Fighting games have been around for a long time, but the ’90s was the decade when the genre truly came into its own. It featured some of the all-time best games in the genre, including arguably what some have called the best arcade video games ever made. We looked at 50 of the most popular games released in the 1990s and selected the top 10. They’re ranked primarily based on contemporary critics’ reviews upon release, their popularity among gamers, and their overall impact on the genre. For franchises with multiple ‘90s releases, we’ve selected the highest-rated among them.
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10) The King of Fighters ‘98
The King of Fighters ‘98 is the fifth game in the series and, according to most critics, the best released in the 1990s. Unlike earlier titles in the KoF series, ‘98 features almost all of the characters from previous titles, features no storyline, and is all about dream matches. Gameplay involves creating teams of three characters who compete in the King of Fighters tournament, which culminates in a match against Rugal Bernstein. The game was a huge hit and is widely considered one of the best KoF games ever made, though the franchise continued to produce plenty of exceptional entries well into the 2020s.
9) Samurai Showdown II
The Samurai Showdown franchise kicked off with its first entry in 1993. The fighting game pitted samurai warriors against one another in feudal Japan, and unlike most fighting games released at the time, Samurai Showdown focuses on weapon-based combat. This distinguished the series from the competition, and it was incredibly successful. It didn’t take long for Samurai Showdown to launch a franchise and find its way onto multiple systems over the years. While everyone has their favorite entry, Samurai Showdown II is widely considered to be the best the franchise had to offer in the 1990s.
8) Garou: Mark Of The Wolves
The Fatal Fury series began in 1991 with Fatal Fury: King of Fighters, which is an excellent game. It launched a franchise, and from the 1990s, the best entry was Garou: Mark Of The Wolves. It’s also the last entry in the franchise in the ‘90s, and there wouldn’t be another until 2025. Garou: Mark Of The Wolves overhauled the entire franchise, updating the mechanics and characters to better align with The King of Fighters as it evolved. This made Mark of the Wolves more accessible to new players, and the game was exceptionally well-made, ensuring it became one of the best fighting games of the decade.
7) Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
The third installment in the Marvel vs. Capcom series, Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, is rated highest by critics in the 1990s, and it’s easy to see why. The various ports of the game were exceptional, and the Dreamcast version was particularly well-made (Not so much the PlayStation version). The game includes characters from across Capcom’s library, not just the Street Fighter series, so it includes a substantial roster of characters across both sides. Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes was incredibly successful and one of the most popular arcade cabinets upon its 1998 release.
6) Soulcalibur
The first Soulcalibur arrived in 1998 and offered an entirely new way to play fighting games. While it shared similarities with the Tekken franchise, also developed by Namco, Soulcalibur focused heavily on eight-way movement and weapons. It smashed records and became a huge success as a launch title for the Sega Dreamcast. The game’s graphics, sound, moves, characters, and animations were a step above the competition, making Soulcalibur stand out among the rest, and it’s easily one of the best fighting games of the decade. The success of Soulcalibur launched an expansive franchise that continues with the latest release, Soulcalibur VI, which was released in 2018.
5) Killer Instinct
Rare developed Killer Instinct in 1994 for arcades, but it didn’t take long to find its way onto various consoles, including the Game Boy. Killer Instinct revolves around a fighting tournament where a bunch of characters compete in one-on-one combat. Its moves are taken straight out of Street Fighter, while Mortal Kombat clearly inspired its finishing moves. It introduced several new mechanics and offered a fascinating plot filled with lore. Killer Instinct was a huge hit, selling incredibly well in arcades and on home consoles. It launched a franchise. The latest installment was also titled Killer Instinct, and was one of the Xbox One’s launch titles in 2013.
4) Mortal Kombat II
The first Mortal Kombat is an undeniable classic that completely changed video games forever. While the first game was significant and impactful, the sequel improved on every aspect, delivering an even better gaming experience. It expands on several areas, including new finishing moves such as Friendship and Babalities. Mortal Kombat II also introduced several new, important characters to the franchise, as well as a hidden character. Everything about Mortal Kombat II is amped up beyond its predecessor, making it one of the all-time best fighting games of the decade.
3) Virtua Fighter 2
Virtua Fighter 2, like Mortal Kombat II, improved on the great aspects of its predecessor, becoming a superior title in the growing franchise. The game was developed using a more robust graphics engine, and it shows, as the graphics are significantly improved via texture-mapped 3D imagery. Virtua Fighter 2 employed motion capture animation, creating more realistic movements for its characters, and it was a literal game-changer, busting sales expectations and becoming a huge success with critics and players alike. It kept the Virtua Fighter franchise going and was one of Sega’s best-selling arcade games of all time.
2) Tekken 3
The Tekken franchise innovated the fighting game genre in several ways, and Tekken 3 improved on its predecessors. It’s set 19 years after the events of Tekken 2, so most of the characters were entirely new, while some familiar faces showed up. The game incorporated sidestepping for every character, and it was a massive hit, selling better than almost every other fighting game throughout the decade. Tekken 3 is now considered to be among the greatest games ever made, and it stands the test of time, as it remains playable today despite the now-dated graphics.
1) Street Fighter II
When it comes to the best fighting game of the 1990s, there’s really no competition. Street Fighter II, in its many forms, is easily the leader of the pack, as it helped define most of what makes a fighting game. Capcom continued tweaking the format, improving it with multiple editions, and everyone has their favorite based on the changes in mechanics, so we’re lumping them all together under the “Street Fighter II” banner. Not only was Street Fighter II the king of the fighting game genre in the 1990s, but it’s easily one of the best fighting games ever made and one of the best video games of all time.
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Courtesy of Warner Bros. Japan
