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2022 and 2023 were extremely important for fighting game fans. After all, we did get entirely new, paradigm-changing entries in all three of the biggest fighting game franchises: Tekken, Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat have all been massively upgraded as of late, giving us so much goodness to play that it's hard to keep track of it all. Virtually impossible if you aim to actually master multiple titles at the same time.
Today, though, we're looking at things from a more wholistic, industry-spanning point of view: the regular gamer's perspective. Indeed, if you're a fan of the genre, you've been eating exceedingly well, and here we'll summarize everything important that's been happening with fighting games as of late. This means not just highlighting the aforementioned franchise entries, but also some of their older respective offerings, more niche titles, and a variety of games you don't necessarily expect to hear about if you're sticking with more mainstream titles.
READ MORE: The Best Racing Games on 2Game
The Best PC Fighting Games
The thing about this list, in particular, is twofold: firstly, we're not interested in rating the games we feature here. As presented below, they are shown off in no particular order, so the first game on the list is not necessarily better than the last. Secondly, we're going to keep adding to this article as more and more fighting games come out. This means you're going to want to check back in fairly often, just to keep up with the titles that matter the most to you.
Don't forget, either, that 2Game is an official game retailer! This means we offer all the games on this list (Steam, Epic, Xbox Game Store, etc.) and often at heavily discounted prices. So, be sure to use the title links if you'd like to play one of these games, and have fun!
Tekken 8
Historically, the Tekken franchise hasn't had the sort of wild, game-changing novelties that Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter utilize with virtually every new entry. Instead, it was the fighting game you could pick up and perform well in right off the bat. Heck, as long as you played any of the old classic Tekken entries, you could do reasonably well in the latest game purely via muscle memory and gameplay flexibility.
That all remains the same in Tekken 8 as well, keep in mind, but there's substantial novelty here as well via the Heat Mode features. A smaller, more focused character roster allows Bandai Namco to deliver more depth to each and every one of the returning fan-favourites, all the while doubling down on the series' classically wacky customization systems, training implements, and other assorted must-haves. It's a hallmark entry, for sure, and if you're gunning for a modern Tekken game on PC to help onboard you with the rest of the community, this is the ticket.
Tekken 7
As opposed to Tekken 8, its predecessor is more firmly classic Tekken in every possible way. It's made its way onto the list due to this reason, mind: if you want more content (i.e. characters, stages, options) that the game collected over the long years it's been supported, there's barely any competition. Similarly, if you're not keen on all-new gameplay systems such as Heat Mode, Tekken 7 is the obviously preferable package in all the ways that count. It's also fully stable: no further balancing is being done to it, so what you see is what you get, whereas the new title is still going through some growing pains (and will continue to do so).
Further, Tekken 7 runs better on lower-spec PCs than Tekken 8 does, simply due to its legacy tech stack. Not that the new game is not performant, of course, it's just much prettier to look at, by default. In the end, the choice between the two games is yours - as ever - but Tekken 7 is a valid option for a variety of reasons.
Mortal Kombat 1
Mortal Kombat 1 is the kinda-sorta reboot of the entire franchise, delivering some unexpected novelties in areas where they were needed, but also where they weren't. The end result is a game with absolutely phenomenal gameplay mechanics and the core fighting loop. For those who wish to be on the literal cutting edge of MK, no other game will do, and the new title is obviously also being supported with additional content and balance patches, too.
Broadly, with MK1 you're getting an oddly sensible narrative, a top-tier kombatant roster with an awesome new support Kameo feature, Invasions, and loads more. It's the more modern, satisfying gameplay experience compared to Mortal Kombat 11, however, we fully admit that there's merit in returning to the game's predecessor, too.
Mortal Kombat 11
Specifically, this is because whereas MK1 tries to innovate and redefine the series in some key ways, Mortal Kombat 11 was instead the ultimate rendition of classic MK. This is a true-to-form classic MK and the most complete legacy Mortal Kombat package you could possibly ask for. Stellar combat systems and in-depth customization (which is sorely lacking in the new title), a whole bonus game's worth of content in the Krypt, and lots more.
In choosing between MK1 and MK11, you're either going with the polished-up product at the end of its lifecycle, or with a rougher but more modern, exciting, and evolving experience that is objectively better in many ways. They're different games, and they coexist in a way that some franchises don't really allow for.
Street Fighter 6
It's almost ridiculous how big of an upgrade Street Fighter 6 was compared to what came before. A complete package with virtually every feature a fan could ask for - and then some - Street Fighter 6 delivers on every single front, as Capcom has been firing on all cylinders when producing this game. The combat experience in this game is absolutely stellar, with the sort of neutral game most other genre competitors could only strive for. There are oodles of content to enjoy, too, as well as the delightful World Tour mode as an aside to the whole fighting schtick.
Street Fighter 6 lived up to its hype in a way that almost no other game has, and it continues to deliver with a comprehensive suite of post-launch content updates, patches, and competitive tourneys. It's a joy.
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
Without a doubt, this is the go-to option for anyone interested in playing legacy Street Fighter. Containing exactly a dozen awesome SF titles from Capcom's past from 1987's Street Fighter to 1999's Street Fighter 3 in a fully supported and up-to-date package, the 30th Anniversary Collection is a must-have for franchise fans and those who feel like it. It gets better, though: all included titles support fully functioning save states and online multiplayer, where applicable. There's even ranked matchmaking in select cases!
Of course, the usual suite of bonus features (artwork, soundtrack, etc.) is included as well. It's a Street Fighter museum in a digital interactive format, really, and we love the game for it.
Guilty Gear -STRIVE-
Guilty Gear Strive is the logical evolution of the niche fighting game franchise that could. Guilty Gear has always been good, of course, but Strive well and truly drives home just what a wealth of combat goodness there is in the IP. Almost universally praised for its beautiful graphics, amazing netcode, and the kind of gameplay loop that veteran fans could only have wished for, Strive delivers the ultimate Guilty Gear fighting experience on all fronts.
What's really notable here is that Guilty Gear Strive takes everything that came before it, cuts the fat (Instant Kills), and redefines the package in a new, improved format. In all the ways that matter, this game is a 2D fighting game milestone, raising the bar in virtually every aspect of its gameplay and presentation. Yes, it's just that good.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
For the longest time, the Dragon Ball franchise struggled to produce a genuinely compelling fighting game. Obviously, one such title needed to include all the IP's traditional calling cards, such as an excessive amount of environmental destruction, prolonged pauses between moves, and flying. That's what got us the Xenoverse titles, which were pretty good but nothing to necessarily write home about. Enter FighterZ: the ultimate rendition of the Dragon Ball fighting experience.
All we need to say here is that Dragon Ball: FighterZ parries the biggest fighting game franchises in almost every way, with the sort of longevity and post-launch content pipeline that is basically unheard of. What's not to like?
Injustice 2
Finally, who doesn't want to see superheroes and supervillains beat each other up like they owe one another money? Built on the same tech stack as Mortal Kombat, and made by the same people to boot, Injustice 2 is bound to feel familiar to fans of that series, but there's more than enough here to help it eke out its own place in the sun.
Sure, it's what you'd consider a legacy title in this day and age, but we still keep returning to it on a yearly basis, and we feel it's a must-have for DC fans, in particular.
Have You Chosen Your Next Battle?
We believe that this covers just about all the major fighting game niches on the market right now! That being said, as new titles come out and new experiences are pushed forward, so too will this article change and evolve, so stick around and check back in whenever you can!
In the interim, have you seen the rest of our best-of content yet? Here's a taste of what we've been delivering so far:
- The Best PC Games for Kids
- The Best PC Anime-themed Games
- The Best PC Racing Games
- Best PC Game Boss Battles
And that's just the start. For more best-of content, check out the full 2Game Community Hub. On the flip side, if you're keen on getting some more awesome games at awesome prices, check out the 2Game Storefront!
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