5 Best Fighting Games Of The 2020s So Far, Ranked

When it comes to Fighting Games, the 2020s is one of the best eras for the genre, producing some of the most visually impressive and polished experiences for competitive expression ever. Several long-running series have either come back in full force or delivered on a new entry that refines their combat to greater heights. Although the decade isn’t over yet, the fighting games of this generation are incredibly fun to try, and often long-lasting through more support the genre has ever seen before.

Several upcoming fighting games have been available through open betas in 2026, but haven’t quite released yet. It remains to be seen if titles like Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls or Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game will live up to the excitement tied around them, but recent releases like Invincible Vs and 2XKO are already making waves post-launch. Although these games are too recent to be mentioned on this list, they are good examples of the genre’s continuing direction this year.

5. Tekken 8 (2024)

Several fighting games series in the 2020s got new entires, but not all of them were well-received. Controversies surrounding games like Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and Mortal Kombat 1 prevented them from connecting with their audiences, but Tekken 8 captured its audience once again despite its shortcomings. The launch of this game reminded fans why the series was so unique, with 3D fighting featuring a variety of new and returning characters for players to master.

Tekken 8 introduced a variety of new systems to the franchise, including the divisive Heat mechanic designed to encourage aggressive play between opponents. Explosive armored, tracking, and Heat moves made Tekken 8 more explosive than prior titles in the series, appealing to some fans while aggravating others. That being said, no one can deny that Tekken 8 is the best looking Tekken yet, with refined visuals showing even the smallest details on a variety of beloved characters.

The single-player story of Tekken 8 also helps it shine, with fun arcade endings for characters on its roster too. New DLC continues to be appealing for the game, even if balance patches for its content Seasons have alienated veteran players. Even with its struggles, Tekken 8 is arguably the best 3D fighting game of the current generation, with many praising it for steady improvements it has made since its initial release.

4. Under Night In-Birth II [Sys: Celes] (2023)

The beautiful art-style of Under Night In-Birth 2 [Sys: Celes] is something of a lost art in fighting games, with most titles using 3D models instead of hand-drawn characters. Almost emulating the past arcade games that started the genre, this game is a sequel to the fast-paced anime-inspired action of the original Under Night In-Birth, refining its mechanics to deliver a fresh experience. This game is wonderfully accessible, with a roster of completely unique characters who all have different play styles to pick up and learn.

The music of Under Night In-Birth 2 is incredible, reflecting the long history that developer French-Bread has within the fighting game scene. These creators are responsible for the infamous Melty Blood series, another great anime fighter that breaks traditional rules the genre usually imposes. Similarly, Under Night In-Birth 2 has systems that are far from “normal” compared to other fighting games, allowing for great player expression.

This game is a testament to nearly 13 years of support for the original Under Night In-Birth, refining its distinct experience into something incredibly singular. New DLC continues to see this game get support, with new characters and balance to old ones creating high-speed brawls within a memorable atmosphere. Major changes to the past and consistent online functionality make this a great fighting game whose future continues to look bright.

3. The King of Fighters XV (2022)

SNK is a juggernaut of fighting games, but The King of Fighters XV might be their greatest foray into the genre yet. This game has one of the largest rosters of any fighting game out right now, with over 60 characters from various DLC giving players a nearly endless collection of fighters to choose from. Picking teams of three is even better with the free boss DLC characters included in the game past its launch, such as the infamous Omega Rugal or Goenitz from past King of Fighters games.

The refined gameplay of King of Fighters XV make it an extremely balanced title in the genre as well, avoiding many of the hardcore fan complaints other titles have been getting lately. Boss challenge modes combine with an extensive Jukebox, with the latter giving players access to multiple albums of music from across SNK’s library. Customizing your gameplay experience in King of Fighters XV is easy, with improved online netplay making it a fantastic fighting game even almost four years later.

2. Guilty Gear Strive (2021)

Guilty Gear Strive was one of the first fighting games of the 2020s to fully implement rollback netcode into its online functionality, setting a trend that many of the other games on this list followed. That alone gets it a lot of points, but its continuation of the Guilty Gear series also earns it praise. Although this fighting game did simplify a lot of its legacy systems, this made it a far easier title for new fans to pick up, making it a game that introduced many players to the genre.

The characters of Guilty Gear Strive is where it shines the most, as no two figures play the same. The incredibly diverse roster for this title has only grown over time, bringing back fan-favorites and introducing extremely unique newcomers, such as Happy Chaos or Asuka. The redesigns of certain characters in a highly detailed 2D/3D art style has captured the hearts of many fans, alongside experimental vocal music that stands out from other fighting games.

The anime inspirations of Guilty Gear Strive evolved in some ways from the past, even allowing the game to create its own anime, Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers. Improvements to balance have come with multiple major gameplay updates across multiple Seasons, with Guilty Gear Strive 2.0 even removing past mechanics to keep the game fresh over time. The constant support and enhancements this game continues to get is a strong reason why it remains such a present title, with its content only growing even in 2026 and beyond.

1. Street Fighter 6 (2023)

As of this time of writing, it’s hard to deny how Street Fighter 6 has pretty much everything a fan could ask for in a fighting game from the 2020s era. Robust online matchmaking, an extensive single-player experience, and a cast of growing unique characters is only the tip of the iceberg to why this game has been successful. Street Fighter 6 was a necessary departure from the divisive Street Fighter 5, making various improvements to gameplay and presentation that have helped it shine since release.

The Drive system of Street Fighter 6 adds layers of complexity to each fight, with mechanics like Drive Impact, Drive Rush, and Drive Reversal playing a big part to how matches are played. Universal techniques of aggressive play are supported by diverse characters, who include returning favorites along with memorable new faces. Every fighter is displayed with astounding levels of detail, with the animations and references behind certain moves giving every character tons of personality in the process.

World Tour gives non-competitive players a chance to really dive into a fighting game’s mechanics, offering them a way to build a custom character across a great single-player experience. Almost like an RPG, World Tour is by far the most extensive single-player mode of any fighting game, with its own audience somewhat separate from the primary online versus matches. That being said, plenty of training options and tutorials give new players great jumping points to start learning this game’s systems.

Everything in this game simply works, and works well enough to keep players invested. Multiple DLC characters across new Season content drops have only expanded this game’s possibilities, even including fighters like Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui as the first guests in the series’ history. Even if it hasn’t been updated through patches as much as other games, Street Fighter 6 is easily the best fighting game of the 2020s, for having such a clear direction that continues to be executed well.

What is your favorite fighting game to have been released in the 2020s? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!

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