The fighting game genre is filled with some of the most iconic franchises in video game history. FromStreet FightertoMortal KombatandSuper Smash Bros, there are plenty of well-known fighting games with huge fanbases. However, there are many excellent lesser-known fighting titles that don’t get the attention they deserve.
RELATED:Ranked: Top 10 Fighting Games of the 2010’s
Whether they’re smaller indie-titles or sleeper hits in a larger established series, for one reason or another, these games have flown under many players' radars. For those looking to take a break fromMortal Kombat 11andStreet Fighter V, here are the ten most underrated fighting games.
10Soulcalibur III
WhiletheSoulcaliburfranchisehas many entries that are beloved by fans, such asSoulcalibur IIandSoulcalibur IV,Soulcalibur IIIis one of the most slept on entries in the series. Introducing a staple to the series in character creation, the game greatly expanded upon the size of the roster when compared to the previous entry while maintaining the solid 3D weapon-based fighting the franchise is known for.
Additionally, the game had a unique RPG-styled single-player mode called “Chronicles of the Sword.” This is one of the most fleshed-out single-player modes that the series has seen.
9Them’s Fightin' Herds
Originally started as aMy Little Ponyfan game,Them’s Fightin' Herdsis a surprisingly polished 2D fighter. Though the roster may be offputting for some, the game features one of the best online lobby systems of any fighting game on the market.
Additionally, besides toting solid core gameplay,Them’s Fightin' Herdshas a unique dynamic music system that will change the instrumentation of a song based on the current state of a fight.
8Fantasy Strike
Released in 2017,Fantasy Strikeis a somewhat simplistic fighting game. It forgoes long combos and complexity in order to allow newcomers to the genre to better understand fighting game fundamentals.
Putting an emphasis on spacing, footsies, and fundamentals,Fantasy Strikeis without a doubt one of the easiest fighting games for a newcomer to pick up and learn.
7Street Fighter EX3
Street Fighterhas largely been regarded as one of the premier 2D fighting game franchises of all time. Games likeStreet Fighter IIandStreet Fighter IVinfluenced the genre as a whole. The short-livedStreet Fighter EXseries of the late ’90s was the first major attempt to bring the series into the third dimension.
RELATED:The 10 Best Fighting Games Of All Time (According To Metacritic)
The third entry in this sub-series,Street Fighter EX3put a larger focus on combos while experimenting with the idea of tag-team battles.
6Melty Blood
While niche, theMelty Bloodseries started in 2002 and still has a dedicated fanbase that is willing to play the game anywhere, from hotel hallways to bathrooms, regardless of if it is supported by major events.
A PC fighter,Melty Bloodis regarded for its combo systems as well as its high-risk, high-reward defensive options. These elements combine to create very dynamic gameplay.
5Rivals Of Aether
Rivals of Aetheris without a doubt one of the most finely tuned games in the platform fighter subgenre outside of theSuper Smash Brosfranchise.Rivals of Aetherputs a major focus on movement and each characters' positioning on the stage as every player attempts to knock their opponents off the screen.
While the game features numerous dynamic original characters, it also totes guest characters in the form of Shovel Knight from his namesake game and Ori fromOri and the Blind Forest.
4Blazblue: Cross Tag Battle
Arc System Works is one of the most consistent fighting game developers, primarily known for their work on series such asGuilty Gear,Blazblue, andDragonball FighterZ.Blazblue: Cross Tag Battleis a team-based fighting game that shares a great deal in common with theMarvel Vs. Capcomseries, toting flashy combat and characters from numerous franchises.
With characters from theBlazBlueseries,Persona 4 Arena,Under Night In-Birth,and evenRWBY,Cross Tag Battledistinctly features universal command inputs that make the game easy to learn but hard to master.
3Samurai Shodown
Since the ’90s, theSamurai Shodownfranchise has been one of the most underrated series in the fighting game genre. A weapon-based 2D fighter,Samurai Shodownrewards fundamentals with a lot of high-risk, high-reward attacks that can erase huge chunks of a fighter’s life bar while leaving the attacker quite vulnerable on a whiff.
RELATED:10 Strongest Characters You Can Play in Samurai Shodown
While the series dates back to 1993, the most recent entry in the series is still holding the torch and maintaining the excellent gameplay the franchise is known for.
2Under Night In-Birth
Originally released in 2012,Under Night In-Birthis one of the most under-appreciated fighting game franchises of the past ten years. LikeMelty Blood, this game features a great blend of footsies and fundamentals while allowing players to use their resources to extend combos and deal more damage.
While the game’s three-button combat may make it appear simple at first glance,Under Night In-Birthhas numerous unique mechanics that provide its combat with additional depth. An example is the GRD system that rewards strong offense and defense alike.
1Skullgirls
With team-based gameplay inspired byMarvel Vs. Capcom 2,Skullgirlsis an indie-fighting game that features gorgeous traditionally animated hand-drawn characters. Utilizing a six-button fighting system, the game uniquely allows players to choose whether they want to control one character or a team of two or three characters at once, proving users with the ability to play how they want.
Between its fine-tuned gameplay, incredible netcode, and gorgeous visuals, the future looks bright forSkullgirls, as it was recently announced that the game will be receivingbrand new DLC characters.
Next:Super Smash Bros Ultimate: 10 DLC We Need To See (That Aren’t New Fighters)
