Summary
- Fatal Fury 3 launched in 1995 with diverse characters and exciting gameplay, paving the way for future titles.
- Battle Arena Toshinden impressed audiences with groundbreaking visuals but faded after sequels failed to continue its legacy.
- Mortal Kombat 3 and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 aimed for bloodier gameplay, standing out in the era’s fierce competition.
1995 was a knockout year for fighting games. Aside from conquering arcades worldwide, buying your favorite title at a local retailer to practice at home with friends or on your own was becoming easier than ever.
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The year was full of highly-anticipated sequels to some of the biggest names in the genre and some newcomers that quickly established themselves as contenders in the market. It might feel like you were just playing these titles with your friends in your parent’s basement not too long ago, but these fighting games will turn 30 in 2025.
7
Fatal Fury 3: Road To The Final Victory
The Fatal Fury brand might not be as recognizable as other fighting series, but there was a time when it was just as popular as its competitors. You may only recognize Terry Bogard from his appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but Fatal Fury was especially known for its diverse roster of characters and unique gameplay.
Fatal Fury 3 launched in arcades in Japan in 1995 and felt bigger and better than its predecessors. Despite having only ten characters to choose from, the complex combat system allows you to experiment with different strategies that prevent Road to the Final Victory from ever feeling stale.
6
Battle Arena Toshinden
Battle Arena Toshinden
- Released
-
September 1, 1995
- Developer
-
Tamsoft
- Publisher
-
TAKARA
- ESRB
-
e
Battle Arena Toshinden was the first game ever developed by Tamsoft and quickly caught the public’s attention with its groundbreaking visuals and weapon-based combat. After its success on the PlayStation 1, it was remade as a 2D fighter for the Game Boy while the Sega Saturn received the ultimate version with even more features.
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While it saw great success as a launch title for the PlayStation, the Battle Arena Toshinden sequels failed to compete against other games like Soulcalibur and the series eventually vanished after the fourth installment in 1999. It would be interesting to see how a modern entry would be received by players, but it’s still fun to boot up Battle Arena Toshinden for a round or two.
5
Marvel Super Heroes
Marvel Super Heroes
- Franchise
-
Marvel vs Capcom
- Platform(s)
-
Arcade
, PS1
, Sega Saturn - Released
-
October 24, 1995
- Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer
- ESRB
-
t
- How Long To Beat
-
1 Hour
After Capcom’s success with the Street Fighter series, it became one of the most sought-after developers for licensing deals. Other companies reached out to see if Capcom would make fighting games with their characters, including Marvel, which wasn’t close to being the mega-brand it is today.
Capcom launched Marvel Super Heroes only a year after its first collaboration with Marvel in X-Men: Children of the Atom, and impressed audiences with its smooth animation and faithful adaptations of popular characters like Spider-Man and Hulk. During battles, you can meet certain criteria to earn Infinity Gems that provide temporary buffs to your character.
4
The King of Fighters ‘95
- Released
-
September 1, 1995
- Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer
- ESRB
-
T for Teen –
Alcohol Reference, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence - How Long To Beat
-
1 Hours
If you can’t tell by the name, King of Fighters ‘95 launched in 1995 as the second game in the underrated series. Designed as a crossover for SNK properties with a focus on three-on-three matches, these titles helped innovate the genre with mechanics and ideas that are still used to this day.
King of Fighters ‘95 had everything you would want from a sequel, including more characters to choose from and customization options for your team. Though the game was popular in arcades, the port for the PlayStation was panned for its long loading times and difficult controls. King of Fighters might not hold the weight it used to, but it is still worth revisiting.
3
Street Fighter Alpha
Capcom had a huge bar to clear for itself after the monumental success of Street Fighter 2, and the company made a bold decision to move backward with the story instead of forward. Set between the events of the first and second games, Street Fighter Alpha features improved graphics and tighter mechanics than its predecessors, though not everything about it worked for everyone.
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Returning characters like Ryu and Chun-Li felt better than ever to play as, but newer fighters like Charlie Nash failed to resonate with players. There are two more games in the Alpha series after this one, and they both continued the trend of pushing the genre forward while continuing to refine what makes Street Fighter special.
2
Tekken 2
Tekken 2
- Released
-
August 24, 1995
- Developer(s)
-
Namco
- Publisher(s)
-
Namco
- Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer
- ESRB
-
T For Teen Due To Suggestive Themes, Violence
- How Long To Beat
-
1 Hours
- Metascore
-
89
- PS Plus Availability
-
Premium
Less than a year after the original Tekken impressed international audiences with its 3D visuals and captivating story, Namco published its sequel in arcades to almost universal acclaim. Tekken 2 ups the ante in every way imaginable with its ambitious narrative, iconic cast of characters, and a soundtrack that hits harder than one of Kazuya’s punches.
Tekken 2 arrived in arcades across the globe in 1995 before being ported to the PlayStation in 1996. It ended up being one of the most popular video games of the year and outsold titles like Resident Evil, Super Mario 64, and even the first generation of Pokemon games.
1
Mortal Kombat 3/Ultimate
While other fighting games focused on refining mechanics and pushing the medium forward, Mortal Kombat 3’s only goal was to be bloodied and more brutal than anything before it. After it launched in North American arcades in 1995, it quickly absorbed every quarter from anyone who wanted a sillier and gorier fighting game compared to Street Fighter or Fatal Fury.
Mortal Kombat 3 was already an impressive sequel, but Midway made it even better with Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, which also launched in arcades in 1995. Many look back at this era as one of the best for fighting games, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was the cherry on top of an already-killer year.
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