The 13 best fighting games

polygon.com:

The routine of spending an afternoon and dozens of quarters at the local arcade, trying to win a match against that kid in the neighborhood who knew how to perform all the special moves, may be a thing of the past — but fighting games are more relevant now than ever. Cross-play erases platform barriers, rollback netcode allows for smooth fights, and free-to-play models bring in more newcomers eager to test their skills.

Street Fighter 6 is right around the corner and Mortal Kombat 1 is officially due in September. Tekken 8 was also announced during one of Sony’s State of Play showcases last year, and although it doesn’t yet have a release date, it’s possible we could see it this year. In other words, 2023 could be a massive year for the fighting game genre, with three of its biggest franchises potentially receiving major sequels.

In the meantime, there’s an almost endless catalog of fighting games with which to hone your skills. Some fundamental titles aren’t currently available on modern platforms, but you can still find a fantastic selection of games to start flexing your fingers. We’ve gathered this list of the best fighting games (and, in some cases, the second-best games in their respective series) to help you dive deeper into one of the most rewardingly complex genres. (If you’re considering getting into fighting games for the first time, you should also watch the video below.)

Selecting only one Guilty Gear used to be tough. How could you choose between the brilliant and frenetic battles of XX Accent Core Plus and the ridiculous amount of freedom and systems that Rev 2 offers? Well, you couldn’t. Luckily, the latest entry in the series, Guilty Gear Strive, makes things much easier.

Simply put, Strive is the best