Fighting games have been a staple of the video game industry for decades, becoming hugely popular in arcades and eventually making their way to home consoles as well. Numerous fighting games release every year across a variety of platforms, but they are certainly not created sequel. Certain fighting games manage to stand out from the pack as being particularly fun to play, either in a casual or competitive sense, and also stand out for having a wealth of content and refined gameplay mechanics.
Numerous fighting games launched during the PS4 and Xbox One generation, ensuring fans of the genre have no shortage of options available to them. And over time, some of these games have become exponentially more compelling than they were at launch, as they may have been released with a content deficiency that was since corrected through free updates as well as paid DLC.
Now that the PS5 and Xbox Series X are out and the dust is settling on the PS4 and Xbox One generation, here are five of the best fighting games available for the last-generation consoles.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
There have been countless Dragon Ball Z fighting games over the years, so one would could be forgiven if they wrote Dragon Ball FighterZ off as just another to add to the pile. However, Dragon Ball FighterZ differs greatly from its counterparts in that it has 2D gameplay, as opposed to the 3D arena brawlers that most games based on the franchise tend to be. Dragon Ball FighterZ has more refined gameplay mechanics and significantly more polish than many of its counterparts, and despite having launched nearly three years ago at this point, developer Arc System Works is still supporting it with new content.
Dragon Ball FighterZ features a huge roster of characters from all across the Dragon Ball franchise. This includes characters from Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, and even Dragon Ball GT, the latter of which has been mostly ignored since the launch of the Super anime. It plays like a serious fighting game while also including elements that help it stay true to the Dragon Ball franchise, with players able to gather the Dragon Balls and call upon Shenron's help in the middle of fights.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is also notable for the wealth of content it offers players, with a lengthy story mode as well as a variety of local and online multiplayer options. Licensed fighting games based on anime rarely garner much praise, but Dragon Ball FighterZ is the exception, and the positive reviews it's received are well-deserved.
Injustice 2
NetherRealm Studios struggled to combine Mortal Kombat and DC comics, but when it split the two franchises up, it found much greater success. Injustice: Gods Among Us was NetherRealm's first crack at a fighting game that consisted purely of DC characters, and it was a big success at the time of its release. The success of Injustice: Gods Among Us meant that expectations were high for Injustice 2, but it's safe to say that the game met those expectations and in some fans' view, exceeded them.
Injustice 2's story picks up where the previous game left off, with Batman having to team with the evil version of Superman to face a greater threat in Brainiac. The story is full of fun moments for comic book fans, but the fighting is the real star of the show, as Injustice 2 once again features top-of-the-line gameplay that caters to both genre purists and those looking for more cinematic, over-the-top action. Injustice 2 also features a dizzying number of game modes for players to try, ensuring that anyone interested will get plenty of bang for their buck.
One downside of Injustice 2, however, is its economy. Injustice 2 utilizes loot boxes and microtransactions. Injustice 2's microtransactions were criticized for being excessive at the time of its release, and so fans should keep that in mind. With or without the microtransactions, though, Injustice 2 still features a wealth of content for players to try, and it is still one of the best fighting games to come out in the last decade.
Mortal Kombat 11
NetherRealm's Injustice 2 wasn't the only great fighting game that the studio released during the PS4 and Xbox One generation. It also launched Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11, which are both great fighting games in their own right. However, the slight edge has to go to Mortal Kombat 11, as it is still receiving support and updates, and it now features one of the best rosters in the history of the long-running series.
Mortal Kombat 11 features the same ultra-violent gameplay that fans of the franchise have come to expect, but with new additions like Fatal and Krushing Blows. Mortal Kombat 11 also features more character customization options than fans of the series may be used to, which gives it significantly more replay value for those who like to collect those kinds of things.
Mortal Kombat 11 is also home to some of the most interesting guest fighters that the series has had so far, with most of them plucked straight from 80s action and horror movies. Mortal Kombat 11 DLC has included Rambo, RoboCop, and The Terminator, plus comic book characters like Spawn and The Joker. Mortal Kombat 11 DLC has also been used to bring back fan favorite characters that were missing from the base game, including the highly-requested Mileena. Support for Mortal Kombat 11 may be winding down, but rumors point to yet another DLC drop at some point in the future, so fans may have that to look forward to.
Soulcalibur 6
When fighting game fans pick up a Soulcalibur game, they know what they're getting themselves into. The Soulcalibur titles are traditional fighting games, but with 3D, weapon-based combat, as opposed to the hand-to-hand fights featured in most of the genre's titles. Soulcalibur 6's gameplay will be familiar to anyone that's familiar with the franchise, but while it may not dazzle with new mechanics, the foundation is so strong that it doesn't really need much shaking up anyway.
Soulcalibur 6 not only carries on the series' gameplay traditions, but it also carries on the tradition of having fun guest characters. Soulcalibur 6 guest characters include Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher in the base game, as well as Nier: Automata's 2B and Samurai Shodown's Haohamru as DLC. Players can utilize these guest fighters and the other members of the Soulcalibur 6 roster in the game's many available modes, which should keep fighting game fans busy for hours on end.
Tekken 7
Arguably the most technically-sound fighting game available for PS4 and Xbox One, Tekken 7 is a must-play for genre fans. While it still features the same basic Tekken-style gameplay that fans of the franchise have come to live, it also makes some significant strides forward, adding new mechanics that make fights even more intense and entertaining. This includes the Rage Art attack, which is similar to other games' special moves, but only available when players are on the brink of death. Power Crush attacks and Screw Hits add layers to the gameplay that make it even more in-depth than previous entries.
Tekken 7 players can check out these new gameplay mechanics while enjoying the game's wealth of game modes, which include special episodes for almost all of the characters on the roster, plus a cinematic story mode. Not only that, but Tekken 7 has a variety of offline and online multiplayer game modes available as well, plus an addicting Treasure Mode where players rank up, earning ludicrous customization items in the process.
Tekken 7 is also noticeable for its crossover content. Street Fighter's Akuma is a guest fighter in the game, as is Noctis from Final Fantasy 15 and even Negan from The Walking Dead. Players can equip cosmetics based on New Japan Pro Wrestling for fan favorite Tekken character King, which actually gives him access to new attacks. For example, if King is decked out in NJPW gear, he can perform the Rainmaker clothesline move famously associated with Kazuchika Okada.