The fighting game genre dominated arcades throughout the '90s, introducing players to genre-defining classics such as Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter II. As the popularity of arcades dwindled as the 2000s began, the popularity of fighting games fell as well. Despite this, throughout the 2000s, various fighting game developers released beloved classics that redefined their respective series and built upon frameworks established in the decade prior.
Many fighting games that players regard as the greatest of all time were released in this era, so today, we're going to examine the most iconic and influential fighting games of the 2000s whose impact is still felt today!
10 Dead Or Alive 4 (2005)
The fourth installment of the 3D fighting game series, Dead or Alive, Dead or Alive 4 was one of the first fighting games for the Xbox 360, and made excellent use of online multiplayer.
The game improved upon various aspects of the series, and possessed a solid cast, most memorably including SPARTAN-458, a crossover representative from the Halo series.
9 Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom (2008)
Perhaps the most unique entry in the Capcom Vs. series, Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom features a cast made up of characters from various Capcom games as well as various characters created by Tatsunoko, a Japanese animation studio.
The game is one of the strongest traditional fighting games that was available on the Nintendo Wii, and utilized a two-on-two tag-team system similar to that of early entries in the Capcom Vs. series such as X-Men Vs. Street Fighter.
8 Melty Blood (2002)
Despite being the most niche entry on this list, Melty Blood is a fighting game that has left a lasting impact on the genre, still possessing a dedicated community to this day. The game possesses combo systems and defensive options such as EX shielding that still mechanically hold up.
While Melty Blood never achieved mainstream popularity, the game's dedicated player base always ensured the game would have side-tournaments at major fighting game events (even if these side tourneys were held in hotel hallways and bathrooms). Various elements of the game would go on to influence the development of the fighting game Under Night In-Birth.
7 Virtua Fighter 5 (2006)
One of the longest-running 3D fighting game series of all time is Sega's Virtua Fighter franchise. Released in 2006, Virtua Fighter 5 is one of the most mechanically sound installments in the series, and is a contender for the best 3D fighter of the decade.
Possessing a balanced yet diverse roster, the game incentivized methodical play, rewarding players who think and play with intentionality, rather than immediately trying to take the offensive.
6 Guilty Gear XX
Guilty Gear is the premier fighting game series developed by Arc System Works. Released in 2002, for many years Guilty Gear XX was viewed as the definitive Arc System Works experience. Possessing a sizable and diverse roster, Guilty Gear XX was well regarded for its intense and fast-paced gameplay, combo system, beautiful sprite work, and phenomenal soundtrack.
The game enjoyed numerous years on the main stage of Evo, and heavily influenced the development of series such as Blazblue.
5 Capcom Vs. SNK II
Throughout the '90s, Capcom and SNK were two of the most influential fighting game developers, each producing numerous beloved classic. Fortunately, Capcom and SNK came together to collaborate on numerous occasions, with the strongest example of their cooperation resulting in Capcom Vs. SNK II.
As the name would imply, Capcom Vs. SNK features numerous iconic characters from a multitude of SNK and Capcom games. Additionally, the game features a solid blend of mechanics one would find in Capcom and SNK games respectively, giving players access to the best of both worlds.
4 SoulCalibur II
SoulCalibur II is both the most iconic entry in the SoulCalibur franchise and the most iconic 3D fighter of the decade in which it was released. Expanding the roster from the previous entry and improving upon numerous aspects of gameplay, at the time of its release, SoulCalibur II blew every other fighter of its kind out of the water.
Additionally, depending on which console SoulCalibur II was played on, players gained access to an exclusive character, with Gamecube owners gaining access to Link from The Legend of Zelda, Playstation 2 owners gaining access to Heihachi from Tekken, and Xbox owners gaining access to Todd McFarlane's Spawn.
3 Street Fighter IV
As we reach the top three entries of this list, it needs to be acknowledged that the following three games rank extremely close to one another, with each of them barely inching out ahead of each other in succession.
Released in 2008, Street Fighter IV completely revived the fighting game genre. At the time of its release, the popularity of fighting games was reaching an all-time low. Street Fighter IV started a new boom in fighting games thanks to its revised approach, providing footsies-based gameplay that prioritized fundamentals. This helped to make the game easy to learn, but hard to master, lowering the barrier of entry compared to the previous installment in the series, Street Fighter III: Third Strike.
2 Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee is a game synonymous with competitive video games. While many games are phased out and replaced as their sequels are released, Melee remains an extremely popular game to this day, despite the releases of numerous new entries in the Smash Bros series.
Possessing blisteringly fast gameplay and numerous advanced techniques that provide the game with numerous additional layers of complexity, numerous major Melee tournaments are held each year and the game had a sizable presence at Evo for many years.
1 Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroes
When discussing "hype" in fighting games, one would be hard-pressed to find a game that compares with the magnum opus of the Capcom Vs. series, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes.
Released in 2000, Marvel Vs, Capcom 2 possesses an enormous roster of fifty-six characters, each with three support options. Marvel 2 presents players with a major degree of freedom, allowing them to play how they want as they construct teams of three characters each.
Marvel 2's gameplay is simultaneously hectic and engrossing, emphasizing highly impactful combos and massive walls of projectiles players can utilize through assists and super moves. The game served as the premier fighting game of choice for many years, and is without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest fighting games of all time.