With Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 soon approaching, it's easy to overlook the fighting games launched in 2022. However, if you take a closer look, you'll realize that this year featured several great titles that will whet your appetite while you wait on the Triple-A heavyweights.
What the past year in fighting games lacked in prestige, it made up for in eccentricity. We received several remastered classics, a KOF sequel, innovative indie titles, and new series premieres, like DNF Duel and MultiVersus. So if you're new to the genre or looking to dominate the ranked leaderboards, you'll find your fighting game fixation in our 2022 buyer's guide!
Capcom Fighting Collection
- TheGamer Game Of The Year Editor's Pick, 2022
Platforms | Number Of Players | ESRB | Rollback Netcode? | Cross-Play? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 Players | T for Teen | Yes | No |
You can't talk about fighting game greatness without mentioning Capcom. And while we're still waiting for Street Fighter 6 with bated breath, the company delivered a wonderful gift to tide us over with Capcom Fighting Collection. This jam-packed archive of 90s nostalgia offers ten fighting game classics at an affordable price.
Still, CFC outdid itself by adding modern features to the arcade ports included in this compilation. All ten games have online support with rollback netcode. Plus, each game (minus Puzzle Fighter) has detailed training modes. However, this museum of 2D fighting's biggest draw is the Western console debut of several titles, including Cyberbots, Red Earth, Vampire Savior 2, and Vampire Hunter 2! If you're new to fighting games or a genre enthusiast, this is the game to buy!
Get it on Amazon here!
Them's Fightin' Herds
Platforms | Number Of Players | ESRB | Rollback Netcode? | Cross-Play? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 Players | E10+ for Everyone 10 And Older | Yes | Yes |
Them's Fightin' Herds lived on Steam for the past couple of years. However, the quadrupedal indie fighter made its console debut this past October, and it runs great! Initially, the title was planned to become a fighting game based on the series, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. However, after a copyright dispute, the game was reworked with original characters designed by the Friendship Is Magic creator herself, Lauren Faust!
But if you thought this game was a tacky novelty, think again! There is so much to do in TFH behind the hooves. The fighting system takes inspiration from various classics, with tight canceling mechanics and air combos. Plus, you'll find robust multiplayer and single-player experiences with GGPO online matches and an adventurous Story Mode!
Get it on Amazon here!
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Platforms | Number Of Players | ESRB | Rollback Netcode? | Cross-Play? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| T for Teen |
| No |
This year, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax debuted on modern consoles, exposing a new generation of gamers to this unique chapter in the franchise. Several fan favorites are present in this fighting game spin-off, including Yu Narukami, Yosuke Hanamura, Mitsuru Kirijo, and Aegis. Plus, the game includes two story arcs that follow the Investigation Team and SEES Group as they confront new dangers presented by The Midnight Channel and Dark Hour.
If you're a fan of Arc System Works's anime fighters, you'll immediately feel at home with this game. Several mechanics mirror maneuvers from Guilty Gear, DBFighterZ, and BlazBlue. Yet, the game's P Combo and S Hold mechanics keep it approachable for fighting game beginners. In short, this game is an excellent purchase for fighting and JRPG fans alike!
Get it on Steam here!
GigaBash
Platforms | Number Of Players | ESRB | Cross-Play? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 Players | T for Teen | Yes *Does not include private lobbies* |
Do you miss arena brawlers of the early 2000s, like Power Stone and War Of The Monsters? What if we told you that a new game picked up the mantel of titanic monster mayhem? Well, look out because here comes GigaBash! In this battle of the beasts, players can become Titan Kaiju or Titan-hunting Mechas and rampage against each other in destructible cityscapes.
GigaBash is a game that plays exceptionally well in a local multiplayer setting and makes an excellent game night staple. The controls and mechanics are straightforward to learn. Still, the game has enough depth to keep each fight interesting. Plus, between stage gimmicks, S-Class Titan transformations, and outrageous super moves, GigaBash is full of surprises that will move your friend group to fits of laughter! Then, when you and your friends want to switch things up, you can face off in one of Mayhem Mode's odd and entertaining minigames!
Get it on Steam here!
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R
- The Game Awards 2022: Best Fighting Game Nominee
Platforms | Number Of Players | ESRB | Rollback Netcode? | Cross-Play? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 Players | T for Teen | No |
|
Do you enjoy massive rosters, super-powered attacks, and manga? Then get your hands on JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R. CyberConnect2's remaster expands upon the original All-Star Battle with new characters, mechanics, and balance updates. Plus, in the short period since the game's launch, ASBR has received several DLC characters and a new stage! That's some tremendous support!
If you enjoy single-player content, this game is chock full of it! The All-Star Battle Mode contains over a hundred dream matches with tricky secret objectives. Plus, you can test your skills in the Arcade and Versus Modes with challenge ladders, endurance runs, 1v1 matches, 3v3 team matches, and tournament battles! Then, if you're feeling stylish, you can customize your characters with unique costumes, colors, poses, battle quotes, and SFX.
Get it on Amazon here!
DNF Duel
- TheGamer Game Of The Year Editor's Pick, 2022
- The Game Awards 2022: Best Fighting Game Nominee
Platforms | Number Of Players | ESRB | Rollback Netcode? | Cross-Play? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| T for Teen | Yes |
|
Did you embrace Granblue Fantasy Versus's simplified control scheme and RPG-inspired mechanics? In that case, you should check out DNF Duel, Arc System Work's latest fighting game spin-off, based on the mobile game Dungeon Fighter Online. This title expertly combines straightforward beginner tools with deep layers of combat strategy.
DNF Duel offers several single-player modes to help you learn its ins and outs, including an Arcade Mode, Survival Mode, Story Mode, and comprehensive Practice Modes. Then, when you're ready to play online, you'll have a spectacular experience thanks to Arc Sys's high-quality matchmaking service!
Get it on Amazon here!
The King Of Fighters 15
- The Game Awards 2022: Best Fighting Game Nominee
Platforms | Number Of Players | ESRB | Rollback Netcode? | Cross-Play? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| T for Teen | Yes | Yes |
KOF 14 showed us what a next-gen King Of Fighters could do. However, The King Of Fighters 15 built upon its predecessor to create one of the most polished entries in the series! Several mechanics were refined, like the Rush Combo and Max Mode systems. In addition, new elements, like Shatter Strike, were introduced. Finally, the series's graphics got a well-deserved makeover with Unreal Engine 4.
Genre purists will devour this ode to classic fighting games. Everything that makes KOF a competitive series, its precise button inputs, intense canceling mechanics, and strategic team-building, is here. Plus, with several online modes featuring rollback netcode and cross-play, you can quickly jump into matches!
Get it on Amazon here!
MultiVersus
- TheGamer Game Of The Year Editor's Pick, 2022
- The Game Awards 2022: Best Fighting Game Winner
Platforms | Number Of Players | ESRB | Rollback Netcode? | Cross-Play? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 Players | T for Teen | Yes | Yes |
Have you ever wondered what a fight between Shaggy from Scooby Doo and Arya Stark would look like? What if Adventure Time's Finn traded punches with Wonder Woman? In the crossover platform fighter MultiVersus, these Warner Brothers' dream matches become a reality! This game's roster includes film icons, cartoon classics, and even a star athlete. And the whole shebang is free-to-play!
MultiVersus is a crowd-pleaser that anyone can play, but not everyone can master. Controls are simple, making special attacks and combos easy to do. However, features like Attack Decay and Wall Slide Fatigue keep the game in check, preventing infinite combos and cheap gameplay. Lastly, the game's signature Team Mode sets it apart from peers like Smash Bros. and Brawlhalla by encouraging cooperative play. So, it's the perfect game for groups of gamer buddies near and far!
Do you want to access MultiVersus's diverse roster without all the grinding? Then consider purchasing a MultiVersus Founders Pack!
Get it on Steam here!
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