5 Fighting Game Comebacks That Were Worth The Wait

When it comes to Fighting Games, many series have come and gone since the genre’s inception within arcades. However, a select few IPs have had the privilege of returning from obscurity, sparking a comeback that has seen some franchises completely revive themselves. In these cases, a new title has been the vehicle of a series comeback, oftentimes providing an exciting re-invention of the series that makes the long waiting period worth it.

Several fighting game series, such as Capcom’s beloved Darkstalkers, have fans wanting a revival of some kind to this day. Although there are many older arcade titles or early console releases that have been bundled into classic collections, a new entry or a full remake/remaster is usually the best way to get a series back. A fresh game can bring back nostalgic characters with better visuals, along with gameplay innovations that define how a series can not only come back, but move forward.

5. Street Fighter 4

Although you may not believe it now with Street Fighter 6‘s ongoing success, Capcom’s flagship fighting game series struggled greatly back in the 1990’s. The release of Street Fighter 3: Third Strike in 1999 would gain tons of acclaim later, but the SF3 series was one fans initially hated. Lack of iconic Street Fighter 2 faces caused the series to lose much of its audience, and the shift from arcades to home consoles threatened the Street Fighter series, which declined in popularity fast in the early 2000s.

It wasn’t until the 2008 release of Street Fighter 4, and its later versions of Super and Ultra Street Fighter 4 years later, that the series would see a proper comeback. A full shift from classic 2D sprites to 3D character models vastly enhanced the series, with flashy cinematic super moves and dynamic visuals for classic returning characters. Other new mechanics like Focus Attack combined with nostalgic special move inputs to create a complete experience, rivaling the explosion of Street Fighter 2‘s release in the arcade era.

In many ways, Street Fighter 4 created a way to return to fighting games for many players, with the game’s existence on Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles making the genre easier to play than ever. This game bridged the gap between veteran arcade players and new console players, creating a unique unity that kept much of what made Street Fighter great to begin with. The 2D fighting with 3D visuals still encouraged skill and mastery, but also had more accessibility to draw in a huge crowd that has kept the series invigorated to this day.

4. Virtua Fighter 5/6

Virtua Fighter is a 3D fighting game series that is used to a long hiatus, with the release of Virtua Fighter 5 coming five years after its previous title. Arriving to home consoles in 2007, VF5 is a game that was widely considered the “realistic” version of the Tekken series, which to many fans, meant the “more boring” rendition of 3D movement and action. The series would grow obscure over time, until Sega brought it back through Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O., an overhauled version of VF5 released in 2025.

With frustrations behind Tekken 8, Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. was a reminder for how dynamic and exciting the Virtua Fighter series could be. The remastered VF R.E.V.O. is easily the definitive edition of the game, with balance changes, quality-of-life features, and graphical changes that help the series shine in the best way possible. Although there has always been a community dedicated to Virtua Fighter, R.E.V.O. was an enticing way to show other fighting game fans the merits of the franchise best.

Complex characters and heavy dependence on player adaptability has always made Virtua Fighter feel like the ultimate test of your combat mastery, with VF5 R.E.V.O. communicating that best after nearly 18 years. With Virtua Fighter Crossroads (or VF6) recently announced with even more impressive visuals and realistic fighting courtesy of RGG Studios, the series is likely to reach even more players than ever before.

3. Killer Instinct (2013)

There are few fighting games as revered as Killer Instinct (2013), which remains one of the best in the genre for how it brought back an arcade classic. The original Killer Instinct and KI Gold were arcade and N64 releases back in 1997, 16 years prior to the Xbox exclusive that would later expand the series into something brand-new. Killer Instinct (2013) is a prime example of mounting a comeback through preservation of what the original games great, including incredibly exciting Combo Breaker mechanics with far greater accessibility.

The characters of Killer Instinct were brought back in the 2013 into 3D for the first time, with fan-favorites like Spinal, Fulgore, and Jago occupying the game’s first Season of content. Even as the developer of this title shifted for future Seasons, guest characters from Xbox’s library like The Arbiter from Halo or Rash from Battletoads helped market the game to new audiences. The roster of this game is still excellent, featuring a combination of new fighters and every face from the original arcade titles.

This game was also incredibly innovative among fighting games, introducing systems other titles would borrow years later. For example, the Counter Breaker system from Killer Instinct (2013) is one whose mechanics are somewhat seen in the recently released Invincible Vs. The soundtrack for this game was also top-notch, bringing back the heavy sounds of the arcade titles along with a dynamic OST that changed depending on the circumstances of players fighting. With a recent update in 2023 for its Anniversary, many players wonder when this series will come back again.

2. Samurai Shodown (2019)

SNK is known for their many different fighting game series, but Samurai Shodown is one that took a backseat for far longer than their other IPs. Although Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves revived SNK’s first franchise, that series had been represented heavily through crossovers featuring its protagonist Terry Bogard in other games. In addition, The King of Fighters series constantly featured characters from Fatal Fury and other SNK fighting games, expect for anyone from Samurai Shodown.

This was party due to how different this fighting game is from any other in the genre, featuring weapon-based fighting with absurd damage and slow movement compared to others. This is what makes the 2019 Samurai Shodown so important, as it not only helped SNK develop their 3D visual artstyle, but also acted as a re-introduction for many players on the unique qualities this series had. This game was an evolution of the classic series, with huge bursts of damage through flashier commands that gave the game a sharper look than it had in the past.

New and interesting characters were paired with old favorites to help the latest Samurai Showdown shine too, with DLC bringing back fan-favorites as the game saw success. The intense, deliberate combat of this game is far easier to pick up than most fighting games, especially the other ones in SNK’s catalog. Classic sounds and a painted visual style made this game not only nostalgic for long-time fans, but perfect for new players, who helped the title grow and gain important updates beyond its release.

1. Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign-

When it comes to transitions from 2D to 3D, no series did it better than Guilty Gear. After a failed attempt to switch genres with Guilty Gear 2 Overture, Guilty Gear Xrd Sign marked a fantastic return-to-form for the series, bringing back the fast-paced combat of Guilty Gear XX, a title released first in 2002. Almost 12 years of nothing new to the franchise, combined with the decline of arcade culture, made this game revolutionary when it released during the era where Street Fighter 4 kicked off a fighting game revival.

The visuals of Guilty Gear Xrd are insane, and remain one of my favorite in any fighting game. The anime-inspired look of each character was a far cry from their limited design from the 2D sprites they were based on. With full 3D looks, the characters now could animate far closer to the original vision of the series creator, Daisuke Ishiwatari, whose artwork for the older games are still highly revered. The very striking designs of each Guilty Gear character are strongly represented in Xrd, with new figures like Bedman and Ramlethal Valentine adding to an already respected roster.

The Roman Cancel system from past games returned in this title too, along with incredibly cool Instant Kills that players could use to finish off their opponent. Strong impact frames, great music, and a robust tutorial system helped Guilty Gear come back in spectacular fashion, even before Guilty Gear Strive reinvented the series again to gain mainstream appeal. When it comes to fighting games, any series can return by blending classic features with improved visuals and innovative systems, blending new and old audiences together to celebrate a franchise’s comeback.

What fighting game comeback was your favorite to see? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!

After 12 Years, This Fighting Game Still Remains A Hidden Gem