression due to the openness of the system. it allows even crazy ass people like tominaga or vanao who play their characters in unorthodox ways to succeed. at the highest level its very much a FG about 2 people playing as opposed to mechanics and flowcharts and i think thats amazing.

just found a random clip of kuroda doing something fresh.

VF5FS: i dno enough about 3d games...but i like how such a simple system creates such interesting and complex mind games

MeltyBlood AACC: i really really like the neutral game and think the aerial footsies are the coolest in any fighting game im aware of.

 

[Tyrant Rave]

1) Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator-

Guilty Gear is the most metal series out there and it's my favorite. The Roman Cancel system is hands down one of my favorite mechanics to be featured in any game. Xrd shakes it up by eliminating the FRC for the Yellow/Red/Purple system and it's genius. The textbook example of how to make mechanics accessible without ruining what makes them good to begin with. The best fighting game on the market.

2) Marvel Vs. Capcom 2
This game is stupid, but it's fun as hell. It's lightning fast and provides you with a staggering amount of offensive options. It's a really rewarding game!... If you play top tiers.

3) Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme VS Full Boost
The best fighting game you aren't playing. 3D arena fighting at its finest. Even if you aren't into mecha or Gundam (why wouldn't you be into them though??), this game is absolutely amazing and deserves your time. Maxi Boost port when?

4) Tekken Tag Tournament 2
My favorite 3D fighter hands down. I love all of the tag stuff and the movement to the game. Hitting that bound into a tag assault into an ender never gets old.

5) Under Night In-birth Exe: Late
This game has some really slick and forward-thinking mechanics along with a very clean art style to it. I dig the character designs too, Merkava is the coolest.

Honorable mentions:
1) Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R
2) Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
3) Darkstalkers 3 / Vampire Savior
4) Melty Blood Actress Again: Current Code
5) Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!!!

 

[Anth0ny]

1. Melee: the GOAT

2. Super Turbo: timeless fun

3. Marvel 3: the best marvel wish it had a patch doe

4. Ultra SFIV: YALL are lames for dropping this game

 

[cj_iwakura]

I think this got more responses in a few hours than some of the previous ones did in an entire day.

 

[Kresnik258]

So, let me preface this by saying that I don't play fighting games competitively; nor do I follow the competitive scene, but I have played a lot of them over the years on consoles and definitely have some favourites just from the fun they've provided me.

1. Battle Arena Toshinden 3

I bet I'm alone in this one. Objectively it's a clunky, slow, ugly fighter from the era of early 3D, but man did I have fun with it. Packed with more characters than you can shake a stick at; fun modes and a killer soundtrack. Man, I could go on for weeks about the OST. Every track just fitted every character perfectly (something Toshinden always got right), everything was catchy and met the theme of the stage so well. It's a game I keep coming back to despite all of its flaws.

Soundtrack example - Sho's theme

2. Tekken Tag Tournament

I still haven't played the second Tekken Tag despite loving the first. I know it's just an enhanced version of Tekken 3, but man did I love this game. The mystery with unknown; the tight fighting mechanics; the beautiful locations; the returning characters. Everything about it just hit the right spots for me.

Soundtrack example - Hwoarang's theme

3. Street Fighter Ex 2 Plus

Yeah yeah I know, of all the Street Fighters to pick. It was actually my first one in the franchise, at a time I really loved 3D fighters. And man, it just blew me away. All the special moves you could pull off; all the characters you could unlock (Doctrine Dark clearly being the best, although Sharon was good too). And lord, Garuda was such a tough fight for me. My kingdom for Street Fighter Ex 4.

Soundtrack example - Three tree

4. Super Smash Bros Melee

My first Smash game, and having played all subsequent entries my favourite Smash game, though I can't quite put my finger on why. Just so much content and fun with friends. Making black holes on Hyrule Castle is probably my favourite memory, since I could never beat my mate who played Donkey Kong haha. Good times.

Soundtrack example - Brinstar Depths (strange choice, I know)

Honorable mention:

1. Dead or Alive 2 Hardcore

 

[wildfire]

1. Nidhogg

If there was a game that I wanted anyone totally new to gaming to play first to get an appreciation for fighting games it has to be Nidhogg. Almost every Fighting game that can be played emphasizes complex control schemes but Nidhogg eschews that so anyone can pick it up and play it. While the controls are sacrificed the game is intense because you die in one hit. The game adds further depth by forcing you to be more aware of your surroundings because to win you have advance your way across a map and on that map there isn't continuous flat surfaces like you see in almost every other fighting game.


2. Killer Instinct

When it comes to creating a list of essential games I feel I need to list games that represent the best types first and foremost. Street Fighter series is the pinacle fighting game that has shaped the genre. But it is Killer Instinct that I feel gets the Street Fighter formula better than any incarnation.

3. Tekken Tag Tournament 2

This was a really tough decision because Virtua Fighter is far more accessible nearly to the same degree Nidhogg is but the original Tekken Tag Tournament is pretty much the best 3D game in history.

4. Skull Girls / Marvel vs Capcom 2

Skull Girls is the culmination of taking the Hyper Turbo version of Street Fighter to its logical conclusion while introducing character designs and a setting that shows how gaming can evolve with modern cultural values. But those values rub certain people the wrong way so if you can't tolerate Skull Girls than play MvC 2 even though you are sacrificing a ton of additional content the core gameplay is similar enough to not have missed out on everything else that makes Skull Girls a complete package.


5. Super Smash Bros Melee

This game is at the same level of endurance as Counter Strike, Dota and Starcraft. But unlike those games it has yet to be usurped by a sequel. The reasons for that are myriad so you have to play this game and form your own conclusion of why it is timeless. For myself the reason this version of the game is so good is due to responsiveness.


6. Street Fighter 3rd Strike and 2nd Impact

Capcom may have lost out on being the best Street Fighter game with KI but Capcom showed off their talent in creating a solidly different enough game that still is worthy of being on essential list with 3rd Strike/2nd Impact.

7. Bushido Blade

This is the only fighting game series that realistically presents the value of weapons in a duel. This game has aged to a degree but if you put in the time you will find an appreciation for it eventually.

 

[mbpm1]

1. X-men: Next Dimension
2.
3.
4.
5. 3s

 

[Iva Demilcol]

I always forget to vote in this kind of threads but I'll give this a try.

 

[skLaFarebear]

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

My personal favorite fighting game. A fantastic fighter with an amazing cast (Adachi is one of the most well designed fighting game characters ever imo) with a fantastic OST and a surprisingly good amount of content. And it's netcode was surprisingly half decent considering it's Arcsys. At any level the game is fun to play and was great to watch at EVO and whenever it pops up at random tournies. There's no question the game has it's issues, but they're easy for me to overlook and it's really the only reason I still have my PS3 hooked up.

Spoiler

PS4 port pls Atlus/Arcsys.

Best fighting game main theme

Street Fighter V

A really well designed and well balanced fighter that's pretty rough around the edges. The new V-trigger/V-skill/V-reversal mechanics are really well thought out and add a new layer of systems to help feel each character feel more unique from one another. For a year 1 fighter, it's a really solid start and will only continue to get better through the years.

Ryu Theme - Story Mode Remix

Catherine

A story heavy decision game that also doubles as a puzzle game. However, many don't know that it's also secretly an amazing fighter! I had a blast playing the game's versus mode with a friend, but even I didn't know about the considerable amount of depth the game has to it's meta. For anyone that doesn't follow the competitive Catherine scene, look up some videos at EVO or just follow DacidBro on twitter and let him enlighten you to the amazing meta of Catherine.

Also features one of the best OST's from last gen.

Melty Blood: Actress Again Current Code

One of the most punishing fighting games I've ever played and it's amazing. With high emphasis on the corner pressure and having a solid neutral game on the ground and in the air, Melty forces you like no other fighter to learn how to play good defense and make good reactions. It's a really tough game to get into, but it's amazing fun, has great sprite work, a killer OST,

Spoiler

and has so many best girls.

Best character select theme

Soul Caliber 2

Played a ton of SC2 back before I even knew of it's competitive scene or the FGC as a whole. It's also probably the only fighter where I actually don't have a main and just like to pick random characters to play with. I have a lot of fond memories playing this game with friends back in middle/high school.

Honorable Mentions

Street Fighter 4
Super Smash Bros 4
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

 

[Pompadour]

1) Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
- The G.O.A.T. 2D Fighter

The G.O.A.T. Soundtrack

2) Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
- The best manga teams up with the best 2D fighting developer. I guess Capcom figured they borrowed enough from Jojo that might as well make a Jojo fighting game.

Yare yare daze.

3) Ultra Street Fighter 4
- I nominate this because I've probably played it more than any other fighter.

4) Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator
- I'd rank this higher if Slayer wasn't so shitty.

5) Virtua Fighter 4: Evo
- Probably the most fun I've had with a fighting game's single player.

---------------

6) Super Smash Bros. Melee
- My second most played fighting game.

7) Vampire Savior
- The extremely fast pace and art style make this superb.

8) Street Fighter V
- I prefer this to any of SF4's incarnations but it really hasn't been out long enough for me to put it in my top 5.

9) Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3
- I love this game mostly because of all the crazy tech. The idea that a character could be shitty overall but still useful if combined with the right team is very cool.

10) Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
- Better than Melee in any single aspect except the core gameplay isn't as fast.

 

[wildfire]

Catherine

A story heavy decision game that also doubles as a puzzle game. However, many don't know that it's also secretly an amazing fighter! I had a blast playing the game's versus mode with a friend, but even I didn't know about the considerable amount of depth the game has to it's meta. For anyone that doesn't follow the competitive Catherine scene, look up some videos at EVO or just follow DacidBro on twitter and let him enlighten you to the amazing meta of Catherine.

Also features one of the best OST's from last gen.

Never played this game but someone mentioned that the tournament at 2015 Evo was worth checking out and I was impressed. I may just bump off Street Fighter from my list for this. It's too unique while still fitting as a fighting game.

 

[Deps]

1. MVC2
Dabess Capcom game. The top tiers in this game have more depth than the entire roster of MVC3.

2. Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Best movement system, most fun footsie game.

3. VF5FS
The way everything interacts in this game is beautiful. More than any other fighting game, the system makes sense.

4. VSAV
Simple, fast, and fun. Everything a 2d game should be.

5. CVS2
Pressing buttons is fun.

 

[ShinMaruku]

My top 5 is:

1.King Of Fighters any of the dream matches because Rugal is the best and I do like the story behind KOF and it was the first fighting game I ever bought.

2. Guilty Gear Xrd Revalator. This game is well designed because all of the characters all have their unique systems that they must work with and it has the best animations in a 2d style fighting game. Dizzy is just perfection. Also it has the strongest story of a fighting game.

3.Dead or Alive 5 the game I have spent the most time playing and have the most knowledge on. It's a really solid 3d fighting game where all the suggestions have been thought on from fans to the developers. It has a very indepth training mode with framedata built into the game, all the characters play uniquely and the story and art style are very special. Also it makes more money than most of the other fighting games for obvious reasons.

4. Capcom vs SNK 2 chaos. A mix of KOF and Capcom games down with all the style and care of a well done cross over game. I spend many a hour playing this game alone.

5. Street Fighter X Tekken, the game's systems are really well done, the personality is there but my only issue is I was never good enough to truly engage in it.

 

[Tu101uk]

Oh boy, a Fighting Game voting thread, this'll be fun... :3

In no particular order...

Arcana Heart 3 Love Max!!!!!

My all-time favourite 2D fighting game series, Arcana Heart is a sleeper hit that made several appearances during the heydays of Japan's SBO Tougeki tournament. It's as absurd and garish in its all-female anime trope-laden presentation as it is crammed to the brim with numerous gameplay mechanics "inspired" from other games in the genre. The mechanics unique to this series really do make this game stand out though - the Arcana system allows you to mix and match the 23 maidens with any of the 23 summons to make countless combinations to fight with and against, whilst the Homing system makes for some extravagant combos and breathtaking air-to-air battles, DBZ-style.

Arcana Heart will put off some with its striking moe style, but beneath it lies a deep and fun fighting game with a heavy focus on ground and air spacing, punishing and converting, and unique gameplay mechanics.

The soundtrack is nothing to write home about (as are other parts of the presentation), so here's some UK tournament footage from earlier in the year :3 We have a dedicated little scene in London for this game and these two can compete with some of the best Japanese players. (Here's some bonus footage of me in same tournament on the way to a Top 3 finish )

Guilty Gear XX AC+R

With its rocking style, lightning-paced gameplay and eclectic mix of characters, for me GG is the definitive anime fighting game. Unlike its sister series BlazBlue, it's not dependant on memorising long character-specific chains of combos, but more on the point-to-point running battles during the course of the frenetic rounds.

I chose AC+R mainly because Anji, my main from it, isn't in Xrd yet, and I still have fond memories of playing this game, whereas Xrd still needs time to grow methinks (as well as put my main back in, hint hint ASW). Yes, it had a difficulty curve that was supposedly "fixed" in Xrd, but that didn't stop the enjoyment for me personally.

The soundtrack is just awesome (with SoulCalibur being the only other fighting game for me that has one that rivals it), there's nothing like putting work in Training Mode to Holy Orders...

Melty Blood Actress Again: Current Code

I probably owe my whole involvement with my local FGC to this one game - if I didn't go to a random PS2 MBAA tournament up in the Midlands, I would never have made the friends I know today.

It also helps that it's a fun, frantic game with a rather heavy emphasis on punishing, converting and rushing down. The main draw for me were the TYPE-MOON cast, mainly from Tsukihime, but I didn't really get into it until Ryougi Shiki made an appearance :3

Similarly, though the soundtrack is actually decent, my favourite track is technically from the Kara no Kyoukai films, where Ryougi Shiki was originally from

Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection

Tekken 2 was one of my earliest PlayStation games and I was hooked instantly on Namco's brand of 3D fighting games. For me, T5DR was the culmination of everything they tried and tested during the PSX and PS2 eras, before the age of Rage as a comeback mechanic and ground bounces that extend combos to infinity. It was also the last time I used Lei Wulong - after they significantly changed his movelist in T6 I switched over to Leo, who was just more fun for me.

The Tekken series has traditionally had good music, I still vividly remember Jin's Theme being pumping during that time...

Soul Calibur 3: Arcade Edition

I remember when my older bro got a Dreamcast with an arcade stick and the first SoulCalibur. Its fluid gameplay, medieval setting and grand presentation immediately captured my imagination. Fast-forward to today and we're waiting on a non-existent 6th instalment on its 20th anniversary year. Shame really, because it is my all-time favourite 3D fighting game series and I wish Bandai-Namco would treat it as well as its more successful sister series Tekken.

Also, I'm one of those weirdos who like Soul Calibur 3 the most, but only because I was fortunate enough to play the fixed and rebalanced Arcade Edition, where they also fleshed out Amy, Li Long and Hwang. I just wish they would bring that version to console, they already missed its 10th anniversary last year :/

Soul Calibur music rivals Guilty Gear for me, I mean this was the Character Select music for the first game, I knew that the rest of it would be just as impressive...

Honourable Mentions...

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift

If I'm honest I haven't really gotten into BB in quite a while, but I still wanna get back into it at some point (probably when Central Fiction comes out), it was one of my earlier fighting games where I entered tournaments. I don't like how every iteration makes me have to relearn a character from scratch (especially Litchi), and its combo-heavy gameplay can be offputting, but it has a certain charm and style that still appeals to me in some way.

Music is pretty ace though, as expected from ASW, one of my favourites is from CS1 - the main theme from KOTOKO (also used as the Astral Finish theme, which was pretty epic).

 

[petran79]

1. Samurai Shodown 1

In a sense and prior to KOF this was SNK's first serious attempts to rival Street Fighter 2: World Warrior. Not just by copying the gameplay mechanics or characters like Fatal Fury, World Heroes or Art of Fighting did previously. But by offering something new in both areas. It truly delivered and it had the best OST music for a while, till Last Blade.

I could never forget Kyoshiro's character theme, despite the noisy arcades
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=XLo7KQ-LNtw#t=1278

2. Mortal Kombat 2

Prior to Mortal Kombat no one was taking arcade western fighting games seriously. Mortal Kombat 1 made the first step but felt quite unpolished. MK2 felt like the perfect fighting game for two player action. CPU AI was busted but on easier modes it offered a compelling story mode that few Western games could offer. Other fighters like Primal Rage or Killer Instinct may have offered more advanced graphics. MK sequels may have been more combo heavy. But MK2 is essentially the SF2 of the MK franchise.
Not all liked the music, but to me it was one of my favourites.

Armory OST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQZF5bdMMbg

3. Street Fighter 2 Turbo

Some may have liked III, EX, Alpha, IV, V etc But to me this version remains the best and most polished. Grandmaster challenge offers all the options and settings of previous SF2 installments. This is the best game to start if you are a beginner with the least gimmicks (only when compared to other SF of course).

4. Virtua Fighter 3 Team Battle

Between the basic looking VF1 and the more realistic VF5, I think this game strikes the perfect balance. Too much realism with such puppet like animation does not do the game any favours anyway. Just like SF2, VF2 and 3 are the perfect introduction for beginners to 3D fighters

5. King of Fighters 98 Ultimate Match

The apex of 2D sprite based fighting games. Hard to master but it is perhaps the most rewarding and balanced fighting game, fixing the errors of the previous installments. This game will have the same status as SF2T in a few years, considering the franchise moved to 3D and needs few years to readjust to the 3D character models. Prefer the original sprite backgrounds instead of the 3D ones, though the AST is very good as well.

Honorable mentions:

1. Barbarian (Death Sword): It was as popular as MK in the 80s, providing endless 2 player fun. 1 player was also very good, though final boss required a special action to be defeated. Decapitation scene is one of the most iconic ever. It also had parries.

2. Budokan: The Martial Spirit: one of the first technical martial arts games. You could choose to enter tournamets using various weapons (kendo, nunchuks, bo etc). Very difficult game but for the first time you felt there was something more than just beating the enemy to proceed to the next level. You had so many choices.

3. Rampage World Tour: I enjoyed that game much more than Primal Rage. Up to 3 players could either co-op or fight each other, while demolishing a city.

4. The Outfoxies

Prior to Smash Bros there was this game. I think this was one of the best non-traditional fighting games I tried. Unique characters and stage interactions, too bad this never saw a console release.

5. Time Slaughter
When I saw the shareware demo, I couldnt believe what I was watching. One of the most offensive and bad taste games I had ever played. No censorship at all. Win quotes had swearwords and references that would made any console release impossible. This game was far ahead of its time. Bloodlust had made one of the best video games ever, unfortunately it would be impossible to admit it. It certainly nullified Mortal Kombat. One of the best guilty pleasures I ever experienced, but it is very offensive to certain groups (Tard card etc). But it still has the best FG and perhaps VG intro ever

 

[cordy]

This topic is dope. I'm gonna compile a list of games on here and fill out my catalog when it's time. Let's get it!!!

1.) Tekken 5: DR

Snow Castle Theme

I tried my best to find one Tekken game that I felt was the "best" from an all-around area and I'd say Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection/Online filled that void. Sure, it didn't have the landmark hype and mainstream appeal as 3 and 2 had but what it did have is some amazingly tight and balanced gameplay. It was the old mixed in with the new post-return to form and it not only had that but it gave a very huge roster, new stages and online was wonderful. Customization is off the chain too. There's so much this game gives you. If you have time feel free to go back and play this if not watch videos. You won't be disappointed. I'd say anyone who wants to get into Tekken needs to pick this up as their first choice. From that you can advance.

It was amazing.

2.) Street Fighter Alpha 2

Sakura's Theme

A2 is a gem in the series. Gameplay was tight, a large line of characters and also it was overall fun. Aesthetically it was beautiful. Commonly referred to the best of the Alpha series, Capcom stepped their game up from A1. I remember first time playing this when I bought SF Collection and man, the Gold version? I had so much fun. I didn't expect it to be like this at all. Even the music is ramped up. Go peep it when you can please. Out of all the SF games I could have picked I feel this one is a one that you'll have great fun with.

3.) Mortal Kombat (2011 / 9)

Rooftop theme

I picked this out of all the MKs because it was the perfect mix of old school and new school. If not this I would have chosen MK2 but man, this game just had a lot more to offer. Multiplayer, singleplayer, krypt, tag team, just had a massive amount for you to get your money's worth. Story Mode is also pretty fun in a B 90s action movie sort of way which is exactly what you MK always gave you. Perfect.

4.) Soul Calibur II

Brave Sword, Brave Soul

Yep. Best of the Soul series I'd say and still holds up to this day. All I can say about that.

5.) Super Smash Bros. Melee

Opening Theme

Out of all the Smash Bros games I've spent the most time with this and have the best memories with this one. Still holds up to this day and to this day this stands out as being a landmark entry in the series, EVO should prove that. Just amazing in all areas.

Honorable Mentions

1.) Tekken Tag Tournament 2

Night Falls

2.) Killer Instinct (SNES)

Orchid's Theme

3.) Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo

Akuma's Theme

 

[Bruno_Arrais85]

1) Street Fighter III: Third Strike

The best game of the franchise. It will help newcomers with a bunch of mechanics that are common ground for most of the 2D fighting games out there.

2) Guilty Gear Xrd

One of the best fighting games ever made and probably the best in the franchise. It is a great introduction for anyone interested to dive in the GG universe. The tutorial mode of -Revelator- shoud be an example for every fighintg game.

3) The King of Fighters 98

Probably the most beloved entry of the KOF series is also a great starting point for the series. The particular mechanics found in KOF is here and the character balance is on point.

4) Last Blade 2

One of the best SNK games ever made. The sprite work and the backgrounds are breathtaking. The gameplay was increidible with 2 gameplay modes per character ( power or speed).

5) Virtua Fighter 2

The sequel of the 3D fighting game's father. This version was a huge improvement over the first iteration and was a very successful title for the arcades and the Sega Saturn.

Honorable mentions:

Garou Mark of the Wolves - A hard decision between this one and KOF 98 but I guess KOF was more popular and has a stronger fanbase. This is not a reason to ignore this game... was a great competitor during the 3rd strike era.

Xmen vs Street fighter - The father of the V.S series. This game was a fever back in 1996 on the arcades and a must play for eveyone interested in the origins of Marvel vs Capcom's gameplay style.

 

[ienjoyrawfish]

1) Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution. Unparalleled depth, great character variety, classic Virtua Fighter vintage gameplay refined and perfected. Simply the best fighting game ever made and I doubt it will ever be eclipsed.

2) Street Fighter Alpha 2

3) Vampire Savior

4) Garou Mark of the Wolves

5) Dead or Alive 5

honourable mentions:

Soul Calibur II
Tekken 3
Virtua Fighter 2
The Last Blade 2
Fighters Megamix

 

[Menitta]

1. Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
The greatest fighting game of all time. It has some of the best mechanics on the Street Fighter gameplay. It plays incredibly smoothly. Not much else to say other than it plays so well and every moment of a match is thrilling. Simply the best.

2. Street Fighter 5
I kinda feel bad putting two Street Fighter games in this list, but I have to. Street Fighter 5 is great for almost all of the same reasons 3rd Strike is. Every character is different and fun to play as. There's no other fighting game that I'm comfortable with more than half of the roster. I'm still playing it this far after launch. Despite it's lack of content, I'm still having so much fun with it.

3. Killer Instinct 2013
The Killer Instinct reboot should not have been as good as it is. Development between two dev teams, neither of which were the original team, a not standard pricing model, and an Xbox One launch title. It is fantastic. It definitely captures the spirit of the original KI. Also it has the greatest soundtrack of this generation. This is not a discussion. It's the best.

4. Pokken Tournament
The game I've dreamed of ever since I was 10 years old. I've always wanted a Pokemon fighting game and this game delivers. Pokken captures the energy and spirit of how Pokemon fights would actually be like. Yeah, if it didn't have Pokemon, I probably wouldn't like it as much, but the fact that a Pokemon fighting game exists and is really fun to play.

5. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
P4A was the game that got me into fighting games. Persona 4 is one of my favorite games of all time. Ultimax is the same as Arena but better in every way. Playing as the cast of P3 and P4 is very fun. Arc Sys did a fantastic job of conveying the entire cast's personalities in a fighting game.

Honorable Mentions
Smash Bros Melee
Smash Bros 4
Capcom Vs SNK 2
Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3

 

[cj_iwakura]

Incidentally, if anyone wants to help me make pretty-ish banners for the results, feel free to shoot me a PM.

 

[ienjoyrawfish]

2) Vampire Savior - Another game I really got into, though this time mostly online. While I was originally introduced to it via Darkstalkers Chronicle I only in depth with it later with GGPO. So much time was spent on it. In my humble opinion the game probably has the best designed and animated characters of all time in a fighter. What I liked about the gameplay was while it was technical never felt impossible to grasp.

Though to be frank I thought it had one of the weaker OSTs in a fighter ¯\_(&#12484_/¯

Dat Staff Roll though

Spoiler

You're right though, the soundtrack is crap apart from that one track. Good job the gameplay's magic.

 

[Apenheul]

1. Super Smash Bros Wii U

I've never really liked Smash (although I loved watching The Smash Brothers documentary) but this game suddenly clicked with me one the DLC characters started to come out; I loved playing the Fire Emblem characters (except Ike) and at some point I felt so much in control that the character was like an extension of my body. I had this feeling also with other fighters but with Smash the mind-game is more complex as the physics allow for incredibly creative approaches and evasions that are not locked in completely predictable animations.

2. Super Street Fighter IV
Street Fighter V might well take its place soon but the amount of time I've played IV eclipses that of V so far. I basically went from Super Street Fighter II to Super Street Fighter IV and immediately the controls just felt spot on. Also, it wasn't until IV that I really started to understand the importance of zoning and later also chains which greatly improved my performance. IV was also the first time since vanilla II that I played Street Fighter in arcades for a while, albeit casually.

3. Killer Instinct (the new one)
They nailed it with this game. I always thought the original KI was a stiff fighter with strange timings in the new game they fixed the stiffness and timings and created a very accessible fighter so newcomers can enjoy playing it and veterans can keep exploring the layers of depth that the combo system affords.

4. Tatsunoko vs Capcom Ultimate All-Stars
Although I had never heard of any fighters on the Tatsunoko side I put TvC ahead of MvC because I like its slower pacing better and the Baroque system kept matches interesting. I thought I was pretty good at it, played the game at the arcade when all of a sudden "a new challenger" approached. The first round started and my character's feet never touched the ground any more. And so TvC became the first game for which I trained to become better competitively and it was probably the most fun for me since Super Street Fighter II.

5. Tekken Tag Tournament 2
I had always ignored Tekken except for a few experimental plays in the arcade but it wasn't until TTT2 that I gave the franchise a serious try. It took a while before the momentum and its defensive options clicked with me but when it did it felt like mastering some sort of rhythm game. It just plays beautifully.

 

[Narroo]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";212023953]1) Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

Dishonorable Mention:

The king of kuso.[/QUOTE]

You're going to have to tell us why. I've seen plenty of bad fighters; just look at Power Rangers. What's special about Evil Zone?

 

[StrangeRoboMemory]

Great thread/poll, loving reading everyone's choices and looking forward to reading many more.

VIOLENT FIGHTING TO COME AGAIN

Top Five Fighting Games

1. Street Fighter Alpha 2

To me, this is the fighting game at its peak: the most stylish, the best music, the most fun and fresh gameplay, the best cast. Switching between Gen's mantis and crane styles, soaring up the elevator on Rolento's stage, that epic background with swaying grass and the storm brewing in the distance...there are so many sublime little details here. The music is out of this world, I think it's Capcom's best OST of the 90s, and I love the big, bright, crisp anime character designs. This is without a doubt in my top ten games of all time. SFA 3 had more characters and options, but it was also a lot clunkier to play, and SFA 2 is a million miles beyond it in terms of presentation, flair, and gameplay.

Soundtrack Selection: Charlie Theme

Soundtrack Selection: Adon Theme

Soundtrack Selection: Rolento Theme

Favorite Characters: Charlie, Ryu, Sagat, Gen

Words to Live By: "One more down. On with the war." - Charlie win quote

2. Vampire Savior

So much fast-paced action and tons of atmosphere to spare. The character designs are godly and represent Capcom working at their peak. The story is cool, the backgrounds are *legendary* (shout-outs to the stage on the side of the building and the evil giant demon fetus), and the game is also remarkable for being genuinely funny. There are tons of little jokes and weird animation moments that were thrown in for anyone with a quick enough eye to catch. Every attack by every character is unique, clever, and odd, and there are so many secrets and lovingly-inserted details. The only thing I personally don't love about this game is its soundtrack, but there's no doubt that the pulsing, dark, late-night secret club dance OST adds to the flavor of underground monster tournaments setting.

Soundtrack Selection: Fetus of God (Jedah)

Soundtrack Selection: Iron Horse, Iron Terror (Q-Bee)

Favorite Characters: Hsien-Ko, Lord Raptor, B.B. Hood, Lilith

Words to Live By: "Your soul can be saved only by death. It doesn't contradict!" - Jedah win quote

3. Last Blade 2

SNK's finest hour, in my opinion. I love everything about the way that this game plays and feels. The samurai setting and character designs are, perhaps shockingly for SNK, tasteful, classy, and extremely memorable, and they make a striking counterpoint to the loud, wild (though awesome) art direction decisions of Samurai Shodown. It's like a manga come to life, it controls like a dream, and the repel button makes every stab and kick into a possibly life-risking act of desperation. Pulling off a super desperation move in this game (especially Hibiki's) is still one of the most satisfying feelings in any fighter ever made.

Soundtrack Selection: The Flower that Blooms in the Moonlight (Opening)

Soundtrack Selection: Way of the Blade (Moriya)

Favorite Characters: Hibiki, Moriya, Kojiroh, Lee Rekka

Words to Live By: "This story...has not yet ended." - Opening cinema

4. Street Fighter III: Third Strike

I may prefer Alpha 2's aesthetic and music, but there's no doubt that Third Strike has the absolute tightest gameplay of any fighter I've ever played, and an incredible cast of its own. I love the fact that Third Strike acknowledges the connection between fighting games and hip hop; the announcer is unforgettable; and the action is so ridiculously sharp, aggressive, and merciless. Gameplay-wise, Third Strike is probably the best representation of what fighting games are and what they can do. The action is intense but the tools for victory are all in your hands, you just need to find the way to win. You can do it! The announcer knows it, too. Like he says, when you play Third Strike, you're about to enter the heat of battle...so you might as well go for it!

Soundtrack Selection: Killing Moon (Akuma)

Soundtrack Selection: The Theme of Q (Q, naturally)

Favorite Characters: Dudley, Ibuki, Chun-Li, Elena

Words to Live By: "That's the spirit! Fight fiercely every moment of the battle!" - Ken win quote

5. Garou: Mark of the Wolves

With this game, SNK combined everything that was great about all of their big hand-to-hand fighting franchises - Art of Fighting, Fatal Fury, King of Fighters - and then purified it all down into one muscular, polished, finely-honed punch of a game. The opening movie, with its quick shots of Terry raising Rock and taking him on the road, does more storytelling work in six seconds than some games can manage in as many hours. It's an absolute crime there was never a direct sequel to this.

Soundtrack Selection: Spread the Wings (Rock)

Soundtrack Selection: Sunrise on the Train (Terry)

Favorite Characters: Hotaru, Rock, Gato, Tizoc

Words to Live By: "Certainly, they existed... Those blinded by ambition. Those consumed with vengeance. But here they do not exist. Only winners and losers here. For here, THE MIGHTY RULE!" - Opening cinema

Honorable Mentions

1. Guilty Gear X
2. King of Fighters '96
3. Virtua Fighter 2
4. Soulcalibur
5. Marvel VS Capcom 2

Unranked Special Recommendations

Samurai Shodown 2
Kizuna Encounter
Waku Waku 7
Tech Romancer
X-Men VS Street Fighter
Dead or Alive 2
Power Stone 2
Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram
Project Justice (Rival Schools 2)
Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo

 

[Evilisk]

EDIT: Removed my picks because I've decided not to vote anymore

 

[wildfire]

Street Fighter 3 getting a lot more recognition than I expected. Really thought SF4 would run away immediately if people picked only 1 SF game.

1. Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
The greatest fighting game of all time. It has some of the best mechanics on the Street Fighter gameplay. It plays incredibly smoothly. Not much else to say other than it plays so well and every moment of a match is thrilling. Simply the best.

I was looking for a gif that showed it off at its best but you delivered much better than I did.

Honorable mentions:

1. Barbarian (Death Sword): It was as popular as MK in the 80s, providing endless 2 player fun. 1 player was also very good, though final boss required a special action to be defeated. Decapitation scene is one of the most iconic ever. It also had parries.

2. Budokan: The Martial Spirit: one of the first technical martial arts games. You could choose to enter tournamets using various weapons (kendo, nunchuks, bo etc). Very difficult game but for the first time you felt there was something more than just beating the enemy to proceed to the next level. You had so many choices.

3. Rampage World Tour: I enjoyed that game much more than Primal Rage. Up to 3 players could either co-op or fight each other, while demolishing a city.

4. The Outfoxies

Prior to Smash Bros there was this game. I think this was one of the best non-traditional fighting games I tried. Unique characters and stage interactions, too bad this never saw a console release.

5. Time Slaughter
When I saw the shareware demo, I couldnt believe what I was watching. One of the most offensive and bad taste games I had ever played. No censorship at all. Win quotes had swearwords and references that would made any console release impossible. This game was far ahead of its time. Bloodlust had made one of the best video games ever, unfortunately it would be impossible to admit it. It certainly nullified Mortal Kombat. One of the best guilty pleasures I ever experienced, but it is very offensive to certain groups (Tard card etc). But it still has the best FG and perhaps VG intro ever

This is a very respectable honorable mentions list. Never heard of Outfoxies til now and I simply don't get how it never became popular in the time period it came out. The gameplay is on point.

 

[EhoaVash]

1. super smash bros Melee

amazing game that i played for almost 7? years. I didn't really get into it competitively at first, really played it casually 80% of the time and loved it. but these days I'm enjoying the competitive aspect of it a lot.

2. Soul Calibur 2

I'm not sure why I picked this game up, but I don't regret it. I spent so many hours on this game even if i wasn't good at it lol. This game holds up soo well, visually still looks damn good and the gameplay was so satisfying, Wind guide me :3

3. Dead or alive 3

I didn't play this a lot cause I never had a xbox og, friends around the block did, but the times I did, i fell in love with it. was one of the best looking games for its time, I always wanted to play it when i went over to their house.

4. Super smash bros 4 wii u

- This game has lots of potential, it fixes a lot of characters and gameplay of the smash series, makes it more easier to get into but really hard to master, I put hundreds of hour into and still can't lol " get gud." I'll have some days where I'm doing really good, enjoying myself but the next hour I get bodied by everyone. Only reason its below this far is due to some of the single player content being bare bones and other few nitpicks.

5. Naruto clash of the Ninja 2

say what you want but this game was the shit during mid 2000's. When ever my friends wanted to game, it was either melee or Naruto clash 2. Game does have few broken characters but, 4 player multiplayer in this game was hype. Its super easy to play and easy to become good in unlike a lot of these fighting games, but its soo fun and addicting.
wish the series was still alive

 

[Zyrox]

1. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax and its predecessor are the fighting games, heck, probably even the video games in general, I've spent the most time with. Clocked probably 1500-2000 hours between the two. And I had a jolly good time all the way through.
A licensed fighter like this could have easily ended up being pretty bad and a half hearted effort, but Arc System Works did a tremendous job here.
The game understands that a not so insignificant part of its playerbase will come from an RPG background and not a fighting one and does a lot to accomodate that. I was familiar with fighters before I admit, but never played a flashy anime fighter before but it was still really easy for me to get into P4A.
I also really like the game on a mechanical level, how the characters have been brought over from the RPG into a more active flashy fighting game environment, how the Personas work in a fighting game context, and something I really enjoy and never thought of before in the context of fighting games is the different status ailments. They work really well and shake things up, forcing you to switch your strategy on the fly. Really neat little system. P4A(U) also probably has my favorite implementation of a comeback mechanic with the awakening system. It gives the attacking player the chance to completely deny the defending players comback mechanic if they play their cards smartly.
All in all I just had a lot of fun with these games even if I never got really great at them. A Persona 5 Arena would probably hype me up just as much as Persona 5 proper currently does. Really hope that happens. Cmon Atlus/ArcSys.
MUSIC RECS:
Blood Red Moon - Minazuki's Theme
Battle Hymn of the Soul (Ultimax version) - Margaret's theme
The Wandering Wolf - Akihiko's Theme


2. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

I guess this can count as a vote for the Wii U version even though I only played the 3DS one,since the Wii U version is the prettier more content complete one, but I gotta really commend their effort for what they pulled off on 3DS. Game is one of the looking games on the system imo and it runs at a solid 60fps. Controls well too (though unfortunately it ruined my 3DS shoulder buttons, preventing me from playing the game more :/).
Anyway, onto the game itself, with a giant roster of a whopping 58 characters with many amazing (and some even mindblowing, my goodness felt like my brain turned off for a good minute as soon as I saw that Smash Bros x FF7 thing, I just couldn't process what my eyes where showing me) additions and finally a working and somewhat* competent online mode Smash 4 is definitely my favorite iteration of Smash Bros. to date. Quite a few of the additions to the cast became some of my favorite fighting game characters ever (glances at avatar) and this game also finally gave me the opportunity to put my Smash Skills (or lack thereof lol) to test with the addition of For Glory as I don't have anyone locally to play with. I just love how easily accessible the 3DS version is for a quick round of For Glory or two or five, matchmaking is really fast and snappy and the connections are mostly good, at least for me.
My main gripe with the game, and that's where the * comes into play, is the lack of online options. As someone whose preferred way of playing Smash is stock battles, my only option for that is For Glory if I just want to hop in for a quick round with strangers. That's definitely an area this series could improve upon and I hope the next game will give us some lobbies or something with variable rules.
That aside though Smash 4 is a really fun game and I always have a great time with it, whether I play it myself or watch Kamemushi almost win Evo with my beloved SUPER FIGHTING ROBOT.
MUSIC RECS:
Main Theme
Mega Man II Medley
Ryu's Theme

3. Street Fighter x Tekken

Typing this up makes me notice a trend here with myself, guess I am a sucker for crossovers lol (P4AU is also a crossover of the cast of P3 and P4, the actual RPGs are fairly standalone, it's the fighting games where these casts come together and meet).
SFxT was a fighting game I also spend a lot of time with and a game I greatly enjoyed, moreso than the mainline Street Fighter games. There is a lot of negative buzz surrounding this title and a lot of it was also warranted, but I still really enjoyed and appreciated the game on a mechanical level, especially its v2013 iteration.
I loved the emphasis on footsies, the implementation of some Tekken-esque juggle mechanics with the groundbounces/wallbounces, the easy to grasp and quickly flowing tag system and last but not least the charge special system. The charge system was something I thought was a stupid casual thing I'd never use at first, akin to P4A(U)'s autocombos, but much like those, it was something easy and flashy for casuals on a surface level that still had a lot of merit on a more competitive level. The fact that you could dash cancel your Charge special and that a certain charge level would give you automatic counter hit on your next attack gave that little mechanic I deemed unimportant at first a lot of uses and, more importantly, made it a lot of fun to play around with.
Another thing I want to mention is a more obvious one, and that is its huge roster of characters, special mention obviously goes to the Tekken cast who have been brought into 2D with a lot of care and they were really fun to play in this.
It'd be a real shame if all these awesome movesets would go to waste if this never gets a sequel, which is unfortunately likely, given the game's performance, reception and Capcom's current state. Oh well, I got my money's worth out of it at least. Oh and before I forget, the Vita version of SFxT is really great, basically on par with the console version aside from obvious visual differences. Has crossplay with the PS3 version too.
MUSIC RECS:
Ogre's theme (that's all you need from SFxT, music wasn't really this game's forte)

4. Blazblue Chronophantasma Extend

During my time playing P4A(U), people constantly recommended the Blazblue series to me, "dude, you need to play this", "If you like P4A you'll like this too" and the sort. I was always like "yea, maybe,I'll probably get to that one day" but to be honest, I was perfectly content with P4A as my anime fighter of choice. That is until, on one fateful day, Sony/ArcSys decided to make BBCSEX one of the PS plus titles for that particular month, and thus I finally had an excuse to give the series a spin. And well, what can i say, all those people recommending Blazblue to me were right. It really was a series that greatly appealed to me.
Blazblue's strength definitely lies in its cast of crazy and (mechanically at least, YMMV on the aesthetic, I for my part really like it) well designed characters. almost every character has some cool unique mechanic going on that helps them to stand out from the rest of the cast. I really love that.
Another thing I gotta mention is the, albeit crazy and convoluted, maybe even crazy convoluted, story. It's ANIMAY to the max basically but that's what makes the like 40+ hours that there are now of it really enjoyable and entertaining to me. It gives all these over the top characters a little bit of spotlight and context which is something that I greatly appreciate in general. Speaking of story, I also really like how that carries over into the actual battles with unique intros and battle lines between some characters based on their story relationship. I love that.
Shoutouts also to the great lobby system that they also implemented in P4AU, as that is what kept me coming back as that is such a comfy way to hop into some online matches.
Another thing I gotta specifically mention is the music. BB was the first fighting game outside of Smash Brothers (but that doesn't really count since a lot of it is lifted/remixed from other video games) where I really noticed the music and thought to myself "damn these tunes are awesome". Usually I accept FG music as basically cool background noise but BB made me really listen.
MUSIC RECS:
Awakening the Chaos - Nu's theme
Queen of Rose - Rachel's Theme
X-Matic - Theme of Carl vs. Relius (yea the game even has matchup specific songs, another really cool thing)

5. Tekken Tag Tournament 2

TTT2 is the fighting game on this list I've spent the least amount of time with, not because I didn't like it, quite he opposite in fact, but because for some reason the online didn't work for me (got constantly booted out of PSN while trying to play online, never happened with any other game, couldn't figure out why/how to fix that) and thus I kinda lost interest since I don't have anyone to play with locally.
Nevertheless gotta have TTT2 here as it is definitely one amazing package filled to the brim with content. My good, albeit limited time with TTT2 has me amped for some Tekken 7 action.
(No music rec here as I spent too little time with the game)


Honorable mentions

Pokkén Tournament for being surprisingly a lot of fun to watch and including THE PEOPLE'S LAMP (O+I+O) one of my all time fave Pokémon

Street Fighter V for the glory that is Birdie







Phew, this took a while to type/edit/formulate.

 

[vocab]

Hokuto no ken
JoJos
Vampire savior
Capcom versus Snk 2
Super Turbo
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Killer Instinct

 

[Snakeyes]

1. Melee
2. SF3:3S
3. KoF 98
4. Guilty Gear Xrd
5. Virtua Fighter 5 FS

Honorable mentions: Garou: MotW, Persona 4 Ultimax, Capcom Vs. SNK 2, Samurai Showdown IV, The Last Blade 2

 

[Vazra]

Power Stone

It's just so damn fun to play. Its pretty simple on its core gameplay but it had a few tricks up its sleeve to add depth. I feel this one overall had better mechanics to it than the sequel. Also the game didnt have the stage gimmicks that some stages on 2 had which IMO lessened the fun of the game.

Capcom Vs SNK 2

This one tends to have a divisive audience for it but I simply loved the match ups even if the sprites are missing animations and are recycled from other games. Just seeing the huge cast of characters from the iconic Capcom and SNK rosters duking it out was mesmerizing to me and the game plays just damn great. Im on the small group that prefers this over Marvel Vs Capcom series.

Soul Calibur 2

The game that made me fall in love with the Soul Calibur series. The game had a lot of content at the time and I felt more for it for giving me the fan service on the Nintendo Gamecube with Link. The flow of the game is fantastic, the sound design and the graphics held up greatly over the years. The combat system being weapon based felt great and pretty different from the other fighters around and the 8 way movement and how everything went into the game was mindblowing and it continues to be the best game in the series if you ask me.

Dead or Alive 5 Last Round

Dead or Alive series is usually known first for the fan service than the actual combat system and it has always had a solid system that in previous games they had issue with balancing the systems. Afterall DOA was inspired by Virtua Fighter and such roots can be seen in the game even if both games feel pretty different in terms of execution and direction. Dead or Alive 3 was seen as the main game that would be good competitively and 4 pretty much was considered trash by the fans in terms of balance. Fast forward some years later and DOA5 shows up and it has a new art style and doing balance changes to be more competitive focused. The game had an alpha and they took feedback from that and every showing they gave to the game and crafted gameplay wise the most polished DOA experience. The game is extremely fun to play while it has depth to be pretty competitive despite how easy it is to get into the game.

Under Night In-Birth Exe Late

From the same team that brought you Melty Blood series they brought UNIEL which is a pretty damn fun game. The mechanics are pretty easily to grasp while it having its unique mechanics to it. Each character feels unique and the movesets are pretty cool and the sprite work is amazing.


Honorable Mentions:
Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown: Really deep and fun to play even if you dont learn everything.
Super Smash Bros 4: Pretty fun and easy to get into. I know it can be played competitively but I just play it to chill with friends.
Fighter's Destiny: A quite special fighter on N64 with unique scoring system and mechanics to it made a pretty big impression on me even if it hasnt aged well.
Bloody Roar Primal Fury: Mindless fun and pretty cool special moves. Sure it didnt have much depth compared to 3D fighters released at the time but the series showed potential for more and still was quite fun.
Street Fighter 3: Still the best SF game. *drops mic*

 

[Jimrpg]

I would love to get back into fighters one day, but time as well as number of plastic stuff lying around my temporary home is putting this wish on hold.

I'm also a big single player guy so my choices are heavily skewed by that. Mostly due to the fact that arcades were really expensive here and I had to make the money last. Most games were $2 (8 quarters?) a pop so vs wasn't the best way to spend the money.

1. Dead or Alive 2: HC

This is my favourite fighting game of all time. It might not be the best technically in terms of fighting mechanics but this shit was the most fun I had with my new PS2. I actually had Tekken Tag Tournament at the same time as well, and that hardly got played compared to this game which I put well over 100 hours into (alot for me).

What I loved about this game were the multi stages and the crazy reversals. Every character had really great animations for their reversals and they were always brutal. More brutal than anything in other fighting games. This game also felt fast. 60fps helped in that regard. And to top it off the multi stages forced you to respect your surroundings. At the same time you could do a reversal on your opponent off a building. CRAZY.

The most played mode in this was the survival mode. That was so much fun and the cool thing was the enemies just kept coming and got harder. No waiting around, no loading screens, just fighting.

I mained Tina. Her throws and holds were great and easy to pull off and if you got in a rhythm. Ein also had some sick punches and kicks. The worst was easily Bass or Genfu.

I played DOA2 so much that DOA3, DOA4 and DOA5 all felt way too similar and I was done with the series. I also prefer the PS2 version over the Xbox version simply because of the gamepad.

2. Art of Fighting

When I was a kid, I had no money, so we usually watched people play rather than play ourselves. The one game that I did put money into was Art of Fighting cause at the time there was a Neo Geo machine at our local shopping centre. All of a sudden, this and not Street Fighter 2 was the new hotness (for me). The character sprites were bigger, and the story and quest were better. The specials were better too and because of the spirit gauge, you had to tactically use your specials at the right time. It didn't matter that there were only 2 characters to select for the story mode because I played Ken on SF2 anyway.

I never beat Mr X at the arcades (I was only 10 at the time), but it was a hell of a game and the game still holds up great today. Its hard!

3. One Must Fall 2097

PC was the place to go if you wanted embarrassing fighting games in the 90s. Sango Fighter anyone? Rise of the Robots @ 10fps a second? But one game that really fleshed out what a single player fighting game could be was One Must Fall 2097, a 2D robot fighter that still has never been topped.

I love the concept of ladders in Single Player games as progression, and here there were four tournaments, with progressively more difficult fights and bigger rewards. The career mode also featured extensive upgrades for your bot so you could get stronger and get new moves.

It also felt like the guy who made Real Steel played this game and loved the shit out of it.

4. Street Fighter 2: Championship Edition

It was either this or Hyper Fighting but HF is a lot harder so I've gone with the baby version. I think CE improved so much from World Warrior, that this has to be the version you show people SF2. The four bosses now playable characters are so much more fun than the vanilla characters and they kept the art style which I prefer over the Super Street Fighter art style. The one game where I didn't care so much about maining a character and I just played around with different characters.

5. Fatal Fury

Yes another old SNK game. But I think these are really interesting to see how the first developers went about what they thought a fighting game should be. At SNK - All main characters should have some sort of projectiles! Your sister or your girlfriend is missing! The enemies have to be outcasts, or a punk or a wrestler or an old guy. SNK do deserve a lot of credit because their fighting games managed to stand up to the SF2 juggernaut when they could easily have been judged as knock off games.

 

[Xpliskin]

1. 3rd strike
2. Capcom vs snk 2
3. Soul Calibur 2
4. T5 : DR
5. Marvel vs Capcom 2

Will post reasons later

 

[T.O.P]

To edit later

1. Killer Instinct
2. Street Fighter Third Strike
3. Melee
4. BlazBlue CT
5. Guilty Gear XRD -Revelator-

 

[oneida]

1. Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution
It's hard to make a case for console fighting games and not pay special attention to everything that Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution brings to the table as a budget release. But beyond the tremendous Quest mode, the surprisingly informative Tutorial, the outstanding (for its time) training mode, and the magnitude of little things which round out the game, it's the fact that Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution is one of the strongest entries in one of the most well-regarded fighting game franchises of all time which ought to secure its inclusion in this listing. We were spoiled in 2003, and we didn't know it.
2. Soul Calibur II
This is a game everyone knows, and everyone has played. I would argue that Soul Calibur II was 6th gen's Street Fighter II, in that it touched a nerve with the general audience unlike any of its peers. Though its fans may sweat the details of whether it or its predecessor is the superior Soul Calibur game, it is plainly indisputable that Soul Calibur II is important in ways that the first game was not.
3. Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
4. Virtua Fighter 2
5. Virtua Fighter 3tb