5 Best Fighting Games Of The 2020s So Far, Ranked

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As a fighting game fan, I can honestly say the 2020s have been amazing! We’re seeing some of the best-looking and most refined fighting games ever made. It’s awesome to see classic series making huge comebacks or just constantly improving with each new release. Even though the decade isn’t over, the games we’ve gotten so far are incredibly fun, and the amount of ongoing support for these titles is unlike anything I’ve seen before – it really keeps the scene alive!

A few highly anticipated fighting games, including Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls and Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, had open betas in 2026 but haven’t officially launched yet. It’s still uncertain if they’ll meet expectations. However, recent releases like Invincible Vs and 2XKO are proving popular and show where the genre is headed this year, though they are too new to be included on this particular list.

5. Tekken 8 (2024)

The 2020s have seen a wave of new fighting game releases, but some haven’t resonated with players. Titles like Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and Mortal Kombat 1 faced criticism and struggled to connect with fans. However, Tekken 8 proved successful, reminding players what made the series special – its unique 3D fighting style and diverse roster of characters, both new and old, to learn and enjoy.

Tekken 8 brought several new features to the series, including the Heat system, which aimed to create more exciting, offensive battles. These new moves, with their armor and tracking abilities, made Tekken 8 more action-packed than previous games – though some players loved this change, others found it frustrating. Regardless, everyone agrees that Tekken 8 is the most visually stunning game in the series so far, with incredible detail in its characters and environments.

Tekken 8’s single-player story mode is a strong point, and the game features enjoyable arcade-style endings for each character. While new downloadable content keeps things fresh, some updates aimed at balancing the game have frustrated long-time players. Despite these issues, Tekken 8 is widely considered the best 3D fighting game available today, thanks to the consistent improvements made since launch.

4. Under Night In-Birth II [Sys: Celes] (2023)

With most fighting games now using 3D graphics, Under Night In-Birth 2 [Sys: Celes] stands out with its stunning hand-drawn art style – a throwback to classic arcade games. As a sequel to the original Under Night In-Birth, it builds on the fast-paced, anime-inspired action while improving the gameplay. The game is easy to pick up and play, featuring a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique fighting style.

The soundtrack for Under Night In-Birth 2 is fantastic, showcasing the extensive experience of its developers, French-Bread, in the fighting game world. They’re also known for Melty Blood, a highly-regarded anime fighting game that often defied genre conventions. Under Night In-Birth 2 follows suit, featuring unique gameplay systems that give players a lot of freedom and creative control.

This game builds upon the legacy of the original Under Night In-Birth after 13 years of dedicated support, resulting in a truly unique fighting experience. Ongoing updates with new characters and adjustments to existing ones keep the fast-paced battles exciting, all within a captivating atmosphere. Significant improvements and reliable online play make this a fantastic fighting game with a promising future.

3. The King of Fighters XV (2022)

SNK is a major player in the fighting game world, and The King of Fighters XV could be their best game yet. It boasts a huge selection of characters – over 60 thanks to downloadable content – giving players tons of options. Building teams of three is even more fun with the free boss characters added after launch, like the well-known Omega Rugal and Goenitz from previous King of Fighters titles.

King of Fighters XV offers polished gameplay and impressive balance, addressing many of the issues fans have had with other fighting games. It includes challenging boss battles and a comprehensive jukebox featuring music from throughout SNK’s history. The game is also highly customizable, and its strong online play continues to make it a great experience even years after its release.

2. Guilty Gear Strive (2021)

Guilty Gear Strive was a pioneer in online fighting games, being one of the first in the 2020s to use rollback netcode for smooth online matches – a feature many other games quickly adopted. Beyond that, it’s a fantastic addition to the long-running Guilty Gear series. While it streamlined some of the older, more complex mechanics, this made it much more accessible to newcomers, bringing a lot of new players into the fighting game genre.

What truly makes Guilty Gear Strive special is its cast of characters – each one offers a completely different gameplay experience. The game’s roster is impressively diverse and has expanded over time, welcoming back beloved characters and introducing exciting new ones like Happy Chaos and Asuka. Fans have also praised the beautifully redesigned characters, brought to life with a detailed 2D/3D art style, and the game’s unique and experimental music, which sets it apart from other fighting games.

Drawing heavily from anime, Guilty Gear Strive has not only been influenced by the medium but has also spawned its own anime series, Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers. The game has seen significant improvements and balancing changes through several major updates released over multiple seasons, including Guilty Gear Strive 2.0, which even removed some older features to keep the gameplay exciting. This ongoing support and constant stream of new content are key reasons why Guilty Gear Strive remains popular, with even more updates planned for 2026 and beyond.

1. Street Fighter 6 (2023)

At the time of this writing, Street Fighter 6 seems to have everything fans want in a modern fighting game. It’s been successful thanks to features like solid online matchmaking, a deep single-player mode, and a diverse roster of characters. This game represents a significant and positive change from Street Fighter 5, with improvements to both how it plays and how it looks.

Street Fighter 6’s Drive system makes fights more strategic and complex, featuring techniques like Drive Impact, Rush, and Reversal that heavily influence gameplay. The game supports fast-paced, aggressive styles with a diverse roster of both returning and brand-new characters. Each fighter is incredibly detailed, and their animations and moves give them a lot of personality.

World Tour mode lets players who don’t focus on competition explore a fighting game’s details and create a unique character through a deep, single-player story. It’s similar to a role-playing game and is much more comprehensive than single-player modes in other fighting games, attracting players who enjoy this type of experience. Plus, the game offers lots of helpful tutorials and training tools, making it easy for beginners to learn how to play.

Street Fighter 6 is a remarkably polished game that consistently keeps players engaged. Regular updates with new characters and content have broadened the gameplay experience, notably with the addition of guest fighters like Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui – a first for the series. Despite receiving fewer patches than some other titles, Street Fighter 6 stands out as the best fighting game released in the 2020s thanks to its focused vision and consistent quality.

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2026-05-11 18:19