PlayStation 1 fighting games are some of the most nostalgic out there. It was home to the Tekken series along with instalments for tons of the biggest fighting games. These are all titles which still receive play at some tournaments and are great to jump back into, even after all this time. If you’re looking for retro fighters, some of the best are PS1 fighting games.
Fighting games for PS1 had a unique set-up compared to earlier consoles. The device can handle limited 3D as well as 2D. This opened up new horizons for fighting games. The PS1 fighting game era is really where we start to see the limitations of classic arcade fighters getting left behind.
Although, that doesn’t mean there weren’t impressive traditional fighters on the platform. The PS1 saw fighting games getting pushed forward but also improvements to the core mechanics of more traditional fighters. These are some of the best fighting games for PS1.
Best PS1 Fighting Games
7. Warpath Jurassic Park
Source: EA
This one isn’t the most serious on the list of PlayStation 1 fighting games, but there’s something really special about fighting dinosaurs! Rather than focusing on hand-to-hand combat, players are attacking each other as their favourite dinosaurs here. It might not ever be featured at EVO, but this is one of the most fun fighting games for PS1.
It’s great to see unique titles getting included on the PS1. it won’t be the most competitively balanced. However, it’s one of the most unique type of fighters on the platform. Letting you pick your favourite dinosaur and go head to head against each other.
6. Bushido Blade
Source: Square
Bushido Blade is a PS1 fighting game that has a focus on realism. Players use realistic weapons and the game is built around how they actually handle, at least for highly trained samurai. It’s one of the best fighting games on the platform. Weapon fighters are a unique change from the hand to hand games. There’s quite a few of these on the PS1, but Bushido Blade is one of the most fun.
5. Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Source: NetherRealm Studios
This is a collection game which sums up what’s happened with Mortal Kombat games up until now. The trilogy is the first 3 games before the series made the jump into 3D. These first titles are what Mortal Kombat the huge title that it is today. It’s a collection of some of the best MK titles.
That means it’s home to the gameplay that made it famous and half of the best Mortal Kombat fatalities. This might just be a collection, but it still ranks as one of the best PS1 fighting games. It’s also pretty convenient to have all three original games in one place. Thanks to the disc storage system and it’s bigger file sizes that were possible with the PlayStation 1.
4. Street Fighter Alpha 3
Source: Capcom
This is one of the best Street Fighter games on the platform. It had a bigger roster along with the new gameplay twists replacing the Manual and Auto in the Alpha series. It’s one of the best packages in this sub-series of Street Fighter games. The series has come a long way since these releases. But there’s so much charm and fun still to be had in the older Street Fighter games.
3. Mortal Kombat 4
Source: NetherRealm Studios
This is the second of the fighting games for PS1 from this franchise, but it’s still worthy of inclusion. This Mortal Kombat game follows up the first in 3D for the series. It isn’t the smoothest transition, but 4 is definitely more polished than the one immediately before it. Most series had some teething difficulties in moving over to a new dimension. However, there’s a lot to like here. It definitely succeeds in pushing forward Mortal Kombat.
It manages to keep the combat fast-paced and combo-focused, being an impressive next move for the series here.
2. King of Fighters 1999
Source: SNK
This is a unique title even on the best PS1 fighting games. It came at a watershed moment for the series. The developer of King of Fighters, SNK, was heading for bankruptcy. Yet, they were still pumping out King of Fighter games which hit new heights for the series. Improvements and refinements to the mechanics and characters that made it one of the most fun to play across the entire franchise.
King of Fighters 1999 is still remembered as one of the best in the series by a lot of fans. It isn’t quite as flashy as modern games, but very polished for the time. It’s one of the best Playstation 1 fighting games.
1. Tekken
Source: Bandai Namco
The home series of fighting games for PS1, Tekken has had a huge impact. This is the game that started it all. It’s the PS1’s own fighting game. Kind of. It might have originated in the arcade, but it became the most popular over on the PlayStation 1, taking advantage of the extra power. It’s what lead to the series being a mainstay and an easy pick for one of the best PS1 fighting games.
Tekken has become a series that’s played on every platform. With a title pretty much always being on the top of the charts for the genre. The first game is a little rougher around the edges, but it shows what made the series special. here you can get your first introduction to all those characters who went on to dominate the biggest fighting game events.
PS1 fighting games are some of the places where we saw the game take its biggest steps forward. Each of these games contributed something to the development of the genre overall and left its mark on fighting games as a whole.