Fighting Games Turning 20 In 2025

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 5, 2025 5 Views 9 Min Read
Fighting Games Turning 20 In 2025



Fighting games were in a great spot in 2005 as they continued to dominate both the arcade and console markets. Some of the most recognizable names in the genre continued to expand with new entries, while a couple of new series quickly built communities around them to ensure long-term success.

Mai Shiranui, Mario, and Ryu stand in front of a collage of character select screens from some of the most notable fighting games ever made.

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Fans’ expectations for the genre keep getting higher, especially whenever a fighting game has at least 50 characters even before any DLC.

Though the number of new fighting games was getting smaller, the average quality of each title we saw that year was very high. It might feel like you were just playing these with your friends not too long ago, but these fighting games will turn 20 years old in 2025.

6

Samurai Shodown 6

Samurai Shodown might not be as iconic as Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat, but the long-running fighting series has been around since 1993 and focuses on weapon-based combat to differentiate itself from the crowd. The sixth entry first appeared in arcades in Japan in 2005, but it wouldn’t be available to play in North America until almost a decade later.

With 40 playable characters at launch and a gorgeous art style that seamlessly blends 2D and 3D graphics, Samurai Shodown 6 is an impressive package. This is the only entry to feature the “spirit select” system, which allows you to choose from one of many different fighting styles that can affect how your character moves and attacks.

5

NeoGeo Battle Coliseum

The Neo Geo was a home console developed by SNK that allowed the company to bring its large catalog of games outside of arcades and into people’s homes. As fantastic as it was, the hardware and software were very expensive, and it couldn’t keep up with the SNES that launched the same year.

[Left Panel] Kyo hits Benimaru with a fiery punch in The King Of Fighters 15. [Right Panel] Jubei prepares his Super Special Move in Samurai Shodown (2019).

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NeoGeo Battle Coliseum is a crossover game that takes iconic characters from SNK titles like Metal Slug, King of Fighters, and more, and pits them against each other in 2-on-2 tag battles. Though the game doesn’t really push the medium forward, it does feel like a celebration of the SNK brand in all the right ways and is a great game to pick up if you have any nostalgia for the company.

4

Dead Or Alive 4

The first Dead or Alive launched in arcades in 1996 and left a strong impression with its visuals, satisfying gameplay, and mature tone. The fourth entry in the series was developed exclusively for the Xbox 360 instead of arcade machines, and the result is more surprising than you can imagine.

Dead or Alive 4 looks phenomenal and feels great to play, even with an improved counter system that makes it harder to deflect enemy attacks. The best parts of the game are the collaborations, which include an original Halo character as a playable fighter and licensed songs from Aerosmith that play during certain sequences.

3

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi

There are a lot of fighting games set in the world of Dragon Ball Z, and many of them struggle to make a name for themselves when they share similar character rosters, stages, and mechanics. Budokai Tenkaichi broke this tradition with a fresh perspective and immersive gameplay.

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Developed as an exclusive for the PlayStation 2, Budokai Tenkaichi quickly became every Dragon Ball fan’s dream game with its huge roster of characters (64 in total) and exciting story mode. The series is still going strong today, with 2024’s Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero as the latest installment in this unique fighting series.

2

Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection

Only a year after Tekken 5 launched in arcades in Japan, Namco developed a superior version of the same game with Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection. This is the definitive version of one of the best entries in the series, featuring more characters, new modes, and some fine-tuning.

The foundation for Tekken 5 was already impressive, with fantastic music and an unbelievable story mode, but Dark Resurrection ups the ante with wonderful changes that make it a better experience. Unfortunately, it was only ever released on the PSP outside of arcades, but it’s still worth your time to check this game out if you haven’t already.

1

Soul Calibur 3

Soulcalibur 2 was one of the biggest fighting games of the early 2000s, so its sequel had a huge bar to clear to satisfy both original fans and newcomers. Though it was missing an online mode, Soulcalibur 3 drew even more praise from audiences for its great story mode, unique gameplay, and character creation mode.

In an interesting twist, Soulcalibur 3 was developed for the PlayStation 2 first before arriving in arcades around the world. There is so much to do in the game, from experimenting with new characters to engaging with one of its many story modes. It doesn’t feature guest characters like its predecessor, but Soul Calibur 3 is an impressive entry you can play through over and over again.

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