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[Shy Fingers]

I'm gonna say BlazBlue Calamity Trigger

Glad to see this posted, the game just feels right. Even with a lot of characters being crazy different from one another.

 

[Lady Siara]

2D: Marvel vs Capcom 2
3D: Bloody Roar 3/Primal Fury/Dead or Alive 3-5

MvC2: Absolute insanity. Fast, crazy, and full of spirit. The game is on full bore at all times and I love how little it cares. Combos are absurd and in the hands of a pro, you may as well put your controller down if caught in a combo. I still haven't recovered from how disappointed I was with 3 in comparison. 3 felt...subdued, I guess.

Bloody Roar: The feeling of grabbing someone by their face and throwing them full speed into a wall felt so satisfying. When characters transformed, they were given a noticeable difference in weight and power. It all just felt so damn good.

Give me a new one!

Dead or Alive: Reasons have been covered pretty well by others already but it feels so smooth. I love the countering system which rewards proper reads but the game also punishes spamming it. 3D movement looks and feels fluid and fighting through the environments is fun. I have very fond memories of comboing foes into walls and knocking them off of high points.

 

[Negaduck]

Mvc2 or 3s gets my vote.

Guilty gear feels pretty damn good too.

 

[oneida]

I still dont get why this game gets so much praise. I love fighting game but I always found virtua fighter boring to watch due to the weird physics and sound effect. Hits and characters falling sound like blocks and their is no impact visual effect. I have the same problems with Dead or Alive.

Maybe I should give 5 a try. I played 2 long ago and barely touched 4 when it came out.Maybe it will click with me this time

VF hasn't had weird physics since 2 so you'll be alright
People praise it because it's really fucking good

 

[Clefargle]

Melee
Smash4
SCV
Blazblue
Skullgirls

In no particular order

 

[balohna]

Soul Calibur, especially the first 2. Feel very fluid and intuitive. The motions match the actions wonderfully.

 

[Master Thespian]

Soulcalibur 2 felt great. There was a good amount of bullshit in that game but everything just flows.

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

This sounds like I'm just asking for people to list their favorite fighting games, but I'm actually trying to hone in on something more specific, albeit hard to quantify. Good fighting games all tend to feel satisfying and responsive to play. Tapping on clicky, sensitive arcade stick buttons and seeing your input mirrored by an associated action near-instantly in a locked 60fps image on the screen just feels good. It's the kind of satisfaction one gets from older, hyper-responsive 2D action games when you kind of enter this zone where you are longer conscious of your inputs and just do without thinking.

But drilling down a bit further, let's see if we can hone in on the individual design elements of particular fighting games that make them feel especially good to control. In my mind, all of the following come into play when crafting that crisp game "feel":

• Animation fluidity and speed
• Movement speed and options
• 2D vs 3D plane
• Input styles (e.g. MK vs Street Fighter vs Tekken control mechanics)
• Punchy sound design to accompany the action

If I had to be honest with myself, I'd say that Street Fighter 4 (in all of its iterations) has to be my all-around favorite fighting game because it's the one that I've actively played for the longest amount of time, and I appreciate its impressive balance despite an occasional misstep or two. That being said, I do not find it to be the best feeling fighting game to play. Compared to some other 2D fighters that come to mind, it can sometimes feel a little floaty, and the overly chunky character designs don't feel as swift/responsive or as well-animated as some other games that come to mind.

So with that being said, I'm going to give my top nomination to: Street Fighter III: Third Strike.



This was actually tougher for me to boil down then you might realize. As someone who has been at least dabbling in pretty much every fighting game (good and bad) released since the early 90's, there are both 3D and 2D fighters that come close to taking 3S's top spot, IMO. Here are a few reasons why I think 3S feels the best to play:

• Some of the best 2D pixel animation of any fighting game. The level of craft on display here in terms of art and animation is staggering, and I feel that 3S strikes the perfect balance of fluidity and speed. It kind of feels like an animated film that has been drawn on every frame (e.g. Akira) as opposed to most other animated films which draw on every other or every third frame and let the brain fill in the blanks. 3D fighters can be very fluid as well, but sometimes it feels like the length of their animations slow down the game feel a bit. That being said, Garou: Mark of the Wolves comes very close to taking Third Strike's crown on this one.
• Movement speed and options are pretty much perfect in my eyes. The walk speed for all of the characters feels just right here, and the way dashing forward and backward, jumping, and super-jumping feel is spot-on as well. This is completely subjective, of course, but for me 3S just nails this aspect of character control.
• Parrying, love it or hate it, is extremely satisfying to pull off. Since no other fighting game has nailed parrying as well as 3S did, it further justifies its place at the top for me.

Honorable Mentions

• Garou: Mark of the Wolves
• The Last Blade 2
• Soul Calibur 2
• King of Fighters XIII
• Guilty Gear XX

Right on the money OP; though for me I'd also put Tekken 5 right up there w/ 3rd Strike as most fluid-to-play (and, incidentally, most fun-to-play) fighting game ever.

SFIV was never very fluid to me; too loose an input system, too strict with the one-frame links, too many easy shortcuts and certain FADC combos are just needlessly complicated in terms of manual dexterity. I'm honestly hoping SFV fixes those problems because it's looking great so far, but of course with fighters the important thing is how well they play.

 

[ScOULaris]

VF hasn't had weird physics since 2 so you'll be alright
People praise it because it's really fucking good

It does feel good to play, but I agree with him with regard to the jarring sound effects and weird jump arcs for characters.

 

[Peltz]

Super Smash Bros. Melee feels so right... more so than any other game I've ever played.

If we're talking about more traditional fighting games, then probably the original Soul Calibur followed by Dead or Alive 3.

Then again, I still really haven't experienced Virtua Fighter (I have VF3 for DC and VF4 for PS2 being shipped to me as we speak).

 

[Y2Kev]

I think it's virtua fighter. Everything feels so solid. I feel like Akira could seriously kill you.

 

[dark_inferno]

2D Samurai Shodown
3D Rival Schools

 

[Wavebossa]

Smash 4

Easy to get in, no need to memorize commands or inputs.

Decent skill ceiling. Nothing compared to melee but still, very fun, very good feels.

Power Stone

Super fun, just pure fun, fun fun

Tekken 3

Choose Eddie Gordo

Profit

 

[oneida]

It does feel good to play, but I agree with him with regard to the jarring sound effects and weird jump arcs for characters.

Have you played since 2?

 

[dancegrenade]

I'm gonna say BlazBlue Calamity Trigger

God i miss that game

I miss it too

 

[FallingEdge]

VF. Only 3D fighter in which sidestepping feels right and makes sense.

Plus breaking throws is so damn satisfying.

 

[Mistouze]

Virtua Fighter. It's just such an elegant game. No bullshit, smart play is always rewarded the most. It's a game where losses always feel like they were deserved. Controls are solid, damage is high. Being good is the only comeback mechanic.

Fucking this. It really nails the "chess-like" qualities of fighting games.

It's a real shame Virtua Fighter isn't available on more platforms, last time we got something on anything other than arcade was VF5FS on PS3/X360.

C'mon Sega, step your game up.

 

[ScOULaris]

Have you played since 2?

Yeah. I've played them all.

 

[dem0neyes]

+1 for Garou.

 

[Brandon F]

________. It's just such an elegant game. No bullshit, smart play is always rewarded the most. It's a game where losses always feel like they were deserved. Controls are solid, damage is high. Being good is the only comeback mechanic.

To be fair, you can replace VF with any fighting game in that sentence and it still applies. Is smart play ever unrewarded in other fighting games? Is being good a mere suggestion but hardly a viable course for victory in any other popular genre entry?

 

[Ushay]

SSF4 felt the best by far. More recently Killer Instinct is a mechanically great game too.

Really looking forward to how SF5 will play.

Going back a fair bit I also thought Power Stone was a ton of fun to play.

 

[oneida]

Yeah. I've played them all.

How are the jump arcs weird?

 

[NoKisum]

For me, it's Smash, Soul Calibur, and Def Jam FFNY. They're the few fighting games where I feel like I know what I'm doing.

 

[Mistouze]

To be fair, you can replace VF with any fighting game in that sentence and it still applies. Is smart play ever unrewarded in other fighting games? Is being good a mere suggestion but hardly a viable course for victory in any other popular genre entry?

I'd say execution is less of a factor in VF compared to other fighters I feel. There's not much hard stuff to pull out, it's more a matter of pulling out the right move at the right time, reading your opponent, etc.

 

[ScOULaris]

How are the jump arcs weird?

They were the worst back in 1 and 2, but jumping in VF games still feels really floaty and delayed to me. That being said, it's not like jumping is used that often anyway from what I've seen in competitive play. Nor is it really used in very many 3D fighters in general.

It has been a couple of years since I last played VF, I'll admit. I dabbled in some Final Showdown back when it was released for PS3.

 

[Neff]

Is smart play ever unrewarded in other fighting games?

No but dumb play is rewarded in plenty, either by featuring poorly-balanced rosters, overpowered moves, or comeback mechanics. VF boasts none of these, although it's not the only fighter that does.

 

[Bjoern the Smexy]

For me it's Marvel vs. Capcom 3 or Skullgirls.

So fast-paced combo-based 2D gameplay, not necessarily team-based, with Street Fighter- or KoF-like input commands.

I really wish I was able to create a fighting game. It would be the total love letter to Marvel vs. Capcom and King of Fighters with a twist.

 

[oneida]

They were the worst back in 1 and 2, but jumping in VF games still feels really floaty and delayed to me. That being said, it's not like jumping is used that often anyway from what I've seen in competitive play. Nor is it really used in very many 3D fighters in general.

It has been a couple of years since I last played VF, I'll admit. I dabbled in some Final Showdown back when it was released for PS3.

Fire up 5FS, jump with Eileen, then switch to Taka, and jump again
If anything it's got the best jump arcs lol

 

[Teknopathetic]

"To be fair, you can replace VF with any fighting game in that sentence and it still applies. Is smart play ever unrewarded in other fighting games? "


It really doesn't. There's a lot of goofy shit in a lot of other fighting games. And there's a lot of dumb play that gets rewarded more heavily than smart play.

 

[djplaeskool]

VF
Capcom CPS2 games in general

 

[braves01]

I like Darkstalkers for this, but only 3/savior specifically. Everything about it is really fast and fluid in a way that feels good to control and there are chains so even scrubs like me can pull off some half decent combos. I'd say I really like Marvel and Skullgirls too but I'm not a fan of the air combos. I also really like how KOF 13 feels.

 

[FoxSpirit]

Either Mark of the Wolfes or SF2:Super Turbo.
There is a reason that game still has an active online community. Strict special input timing though. Makes you very precise.

 

[Pinky]

SF II: Hyper Fighting and SF III: Third Strike

 

[Mr. Nice_Guy]

You have a great list already. I'd add CVS2 and the new KI.

And also ask anyone who says SFIV to elaborate because for me personally it is one of the worst feeling competent fighters I have ever played, and I'm genuinely curious as to what feels so good about it for you.

Edit: Saw the pics and thought you had it there but also 3rd Strike for sure.

 

[oneida]

And also ask anyone who says SFIV to elaborate because for me personally it is one of the worst feeling competent fighters I have ever played, and I'm genuinely curious as to what feels so good about it for you.

It's the one they've played the most probably. I don't think SFIV feels bad personally

for 2D fighters I think I like the way KOF feels the most, running is cool as shit

 

[Peltz]

I'd say execution is less of a factor in VF compared to other fighters I feel. There's not much hard stuff to pull out, it's more a matter of pulling out the right move at the right time, reading your opponent, etc.

I've actually never really played Tekken or VF. I've mostly stuck to SC and DOA for my 3D fighters.

How does VF compare to DOA? When you say less execution based, do you mean that it's less memorization? Less combo heavy? I'm trying to understand exactly what you mean by that.

Again, I expect to play VF 3 and 4 relatively soon... I'm on a slight Yu Suzuki kick these days (like many other Sega fans) and want to experience what all of the praise is about for these 2 games.

 

[shoryukens]

You already hit the ball out of the park OP.

Well done.

 

[Dlent]

As somebody who plays a lot of fighting games that aren't Virtua Fighter, I'll say Virtua Fighter.

 

[Ogawa-san]

BlazBlue/Skullgirls and similar "anime fighters", mostly for not having one frame links.

I have no idea how or why people put up with that.

 

[Roussow]

Divekick.

 

[Coriolanus]

Ctrl+F Mortal Kombat

1 result. Praising only sound.

Good.

Best feels were Last Blade 2 and KoF98. LB2 was a bit imbalanced tho

 

[Arc Christelle]

The only game to feel as good as 3rd Strike or Garou 2D wise is Vanguard Princess.

....and no one mentioned it....smdh.

Sugueno made an excellent fighting game for it to spend an eternity unappreciated.

 

[ScOULaris]

It's the one they've played the most probably. I don't think SFIV feels bad personally

for 2D fighters I think I like the way KOF feels the most, running is cool as shit

Yeah, man. I love running in SNK games because it's such a satisfying, natural way of rushing down an opponent, especially since it opens up several more jump-in options specific to jumping while running.

 

[vocab]

Not sfiv thats for sure. Its probablby the one fighting game that has forever felt wrong to me since day 1.

 

[oneida]

I've actually never really played Tekken or VF. I've mostly stuck to SC and DOA for my 3D fighters.

How does VF compare to DOA? When you say less execution based, do you mean that it's less memorization? Less combo heavy? I'm trying to understand exactly what you mean by that.

Again, I expect to play VF 3 and 4 relatively soon... I'm on a slight Yu Suzuki kick these days (like many other Sega fans) and want to experience what all of the praise is about for these 2 games.

VF has a 10-12 frame input buffer which means you can enter a command during hit or block stun and it'll come out on the first possible frame, this effectively means that the tightest link in the game in terms of execution is 10 to 12 frames. MUCH easier than a 1 frame link of course!

In terms of combos, 4 has some really hard stuff but 3 and 5 are mostly pretty easy for combos. Only problem with 3's execution is if you are using a Dreamcast controller.

/edit/ actually, I should say that 3 has some pretty advanced movement options that got smoothed out over later iterations.

 

[thelastword]

All Tekkens, 3,4,5,6 Tag 2, They all feel great and responsive.

Street Fighter IV.

 

[delSai]

Yeah, man. I love running in SNK games because it's such a satisfying, natural way of rushing down an opponent, especially since it opens up several more jump-in options specific to jumping while running.

Sad that they're kinda dead, their next game will probably be Maximum Impact going by the trademark last year.

 

[Ont]

Killer Instinct and SF: 3rd Strike.

Not MKX certainly, although much better than previous MK games, it still fees weird and disconnected to me.

 

[oneida]

Sad that they're kinda dead, their next game will probably be Maximum Impact going by the trademark last year.

At least they got PC ports! I'd kill for my kinda dead series to get PC ports.

 

[Zakalwe]

Tekken Tag.

Sidestep/dash/throw/counter battles all day every day.