6 Best PS2 Fighting Games That Still Hold Up Today

The PlayStation 2 is the most successful console of all time in terms of sales. Because of that, developers were pushing out tons of games across every genre to try to jump onto that hype train. The fighting genre wasn’t quite as popular during the PS2 era as it was during the heyday of arcades, but it was still a big player on the system. There were dozens of great fighters on the system, but a few stand out from the burly crowd.

Here are six PS2 fighting games that are still worth playing today.

6) Def Jam: Fight for NY

I’m starting with a pick that some fighting fans will disagree with. Fight for NY isn’t your typical fan-favorite fighter, but the developers at AKI gave fans one of the better story modes in the genre during this era. That helps it stand out from more multiplayer-focused fighting games, while keeping it relatively easy to go back to.

Of course, getting your hands on Fight for NY is tough. It’ll probably never get a re-release because of all the licensed music and fighters, but if you manage to grab it, you won’t be disappointed. Again, it’s not a traditional fighter in most respects, but Fight for NY is a must-try PS2 game.

5) Soulcalibur II

Soulcalibur II is, somewhat confusingly, the third game in the series. That’s because the first game is called Soul Edge, but considering it launched in 1996, you’d be forgiven for forgetting about it. When Soulcalibur II hit in 2002, it was quickly seen as one of the best weapon fighters we’ve ever seen.

That type of game is less prevalent these days, so it’s always fun to go back to this classic. It’s also worth noting that Soulcalibur II has some great guest characters. The PS2 version added Heihachi Mishima from the Tekken series, while GameCube fans got Link from The Legend of Zelda, and Xbox players got Spawn from his titular comic series.

4) Street Fighter 3: Third Strike

Third Strike is probably the best version of Street Fighter 3. It brought back Chun-Li while dropping four new characters, bringing the total roster to 19. SF fans took a bit to really warm up to Third Strike, but once they did, it became a huge hit in the competitive scene, even giving us the iconic Daigo Parry at Evo.

Unfortunately, PlayStation 2 owners had to wait five years to get it on their console. When it did come, it breathed some new life into the scene while it endured the long wait until Street Fighter 4. If you want to dive into a classic, 2D fighter during an era where 3D fighters were becoming very popular, this is one of the best to grab.

3) Guilty Gear X2

Arc System Works’ Guilty Gear series is almost always great, so it’s no surprise to see X2 show up on this list. It didn’t do astronomical sales numbers, but it’s worth diving into if you’re a fan of fighting games.

X2 has a solid roster filled with characters that have diverse movesets. Learning all of those special moves takes some work, but X2 rewards you with some of the most bombastic visuals on the system. This game is dripping with style, making it a perfect time capsule for PS2-era design.

2) Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

Marvel Vs. Capcom 2‘s console port did catch some flak at launch for not including online multiplayer outside of Japan. That’s a fair criticism, but it doesn’t matter nowadays. After all, if those servers existed, they would’ve been turned out several years ago. As a local fighter, MVC 2 is one of the best.

It also remains incredibly popular. Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 was re-released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2009. The game was nearly a decade old, but it still sold over one million copies. If you’re looking for a tag team fighter from the PS2 era, you absolutely must play Marvel Vs. Capcom 2. It might be the best the genre has ever had.

1) Tekken 5

Tekken 5 grabs the top slot mostly because the team at Namco listened to the fans. The fourth game in the series tried a bunch of experiments, most of which didn’t work. Tekken 5 tossed most of those changes out of the window, making it feel like a return to greatness. There are 32 fighters to choose from, including five brand-new warriors. You can further customize those fighters with various outfits and accessories to give your fighter some extra flair.

It is pretty widely regarded as one of, if not the best, fighters on the PS2, thanks to its beautiful visuals, quality character voiceovers (which are region-specific), and the Arcade History Mode. That mode takes players back to the ’90s with ports of the arcade versions of Tekken 1, 2, and 3. Oh, and you also get StarBlade, which is a rail shooter from 1991. It’s like getting five games in one, but even if you only play Tekken 5, you’ll have a blast.

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6 Forgotten Fighting Games That Still Hold Up Today