Fighting games can be some of the most satisfying multiplayer experiences. There’s nothing quite like crossing fists with an opponent, be it AI or a buddy on the couch. The genre has thrived over the years and has shown off a lot of great martial arts techniques.
Some are based on real-life practices like Judo and Kung Fu while others are made up. Fighting games are fun, visceral experiences but they understandably are not for everyone. Are there any hand-to-hand focused titles out there that aren’t fighting games directly and can still be easy to pick up today? There certainly are so crack those knuckles and prepare for a beat down.
10 Absolver
Absolver is a little like Dark Souls. It takes place in a giant world with interconnected realms and is challenging to boot. It has hand-to-hand combat and players can switch between Stances and Styles depending on their enemy. For example, the Forsaken Style uses strength while Windfall uses dexterity.
Stances set up what areas players attack such as below the waist, on the upper body, and so forth. There doesn’t seem to be any tie-ins to real-world martial arts by name.
9 Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham City has one of the most satisfying combat systems for a superhero game. It’s all based on counterattacks. Players could attack at random, but it’s safer to read enemy movements instead. In the comics, Batman has studied and mastered various fighting styles including Taekwondo, Judo, Kung Fu, and many more.
These specific training regimens are never brought up in any of these games, but it is safe to assume that the developers may have looked into the comics for combat inspiration.
8 Guacamelee
Guacamelee and its sequel are considered "Wrestlevanias," which is a bit of a new term. They are Metroidvanias starring a pro wrestler from Mexico who dons a magical mask to see demons.
Instead of using melee or ranged weapons like in a typical Metroidvania, players instead pull off iconic wrestling moves from body slams to elbow drops. It may not exactly be a martial art, but since it is based on hand-to-hand combat, Guacamelee counts.
7 Marvel’s Spider-Man
Marvel’s Spider-Man is another superhero game that focuses on counterattacks. Spider-Man uses more gadgets than Batman, in this game at least, but it’s still considered a martial arts experience. Gadgets can only go so far. It’s all about sensing enemy actions and reacting to them.
Most martial arts have countering maneuvers so it’s hard to pick just one principal Marvel’s Spider-Man follows. Spider-Man's loose spirit might relate most to Capoeira though.
6 Mirror’s Edge
This selection focuses on the original Mirror’s Edge. Both games are virtually the same experience though as the sequel is a remake or reimagining. What both have in common is their parkour action.
Parkour isn’t really a martial art so much as it is a principle but it sure does look cool in the game if players practice. Seamlessly dodging through vents, scaling up walls, and disarming enemies along the way is one of the most exhilarating feelings players can have in a game.
5 Remember Me
Remember Me, contrary to its name, is not a game most remember. It’s significant because it was made by Dontnod, the celebrated developer behind Life is Strange. It’s not a bad game so much as it was a little too ambitious for its own good.
Besides digging around in people’s memories in this cyberpunk version of France, players ward off enemies via hand-to-hand combat. There are fighting styles in the game called "Pressens" which do have tie-ins to the real world. Chain is based on Tai Chi, Cool Down is based on Capoeira, Power is a combination of Judo and Karate, and Regen is based on Taekwondo.
4 River City Girls
River City Girls was like a reboot of the River City Ransom franchise. It’s a classic beat ‘em up with RPG elements. The two female protagonists don’t have any recognizable martial arts training to speak of. The game is instead based on street brawls from punches to kicks.
Each character can upgrade their moves to look more graceful though. It’s a satisfying brawler alone or with a friend via couch co-op.
3 Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World: The Game is another game inspired by River City Ransom. It’s more like a spiritual successor rather than a direct sequel. After being delisted for almost a decade, it finally came back in 2021 to digital stores with physical editions as well.
Now there is no way this hidden gem can get lost again. It may not have a sleek countering system like some other martial arts games on here, but street fights can sometimes be even more satisfying.
2 Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs is an open-world sandbox action-adventure game in the vein of Grand Theft Auto. The one thing it does better than any of those games was its combat, whether that was gunning enemies down or disarming them through melee counters.
Another cool element was chasing down enemies with vehicles and then hopping onto them for some satisfying takedowns. It is a bit strange that the fighting styles are never directly connected to the real world but that is also par for the course for most games.
1 Yakuza
The Yakuza games are all over the place in terms of fighting styles. Some entries are based on street combat while others allow players to switch stances. These stances can have the main character, Kazuma, go from punches to kicks as his main focus.
Whether a game has different styles or not doesn’t matter as none of them reference real martial arts. They are more like modern beat ‘em ups, which are satisfying in their own way, such as smashing a bike on an enemy.