Top 50 Best 2D Fighting Games of All Time

#10. – Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike

Capcom took their sweet time before arriving at this third installment in their popular fighting franchise. I remember reading previews for the original release and saying ‘finally’ with an exasperated sigh. Thing is it wasn’t until the Sega Dreamcast that we would actually see a home port. Unfortunately I missed out on the first two iterations, but finally bit when 3rd strike was released. This game foregoes the more colorful stylings of it’s Alpha contemporaries for a grittier tone. The gameplay is faster, and the graphics are significantly more detailed with lush animations and amazing hand drawn backgrounds. Gameplay has also been altered, but in all the best ways. The air blocks have been changed to a parry, and the super move system has also been revamped. I really like the gameplay engine and graphics, but can see how purists might prefer Alpha.

#9. – Capcom Vs. SNK 2

The first Capcom Vs. SNK was a true combination of all the best elements (namely the rosters) of the two arcade companies. It had a few issues that held it back for me, but then the sequel came around and squashed these. Part 2 expands the roster even further offering a staggering 44 playable characters. Even today this is absolute madness, and a fighting game fan’s wildest dreams come true. The biggest new upgrade in my opinion is how they tweaked the ratio system. You are no longer limited in who you can use, and instead can assign these points to the characters to increase their power. It just makes the whole package that much better in my opinion. If you’ve ever wanted to see Zangief perform a spinning pile driver on Terry Bogard well, then, this game has your number.

#8. – The Last Blade 2

I’ll be the first to admit that I was a bit thrown off by the darker and more grittier visuals/story this time around. Once I got past this I discovered what is easily one of SNK’s greatest achievements, and one of the best 2D fighting games of all time. First of all this is simply one of the most beautiful titles on any console anywhere. The backgrounds are lush and feature a ton of animation. The characters move fluidly and the art style is seriously on point. The original roster returns with four new faces (seems to be the standard for fighter sequels). There’s also a greater emphasis on story this time around which I was surprised to find I didn’t hate. Super moves can now be canceled out (which veterans of the genre will love) and you can switch up styles mid-combat.

#7. – Garou: Mark of the Wolves

With Fatal Fury waning in popularity SNK decided to re-invent the wheel so to speak. They completely remade the graphics engine from the ground up to compete with modern fighters. Even Terry Bogard looks very different, and to be honest I’m a fan of the new design. The second thing they did was get rid of the annoying plane system that plagued Fatal Fury from the start. Now you can only move right/left and into the air making for a more traditional (and honestly better) gameplay experience. The roster was almost completely scrapped (save for Terry) and is now packed with new faces. This even includes Rock Howard, the son of Terry’s arch nemesis whom he has now taken under his wing. It doesn’t actually feel like a Fatal Fury game to be honest, but it’s rock solid in it’s own right.

#6. – Art of Fighting

Many will scoff that this one placed so high on this list. Let me explain. You only have two playable characters in the story mode, but Art of Fighting is focused more on it’s story. It’s somewhat of a generic 1970s buddy kung fu flick, but it really struck a nerve with me. I absolutely love the story segments in between. The highlight however is the enemy characters. They are absolutely loaded with personality in both their animations and intro dialogue. The Art of Fighting is not a game you’re going to jump right in to and be good at. It requires a lot of finesse thanks to the ‘ki bar.’ All special moves require use of this, and you can actually reduce your foe’s meter by performing a taunt. It adds a huge amount of strategy and feels unlike any other fighting game in this regard.

#5. – Street Fighter Alpha 3

Here we have the high point of 32-bit Street Fighter games. Alpha 3 enhanced the graphics past what I thought home consoles were capable of at the time in regards to sprites. The animations are absolutely insane, and only gets better when you play on Sega consoles. They also increased the roster significantly and threw in just about every character from the franchise history up to this point. My man Guile finally makes a comeback, and that’s well worth celebrating. The gameplay engine has also been refined giving you many more options to select from at the start of a match. Probably the best addition is that you cannot block indefinitely. You have a bar that drains and when it’s depleted you’re left open to all attacks. There are so many intricacies and options here. This is easily one of the best 2D fighting games of all time.

#4. – Mortal Kombat II

Maybe it’s nostalgia speaking here, but Mortal Kombat II is easily my favorite release in the entire franchise. Yes, I realize Trilogy features all the same characters and so many more, but there was something truly special about this one. It’s absolutely one of the best 2D fighting games of all time. For starters it retains the same dark fantasy kung fu setting as the original. It’s better realized here with some absolutely crazy characters. Baraka and Jax are probably the best new additions in the entire franchise. The graphics were also significantly enhanced, and the roster of moves expanded. Finishing moves introduced here include babalities and friendships which were cheesy but a lot of fun. Truth be told you’re probably better off getting Trilogy. If you want Mortal Kombat in it’s best form with no fluff get part II.

#3. – King of Fighters ’95

I’m definitely going to lose some readers with this one placing so high, and it being ranked my favorite King of Fighters title. The simple fact is that this is my list, and 95 is the installment I have had the most fun with. It was a great upgrade to 94 in that you can finally make your own team of characters. This allows you to mix and match which is exactly what we all wanted when the franchise made it’s debut. The graphics have been enhanced since the last release with significantly more detail and smoother animation. Action has also been sped up and hits just the perfect rate I’m always looking for. The balance is in my opinion the best in the franchise. For me the only drawback is related to block damage and how quirky it can be with super moves.

#2. – Fatal Fury: The King of Fighters

Here’s another one most fans of the genre will absolutely disagree with. Like Art of Fighting this first installment of Fatal Fury focuses on it’s story and setting to draw you in to the atmosphere. It feels like a cheesy kung fu film in the best way. You really feel like you’re fighting against a crime syndicate. The difficulty is off the charts and you’ll need to learn the nuances of the three playable characters as well as the opponents. Fatal Fury was also one of the original co-op fighting games. If you’re having a tough time against a foe a friend can tap in and join the fray. You can damage each other, but establishing a strategy and using team work to take down the most difficult opponents is incredibly rewarding. It’s not only SNK’s best title, but also one of the best 2D fighting games of all time.

#1. – Street Fighter II: Turbo

I openly admit that this is probably nostalgia talking, but I consider Street Fighter II: Turbo to be the best 2D fighting game bar none. It features the original line-up as well as the boss characters. The biggest enhancement however is the increase in speed. Reflexes play a bigger role now because you can close the gap in no time flat. It does hinder the slower characters, but in the right hands you can decimate foes using them. A bar I used to frequent had an old arcade machine of this title, and I used to wager drinks with other players on it. Using just muscle memory from when I was a kid I was pretty much undefeated here. It’s just so good that you never forget it, or how to play. If you’re going to play just one 2D fighting game then make it’s this one.