Top 10 fighting games to play in 2025

The Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection release is out and, as noted in our review ”loaded with Klassics”, and if you’re like us, this nostalgic collection may have you craving other genre-defining gems. The biggest question, however, is how to navigate the breadth of offerings in the fighting game world this year. So, what exactly made the cut for our list?

The rankings here aren’t definitive, as each game could easily be your personal number one. In making this list, we considered three key factors: accessibility for new players, the depth and reward of the mechanics, and the strength of the surrounding community experience.

The Escapist recaps

• With the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection out now, the article dives into the best of the fighting game genre from its pixelated roots to today’s cinematic, competitive showcases.
• The rankings focus on three pillars: accessibility, mechanical depth, and community vitality, highlighting how each title excels in its own way.
• The list features both modern standouts and timeless icons, including tag-based chaos, anime-inspired energy, and weapon-clashing precision, all representing different eras of mastery.
• Several games redefine what it means to be “new player-friendly,” while others celebrate the high-skill technical artistry that built the genre’s legacy.
• Ultimately, the piece concludes that the “best” fighting game isn’t about tiers or trophies, it’s about the one that keeps you coming back for just one more match.

10. 2KXO

The important thing to note about 2KXO is that it has the potential to top this list. Its fast-paced mechanics borrow from the best, being a tag fighter in the same vein as Marvel vs. Capcom. It’s also friendly to newcomers, featuring simplified inputs that allow even beginners to pull off flashy moves and even flashier combos. 

However, the game has yet to be fully released, meaning it could evolve significantly down the line. For now, it’s a title with tremendous potential but not quite ready to climb higher. Certainly one to watch. 

9. King of Fighters XIII

When it comes to fighting game royalty, the King of Fighters series is hard to beat. While it has had a somewhat rocky history, King of Fighters XIII represents a culmination of everything the franchise does best. 

Its simplicity is reminiscent of the simple days of Mortal Kombat 2 and hides deep polish accumulated over decades, often offering the best version of the characters in the roster seen to date. It loses some accessibility points due to its complexity and age, but the high skill ceiling makes high-level play a true spectacle.

8. Injustice 2 

The Injustice franchise is another major success story from NetherRealm Studios, and it’s easy to see why. Both Injustice titles feature some of the best single-player modes in any fighting game, offering a compelling Elseworlds story that popularized the “evil Superman” trend. 

But the campaign isn’t the only standout feature. Injustice 2 brings all of NetherRealm’s Mortal Kombat interactive movie-making experience to bear, delivering fun, cinematic battles between iconic DC heroes, villains, and even Mortal Kombat characters. If you and a friend want to do Batman vs. Superman justice, you won’t find a better game.

7. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 

This franchise is the original crossover king, and it’s not hard to see why. Its 56-character roster is a love letter to both Marvel and Capcom, and fans still argue it’s the best these characters have ever felt in a fighting game. 

The combos are satisfying, flashy, and a joy to link across all three of your fighters. It may not have been the first or last 3v3 tag fighter, but Marvel vs. Capcom 2 still stands tall as one of the greatest ever made.

6. Tekken 8 

Although it’s one of the most recent entries on the list, Tekken 8 can easily stand shoulder to shoulder with the giants. Its gameplay provides the most refined and polished Tekken experience to date. This is great as its expansive roster provides many returning and new faces to truly test the gameplay with. 

This is also the best Tekken game for new players looking to understand the appeal, with many accessibility options such as simplified controls or modes to help new players get to grips with the gameplay. It would be nice if the series’ expansive universe and lore got some more love, though. 

5. Dragon Ball Fighterz 

The feeling of playing Dragon Ball Fighterz can maybe only be compared to the feeling of watching your favourite Dragon Ball fight for the first time. From top to bottom, Arc system works perfected the anime fighter as the characters are flashy, feel incredible to control, and have movesets that cram so much history into such simple animations. 

The 3 vs 3 tag format is used with great success, creating fights that can turn into a scene from an anime as you take on all 3 of your opponents’ fighters with the one character you have left. If you are looking for the ultimate anime fighting game, this is the one. 

4. Guilty Gear Strive

The appeal of Guilty Gear is its style. The art style pops and would linger in anyone’s mind, the music is some of the best music in a fighting game, and the gameplay is the Arc System Works style done to perfection. 

This game has quickly become not only the best Guilty Gear game but one of the best fighting games, period. The roster continues to expand in unique and exciting ways, now boasting characters like Lucy from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. If you want to play one of the most exciting modern fighting games, this is the one for you. 

3. Mortal Kombat 11

Even after the second reboot of the franchise in Mortal Kombat 1, the previous game in the series, Mortal Kombat 11, continues to outshine it. Concluding the second timeline in spectacular fashion, MK11 is easily one of the most complete offerings in the MK franchise.

The violent beat-’em-up is packed to the gills with a high-quality story mode, some of the best brutal moves in the series, and refined mechanics that put skill at the forefront. If you are looking for a fun, fully fleshed-out modern Mortal Kombat game to complement the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection games, then this is for you. Outstanding.

2. Street Fighter 3rd Strike. 

The term fighting game is almost synonymous with Street Fighter (or Mortal Kombat 2). Though if there was one game that perfected Street Fighter, it would be Street Fighter 3rd Strike. This game took the already iconic Street Fighter 2 and perfected it. 

The expanded roster introduced new series staples such as deep technical gameplay that rewards players for their skill with the ability to negate attacks through parries.

It also added a catalogue of legendary moments, such as the ever iconic Evo moment #37, that is known even by people outside of the fighting game community. The reality is that Street Fighter 3rd Strike is almost the pinnacle of fighting games, and it’s not difficult to see why. However, it’s not quite at the summit.

1. Super Smash Bros Ultimate 

This may be unorthodox at number 1, but in the context of this list, especially, it is hard to top. The more ‘party game’ approach of a smash game has drawn criticism from those who enjoy the highest level of fighting games. However, no game on this list is so accessible at all levels. 

Whether you are playing with 4 friends, 8 friends, or 1 vs 1 on Final Destination, Super Smash Bros. has become widely beloved for a reason. It is the most accessible fighting game with the roster to beat. While its lack of mechanical complexity may not make it everyone’s cup of tea, it is rightfully many player’s favourite. 

Sure, many of the other entries on this list may be considered “proper fighting games,” but not even legendary franchises like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter can hold a title to the popularity and influence of Super Smash. 

Don’t agree? We’ll see you in the arena.

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