Highlights

  • Mobile fighting games have improved with online play and native controller support.
  • The lightweight nature of mobile fighting games allows for smooth gameplay and quick bouts.
  • Some mobile fighting games offer well-optimized ports with good netcode for competitive play.

Fighting games require precision, concentration, and lots of training, ideally with a group. And if there’s anything that mobile gaming isn’t great at, is precision, concentration, and playing in groups. Gamepads and solo playing solved the first two issues, while online play nowadays is often just as good as local multiplayer.

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Mobile fighting games have accepted that Mortal Kombat Mobile game nights just aren’t going to happen, so it’s no surprise if the entire genre supports online play. Most also have native controller support, and sometimes they even have great touch controls. And while a phone's specs aren’t those of a modern console, fighting games aren’t usually very demanding and look great on mobile.

Updated December 26, 2023 by Rie Takumi: Depending on the gamer, fighting games can be a casual treat played when it's running or a serious hobby. Mobile fighting games may be designed for the former, but the latter can still get reps on some titles. Well-optimized ports with good rollback netcode can keep them fresh between their sets.

Fighting games on mobile are usually lightweight enough that it doesn't chug along when loading the app. They also normally have an arcade mode of sorts unlocked from the get-go for players itching for quick bouts. And though mobile ports are slightly changed to fit phones, skilled players can usually transfer what they lab here to their main game.

14 Tough Love Arena

Web-Based Indie Fighting Game With Rollback Netcode

A screenshot from Though Love Arena

Released

January 1st, 2021

Platform(s)

Web Browser

Developer(s)

  • Amy Xu
  • M. Paul Weeks

Cost

Free

Tough Love Arena is a 2D indie fighting game with a unique art style and a passionate community. The game has simple art and few characters, but development is ongoing and content is growing rapidly.

Characters in Tough Love Arena are made of simple lines and single colors that make them easy to read even on small devices. Meanwhile, the streamlined controls help level the playing field between those with and without a controller. What’s more, Tough Love Arena is a web game and not an app, making it playable both on PC and mobile.

13 The King Of Fighters ‘98

4.1 (20,174 Reviews - Google Play) | 3.8 (‎‎618 Reviews - App Store)

A screenshot from The King Of Fighters ‘98

Released

Jul 23, 2014

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • iOS
  • Microsoft Windows
  • PlayStation 4
  • Arcade

Developer(s)

SNK

Cost

Free

Thanks to SNK’s strategy of dumping their entire library on mobile stores, The King of Fighters '98 is now sold for dirt cheap on Android and iOS. The historic fighting game is broadly considered the best of the original run, a consolidation of everything that worked in pre‑2000 SNK fighting games.

There is just one issue: playing The King of Fighters '98 with touch controls is a nightmare. That also goes for every other SNK fighting game in the store. While a controller does fix the issue, this still highlights the work that goes behind making modern adaptations like Skullgirls or Street Fighter IV CE work perfectly on mobile.

12 BlazBlue RR

3.8 (52,721 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.1 (‎370 Reviews - App Store)

BlazBlue RR

Released

June 8, 2016

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • iOS

Developer(s)

91Act Inc.

Cost

  • Free
  • In-App Purchases

Many games on mobile follow a freemium route, which can be pretty disappointing for players who don't have either the time or money to invest in these titles and see a decent payoff. When BlazBlue RR rolled out, many people hated this game outright for being way too intrusive with its in-app purchases, something that it deserves flack for.

However, people who managed to look past this roadblock would find a fighting game with solid mechanics that can keep players entertained for hours on end. The grind can be unreal at times, but the fighting mechanics are solid and the art style is a thing of beauty.

11 Garou: Mark of the Wolves

4.3 (3,504 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.1 (‎234 Reviews - App Store)

Garou Mark of the Wolves snk 1999 fighting game rock howard and terry bogard

Released

February 19, 2015 (Mobile)

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • iOS
  • PlayStation 4
  • Microsoft Windows

Developer(s)

SNK

Cost

‎$3.99

An oldie but goodie, Garou: Mark of the Wolves is still played enough to have events and even rollback netcode. It has the same nostalgic SNK look on mobile as it had in the late 90s, though its controls have been mercifully minimized to suit phones.

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Aside from being a Fatal Fury title, Garou introduces the T.O.P. System, JUST DEFENSE, and BREAKING mechanics. These mechanics aim to refresh gameplay and introduce more complexity to the Fatal Fury formula. The mobile port also has SP and FM special buttons, which give access to Special and Desperation Moves.

10 Brawlhalla

4.4 (295,024 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.1 (‎21,139 Reviews - App Store)

A screenshot from Brawlhalla

Released

August 6, 2020 (Mobile)

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • IOS
  • MacOS
  • PlayStation 4
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Nintendo Switch
  • Xbox One

Developer(s)

Blue Mammoth Games

Cost

  • Free
  • In-App Purchases

Brawlhalla is a free-to-play fighting game that’s part platformer and part Super Smash Bros. Up to 8 players can play in the same match, using over 50 different characters in many different game modes. Unlike most other fighting games, the mobile version is a straight port of the original and not a simplified adaptation.

Even if the mobile version of Brawlhalla is excellent, its weak points explain why other studios don’t just port their fighting games over to phones. Brawlhalla with touch controls is functional, but players who don’t use a gamepad are at an extreme disadvantage over others. The mandatory cross‑play with PC and consoles obviously makes things worse.

9 Street Fighter 4 CE

4.2 (88,761 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.8 (‎18,979 Reviews - App Store)

A screenshot from Street Fighter IV CE

Released

  • February 20, 2018 (Android)
  • July 6, 2017 (iOS)

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • iOS
  • Microsoft Windows

Developer(s)

Capcom

Cost

$2.99

Street Fighter 4 Championship Edition is one of the best mobile fighting game adaptations. Just like Skullgirls mobile, Street Fighter 4 CE streamlines the classic fighter just enough to make touchscreen play possible and even competitive. At its core, that is what makes this 2018 port of the 2008 game the best mobile fighting game to date.

Players should know that the Android and iOS versions of Street Fighter 4 CE are slightly different, with iOS coming out on top as Android lacks the single-player mode. Still, 1v1 battles are what matters most, and they are the same across platforms.

8 The King Of Fighters ALLSTAR

4.1 (313,418 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.7 (‎25,092 Reviews - App Store)

A screenshot from King Of Fighters All Star

Released

July 26, 2018

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • iOS
  • Microsoft Windows

Developer(s)

Netmarble NEO

Cost

  • Free
  • In-App Purchases

The King of Fighters AllStar is the made-for-mobile adaptation of SNK’s historic fighting game series. The game is a treat for any fan of the series, as it includes every fighter since the original King of Fighters ’94 and up to 2016’s fourteenth installment.

The gameplay of The King of Fighters AllStar is inevitably simplistic, at least when compared to mainline King of Fighters games. Still, the 1v1 matches as well as the beat’ em sections are some of the most polished in the mobile market. Taking out combos in favor of single buttons is one particularly brilliant change in porting the series to mobile.

7 Mortal Kombat Mobile

4.2 (4,532,950 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.5 (‎142,734 Reviews - App Store)

A screenshot from Mortal Kombat Mobile

Released

  • April 7, 2015 (iOS)
  • May 5, 2015 (Android)

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • iOS

Developer(s)

NetherRealm Studios

Cost

  • Free
  • In-App Purchases

Mortal Kombat is one of the biggest names in fighting games. And like other big names in fighting games, Mortal Kombat Mobile didn't enter the mobile market with great success. Some fans still enjoy Mortal Kombat Mobile for its presentation, the style of the animations, or as the easiest way to play some MK on the go. Whichever it is, the magic doesn’t usually last long.

Mortal Kombat Mobile is pretty much a Gacha game with a fighting game theme. It’s certainly an enjoyable button masher, but it goes no further than that. What’s worse, it takes on this unenviable task with some wonky monetization and a community that seems to have jumped ship right around the release date.

6 EA Sports UFC Mobile 2

4.3 (144,801 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.7 (49,086 Reviews - App Store)

EA Sports UFC Mobile 2 Amanda Nunes jumping hook punch Holly Holm mobile game

Released

July 20, 2021

Platform(s)

  • PlayStation 4
  • Xbox One

Developer(s)

Electronic Arts

Cost

  • Free
  • In-App Purchases

Still updated years after its launch, EA Sports UFC Mobile 2 brings MMA to smaller screens. The game plays more like an arcade MMA fighter than a technical fighter, which is great news for a quick MMA fix. Striking is as easy as tapping and swiping. On the other hand, the same movements put players on defense.

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Using a Showstopper unleashes an unblockable move on the other fighter. While waiting for the Showstopper meter to fill up, players can use the same kind of strike to create combos. Players can even weave Showstoppers at the end of their combo for ultimate damage.

5 Vita Fighters

4.4 (7,012 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.5 (422 Reviews - App Store)

A screenshot from Vita Fighters

Released

September 19, 2020

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • IOS
  • Microsoft Windows

Developer(s)

Ranida Labs

Cost

  • Free
  • In-App Purchases

Vita Fighters is a low-poly, mobile-first fighting game that’s chock-full of video game references. Even if it’s hardly the most original game in stores, this is a solid 2D fighting game. It’s also completely free, offering over 20 characters and both single-player and multiplayer modes.

Vita Fighters has intuitive controls that emulate a traditional gamepad. Still, players interested in this fighting game would do well to invest in a Bluetooth controller compatible with their phones. Like most games in the genre, Vita Fighters supports Bluetooth controls natively.

4 Footsies Rollback Edition

4.8 (94 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.8 (‎10 Reviews - App Store)

Footsies 2d fighting game with rollback on mobile and desktop

Released

  • July 17, 2018 (Android, original version)
  • July 7, 2019 (iOS, original version)

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • IOS
  • Microsoft Windows
  • MacOS
  • Linux

Developer(s)

HiFight

Cost

$3.99 (Full Version)

As the name implies, Footsies is all about footsies. Invading the opponent’s space, getting a full move in or chip damage, blocking or punishing whiff damage are all a part of Footsies. Its CPU is even designed around teaching these concepts to fighting game beginners.

Although it looks simplistic, the fact that it revolves around footsies mean advanced players find joy in it. After all, mastering footsies is essential for getting better at fighting games. Footsies also has rollback netcode, which makes it work better online than some triple A fighting games.

3 Injustice: Gods Among Us

4.5 (2,558,107 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.8 (‎222,268 Reviews - App Store)

A screenshot from Injustice Gods Among Us

Released

  • April 3, 2013 (iOS)
  • November 21, 2013 (Android)

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • iOS
  • Wii U
  • Xbox 360
  • PlayStation 3
  • PlayStation 4
  • PlayStation Vita
  • Microsoft Windows

Developer(s)

NetherRealm Studios

Cost

  • Free
  • In-App Purchases

Make no mistake, Injustice: Gods Among Us is not the same game sold on PC and consoles. The truth is, this is not even a real fighting game. Still, chances are that fans of fighting games will like this casual free-to-play button masher. As far as mindless fighting goes, this mobile version of Injustice is great fun.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is transparently a DC fan’s game. If nothing else, the price of some of those characters makes it abundantly clear. Even if unlocks are mostly paid, playing without spending any money is completely doable.

2 Shadow Fight 4: Arena

4.6 (‎1,364,984 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.8 (‎32,486 Reviews - App Store)

A picture from Shadow Fight 4 Arena

Released

November 3, 2020

Platform(s)

  • Android
  • iOS

Developer(s)

NEKKI

Cost

  • Free
  • In-App Purchases

Even if it’s the fourth in a line of free-to-play games, Shadow Fight 4: Arena is aimed at new and old players alike. There isn’t much in the way of a story anyway, as the game focuses on quick 3v3 battles over all else. Even the character progression, the prerogative of an otherwise free game, takes a back seat to the fights themselves.

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Shadow Fight 4: Arena implements a tag system, its main innovation over the rest of the series. Like many free-to-play games, offline matches are locked behind a fee, while online play is free and gives some money in case of victory. While this attempt at monetizing the arcade is nothing extreme for mobile, it is a rarity among fighting games.

1 Skullgirls: Fighting RPG

4.6 (527,606 Reviews - Google Play) | 4.8 (‎52,822 Reviews - App Store)

A screenshot from Skullgirls Fighting RPG

Released

January 17, 2018

Platform(s)

Action RPG

Developer(s)

Autumn Games, LLC

Cost

  • Free
  • In-App Purchases

The mobile adaptation of the indie fighting game phenomenon Skullgirls is one of the most expansive free-to-play options in the genre. With many unlockable fighters, each customizable in its own way, Skullgirls: Fighting RPG promises unending content for as long as updates keep coming.

Skullgirls: Fighting RPG has a large and active community, and special events are very frequent. Even the free-to-play drawbacks are toned down, though building a strong fighter does require some time investment. Above all else, success relies on practicing a fighter’s moveset and playing well in battle.

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