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{{short description|Video game genre}}
{{about|fighting video games|fighting games involving many simultaneous opponents|Beat 'em up|and|Hack and slash|other uses|Fight (disambiguation)}}
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[[File:Generic Fighting Video Game (with outline).svg|thumb|A typical fighting game: the green fighter is blocking blue fighter's punch. Colored bars above represent fighters' [[Health (game terminology)|health]].]]
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The '''fighting game''' [[video game genre|genre]] involves combat between multiple characters, often (but not limited to) one-on-one battles. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as [[Blocking (martial arts)|blocking]], [[grappling]], counter-attacking, and chaining attacks together into "[[Combo (video games)|combos]]". Characters generally engage [[hand-to-hand combat]], often with [[martial arts]], but some may include weaponry. Battles are usually set in a fixed-size arena along a [[two-dimensional]] [[Plane (mathematics)|plane]], where characters navigate the plane horizontally by walking or dashing, and vertically by jumping. Some games allow limited movement in 3D space, such as ''[[Tekken (video game)|Tekken]]'' and Soulblade while some are set in fully three-dimensional environments without restricting characters' movement, such as [[Power Stone (video game)|''Power Stone'']] and ''[[Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm]]''; these are sometimes referred to as "3D arena" fighting games.

The fighting game genre is distinctly related to the [[beat 'em up]] genre, which pits many computer-controlled enemies against one or more player characters. The first video game to feature fist fighting is ''[[Heavyweight Champ]]'' (1976),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ultimatehistoryvideogames.jimdo.com/heavyweight-champ-arcade/|title=Heavyweight Champ|website=Ultimate History of Video games|access-date=October 8, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822041224/https://ultimatehistoryvideogames.jimdo.com/heavyweight-champ-arcade|url-status=live}}</ref> but ''[[Karate Champ]]'' (1984) actually features the one-on-one fighting game genre instead of a sports game in [[Amusement arcade|arcades]]. ''[[Yie Ar Kung-Fu]]'' was released later that year with various fighting styles and introduced [[Health (game terminology)|health meters]], and ''[[The Way of the Exploding Fist]]'' (1985) further popularized the genre on home systems. In 1987, [[Capcom]]'s ''[[Street Fighter (video game)|Street Fighter]]'' introduced [[#Special attacks and combos|special attacks]], and in 1991, its highly successful sequel ''[[Street Fighter II]]'' refined and popularized many genre conventions, including combos. Fighting games subsequently became the preeminent genre for video gaming in the early to mid-1990s, particularly in arcades. This period spawned dozens of other popular fighting games, including [[Media franchise|franchises]] like ''[[Street Fighter]]'', ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', and ''[[Tekken]]''.

==Definition==
Fighting games are a type of [[action game]] where two (in one-on-one fighting games) or more (in [[platform fighter]]s) on-screen characters fight each other.<ref name="NGen15">{{cite magazine|date=March 1996|title=The Next Generation 1996 Lexicon A to Z: Fighting Game|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-015/page/n33/mode/2up|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|issue=15|page=33}}</ref><ref name="fundamentals">{{cite book|last1=Rollings|first1=Andrew|first2=Ernest | last2=Adams|title=Fundamentals of Game Design|publisher=Prentice Hall|year=2006|url=http://wps.prenhall.com/bp_gamedev_1/54/14053/3597646.cw/index.html|access-date=February 11, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231072651/http://wps.prenhall.com/bp_gamedev_1/54/14053/3597646.cw/index.html|archive-date=December 31, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ashcraft90">{{cite book | author = Ashcraft, Brian | year = 2008 | title = Arcade Mania! The Turbo-Charged World of Japan's Game Centers | publisher = Kodansha International | page = 90}}</ref><ref name="tao">{{cite web|title=The Tao of Beat-'em-ups|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/the-tao-of-beat-em-ups-article|author=Spencer, Spanner|date=February 6, 2008|website=[[Eurogamer]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511090702/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/the-tao-of-beat-em-ups-article|archive-date=May 11, 2009|access-date=April 29, 2009}}</ref> These games typically feature special moves that are triggered using rapid sequences of carefully timed button presses and joystick movements. Games traditionally show fighters from a side view, even as the genre has progressed from two-dimensional (2D) to three-dimensional (3D) graphics.<ref name="fundamentals" /> ''[[Street Fighter II]]'', though not the first fighting game, is considered to have standardized the genre,<ref name="sfhistory" /> and similar games released prior to ''Street Fighter II'' have since been more explicitly classified as fighting games.<ref name="tao" /><ref name="sfhistory" /> Fighting games typically involve hand-to-hand combat, though many games also feature characters with melee weapons.<ref name="xboxguide" /> Fighting characters are usually based on humans, but there are also games that are entirely based around [[mecha]] robot characters, for example the ''[[Gundam: Battle Assault]]'' series.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-11 |title=The X Button - Popular Mecha Nicks |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/the-x-button/2014-07-23/popular-mecha-nicks/.76948 |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}}</ref>

This genre is distinctly related to beat 'em ups, another action genre involving combat, where the player character must fight many enemies at the same time. Beat 'em ups, like traditional fighting games, display player and enemy health in a bar, generally located at the top of the screen. However, beat 'em ups generally do not feature combat divided into separate "rounds".<ref name="tao" /> During the 1980s to 1990s, publications used the terms "fighting game" and "beat 'em up" interchangeably, along with other terms such as "[[martial arts]] simulation" (or more specific terms such as "[[judo]] simulator")<ref>{{cite web|date=May 28, 1986|title=Way of the Tiger|url=https://archive.org/details/crash-magazine-28/page/n115/mode/2up|publisher=[[Crash (magazine)|Crash]]|issue=28|pages=116}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Bielby, Matt|date=May 1990|title=Oriental Games|url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-53/page/n29/mode/2up|publisher=[[Your Sinclair]]|issue=53|page=31}}</ref><ref name="runitagain"/> and "punch-kick" games.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Capcom |magazine=RePlay |date=May 1991 |volume=16 |issue=8 |page=74 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-16-issue-no.-8-may-1991-600dpi/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2016%2C%20Issue%20No.%208%20-%20May%201991/page/74}}</ref> Fighting games were still being called "beat 'em up" games in [[video game magazines]] up until the end of the 1990s.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Play Test: Soul Blade |journal=[[Official UK PlayStation Magazine]] |date=1999 |issue=Platinum Special |pages=82–5 |url=https://archive.org/details/Official_UK_Playstation_Magazine_1999_Future_Publishing_GB_platinum_special/page/n81/mode/2up}}</ref> With hindsight, critics have argued that the two types of game gradually became dichotomous as they evolved, though the two terms may still be conflated.<ref name="tao" /><ref name="edgee3">{{cite web|title=E3 Feature: Fighting Games Focus|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/e3-feature-fighting-games-focus|author=Staff|date=May 3, 2006|publisher=Edge Online|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505171555/http://www.edge-online.com/features/e3-feature-fighting-games-focus|archive-date=May 5, 2012|access-date=February 11, 2009}}</ref>

Sports-based combat games are games that feature [[boxing]], [[mixed martial arts]] (MMA), or [[Professional wrestling|wrestling]].<ref name="xboxguide" /><ref name="edgee3" /> Serious [[List of boxing video games|boxing games]] belong more to the [[Sports video game|sports game]] genre than the [[action game]] genre, as they aim for a more realistic model of boxing techniques, whereas moves in fighting games tend to be either highly exaggerated or outright fantastical models of [[Asian martial arts]] techniques.<ref name="fundamentals" /> As such, boxing games, mixed martial arts games, and [[List of wrestling video games|wrestling games]] are often described as distinct genres, without comparison to fighting games, and belong more in the sports game genre.<ref>{{cite web | author = Bramwell, Tom | url = http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_47405 | title = Fighting in the Backyard | website = Eurogamer | date = February 13, 2003 | access-date = February 11, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101227192229/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_47405 | archive-date = December 27, 2010 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | author = Walters, Stefan | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/funny_old_game/1855789.stm | title = Let's play: Mike Tyson Heavyweight Boxing | work = BBC Sport | date = April 26, 2004 | access-date = February 11, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071031095912/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/funny_old_game/1855789.stm | archive-date = October 31, 2007 | url-status = live }}</ref>

==Game design==
[[File:Street Fighter II.png|thumb|Although ''[[Street Fighter II]]'' is not the first fighting game, it popularized and established the [[gameplay]] conventions of the genre.]]
Fighting games involve combat between pairs of fighters using highly exaggerated martial arts moves.<ref name="fundamentals" /> They typically revolve primarily around brawling or [[combat sport]],<ref name="ashcraft90" /><ref name="xboxguide" /> though some variations feature weaponry.<ref name="xboxguide" /> Games usually display on-screen fighters from a side view, and even 3D fighting games play largely within a 2D plane of motion.<ref name="fundamentals" /> Games usually confine characters to moving left and right and jumping, although some games such as ''[[Fatal Fury: King of Fighters]]'' allow players to move between parallel planes of movement.<ref name="fundamentals" /><ref name=gamespotfatal>{{cite web |author=Provo, Frank |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/fatal-fury-review/1900-6180701/ |title=Fatal Fury: King of Fighters Review |website=GameSpot |date=October 10, 2007 |access-date=January 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102180641/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/fatal-fury-review/1900-6180701/ |archive-date=November 2, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Recent games tend to be rendered in three dimensions, making it easier for developers to add a greater number of animations, but otherwise play like those rendered in two dimensions.<ref name="xboxguide" /> Games that are fully three-dimensional without a 2D plane are sometimes referred to as "3D arena" fighting games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Liang |first=Lu-Hai |date=2022-05-23 |title=Capcom May Revisit Dormant Games |url=https://www.thegamer.com/capcom-dormant-games/ |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=TheGamer |language=en}}</ref>

===Features===
Aside from restricting movement space, fighting games confine the player's actions to offensive and defensive maneuvers. Players must learn each game's effective combinations of attacks and defenses.<ref name="fundamentals" /> Blocking is a basic defense against basic attacks.<ref name="50VF">{{cite web|title=The Essential 50: Virtua Fighter|url=http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-virtua-fighter|publisher=1UP|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719110526/http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-virtua-fighter|archive-date=July 19, 2012|access-date=January 30, 2009}}</ref> Some games feature more advanced blocking techniques; for example, Capcom's ''[[Street Fighter III]]'' features a move termed "[[Parry (fencing)|parrying]]", which can be immediately followed by counter-attack, skipping the temporary stun a block would have put them in. A similar stun state is termed "just defended" in [[SNK Playmore|SNK]]'s ''[[Garou: Mark of the Wolves]]''.<ref>{{cite web | author = Gerstmann, Jeff | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/dreamcast/action/streetfighter3doubleimpact/review.html?tag=summary;read-review | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120715010218/http://uk.gamespot.com/dreamcast/action/streetfighter3doubleimpact/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review | url-status = dead | archive-date = July 15, 2012 | title = Street Fighter III: Double Impact Review | website = GameSpot | date = December 29, 1999 | access-date = January 15, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="ignfatal">{{cite web | author = Chau, Anthony | url = http://uk.dreamcast.ign.com/articles/166/166258p1.html | title = Fatal Review: Mark of the Wolves | website = IGN | date = December 11, 2001 | access-date = January 15, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081007042313/http://uk.dreamcast.ign.com/articles/166/166258p1.html | archive-date = October 7, 2008 }}</ref>

====Special attacks and combos====
An integral feature of fighting games is the use of "special attacks", also called "secret moves",<ref name="essential50" /> that employ combinations of directional inputs and button presses to perform a particular move beyond basic punching and kicking.<ref>{{cite web |author=Towell, Justin |title=The Best Special Attacks Ever |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/the-best-special-attacks-ever/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126204346/http://www.gamesradar.com/the-best-special-attacks-ever/ |archive-date=January 26, 2012 |access-date=January 29, 2009 |publisher=GamesRadar}}</ref> Some special moves, which play an animation portraying an aspect of the character's personality, are referred to as [[Taunting#Video games|taunts]]. Originated by Japanese company SNK in ''[[Art of Fighting]]'' (1992),<ref>''Arcade Mania!'', pp. 100–101.</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Park, Andrew |date=June 5, 2007 |title=Art of Fighting Anthology Review |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/artoffightinganthology/review.html?tag=summary;read-review |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717135451/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/artoffightinganthology/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review |archive-date=July 17, 2012 |access-date=January 11, 2009 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> these add humor, and they affect gameplay in certain games, such as improving the strength of other attacks.<ref>{{cite web |author=Rose, Martyn |title=Designing Kung-Fu Chaos, Part 3 |url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/k/kungfuchaos/themakers5.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205175426/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/k/kungfuchaos/themakers5.htm |archive-date=December 5, 2008 |access-date=January 11, 2009 |publisher=Xbox.com}}</ref> Some characters have unusual taunts, like [[Dan Hibiki]] from ''[[Street Fighter Alpha]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 20 Street Fighter Characters of All Time |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/top-20-street-fighter-characters-of-all-time/?page=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301120425/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/top-20-street-fighter-characters-of-all-time/?page=3 |archive-date=March 1, 2009 |access-date=January 11, 2009 |publisher=[[GameDaily]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Top 25 Most Bizarre Fighting Characters |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/top-25-most-bizarre-fighting-characters/?page=24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206220705/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/top-25-most-bizarre-fighting-characters/?page=24 |archive-date=February 6, 2009 |access-date=January 11, 2009 |publisher=[[GameDaily]]}}</ref> 

Combos that chain several attacks are fundamental to the genre since ''Street Fighter II'' (1991).<ref name="Edge Street Fighter II">{{cite magazine |year=2003 |title=The making of ''Street Fighter II'' |magazine=Edge Presents Retro |issue='The Making of...' Special |quote=[Combos] became the base for future fighting titles}}</ref> Most fighting games display a "combo meter" of progress through a combo. The effectiveness of such moves often relates to the difficulty of execution and the degree of risk. These moves are often challenging, requiring excellent memory and timing.<ref name="fundamentals" />

====Counterplay====
Predicting opponents' moves and counter-attacking, known as "countering", is a common element of [[gameplay]].<ref name="xboxguide">{{cite web | author = Treit, Ryan | url = http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/tips/noviceguides/fighting.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090515013224/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/tips/noviceguides/fighting.htm | archive-date = May 15, 2009 | title = Novice Guides: Fighting | publisher = Xbox.com | access-date = January 15, 2009 }}</ref> Fighting games emphasize the height of blows, ranging from low to jumping attacks.<ref name="essential50">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-street-fighter-ii |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720141819/http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-street-fighter-ii |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 20, 2012 |title=The Essential 50: 32. Street Fighter II |publisher=1UP |access-date=January 15, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author = Ekberg, Brian | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/ds/action/k1worldgp/news.html?sid=6179720&mode=previews&tag=result;title;0 | title = TGS '07: K-1 World Grand Prix Hands-On | website = GameSpot | date = September 22, 2007 | access-date = January 15, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120715174733/http://uk.gamespot.com/ds/action/k1worldgp/news.html?sid=6179720&mode=previews&tag=result;title;0 | archive-date = July 15, 2012 }}</ref> Thus, strategy requires predicting adversarial moves, similar to [[Rock paper scissors|rock–paper–scissors]].<ref name="fundamentals" />

In addition to blows, players can utilize [[Throw (grappling)|throwing]] or grappling to circumvent blocks. Most fighting games allow a grapple move by pressing two or more buttons together, or simply by pressing punch or kick while being directly adjacent to the opponent. Other fighting games, like ''[[Dead or Alive (franchise)|Dead or Alive]]'', have a unique button for throws and takedowns.

Projectiles are primarily in 2D fighting games, like the [[Hadouken]] in ''Street Fighter''. Projectiles can simply inflict damage, or can maneuver opponents into disadvantageous positions.

=== Emergent gameplay elements ===
==== Turtling and zoning ====
{{further|Turtling (gameplay)}}
Especially in 2D, zoning is defensive play that focuses on using relatively risk-free attacks to keep the opposing player away. The object is to force an opponent to take significant risks to approach the zoning player's character, or to stall out the in-game timer, which causes the player with more health (typically the one doing the zoning) to win. The effectiveness of the latter strategy varies from game to game, based on the effectiveness of zoning tools as well as the length of the in-game timer and the rewards characters can receive for successfully landing a hit when countering zoning.

====Rushdown====
{{further|Rush (video games)}}
The opposite of [[Turtling (gameplay)|turtling]], rushdown refers to a number of specific aggressive strategies, philosophies, and play styles across all fighting games. The general goal of a rushdown play style is to overwhelm the opponent and force costly mistakes, either by using fast, confusing setups or by taking advantage of an impatient opponent as they are forced to play defense for prolonged periods of time. Rushdown players often favor attacking opponents in the corner of a stage or as they get up from a knockdown; both situations severely limit the options of the opponent and often allow the attacking player to force high-risk guessing scenarios.

==== Spacing and footsies ====
Spacing is the act of positioning a character at a range where their attacks and movement tools carry the lowest risk and the highest reward. The concept is somewhat akin to that of [[Footwork (martial arts)|footwork]] in martial arts. The desired position for play varies based on what tools are available to the character each player is currently using. As a result of this, a concept called "footsies" has emerged, frequently defined as players jockeying for position and using low-commitment moves at distances where neither character has a particular advantage.<ref>{{cite web |last=infil |date=May 18, 2021 |title=Footsies |url=https://glossary.infil.net/?t=Footsies |access-date=July 19, 2022 |website=Fighting Game Glossary}}</ref>

==== Pressure ====
Depending on the game, character, and move used, a player may be rewarded for a decisive blow with a strong positional advantage, strong enough that the rewarded player can minimize the number of viable moves available to the other player. Doing so, and then taking advantage of the opponent's limited options, is called pressure. Common forms of pressure include making a player guess whether they should block high or low, or keeping the opposing player trapped in the corner and punishing any attempts to escape.

===Matches and rounds===
[[File:Fatality (Mortal Kombat screenshot).png|thumb|The player's objective in a fighting game is to win a match by depleting the rival's health over a set number or a number and to make it easier to defend the game and to keep their opponents in check in order for them in a competitive game and win a win or draw of rounds. ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' allows the victor to perform a gruesome finishing maneuver called a "[[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)|Fatality]]".]]
Fighting game matches generally consist of a set number of rounds (typically [[Best of three|three]]), beginning with the announcer's signal.<ref>{{cite web | author = Kasavin, Greg | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/capcomfightingjam/review.html?tag=summary;read-review | title = Capcom Fighting Jam Review | website = GameSpot | date = November 16, 2004 | access-date = February 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010111303/http://uk.gamespot.com/capcom-fighting-evolution/reviews/capcom-fighting-evolution-review-6113212/ |archive-date=October 10, 2012}}</ref> If the score is tied after an even number of rounds (such as 1-1), then the winner is decided in the final round. Round decisions can also be determined by time over, which judge players based on remaining health to declare a winner. In the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, the rules are different. Instead of rounds, the games usually give players a set number of lives (called stocks) for each player (usually three), and if the score is tied between two or more fighters when time runs out, then a "[[Tiebreaker|sudden death]]" match will take place by delivering a single hit to an opponent with 300% damage.

Fighting games widely feature [[Health (game terminology)|health bars]], introduced in ''[[Yie Ar Kung-Fu]]'' in 1984, which are depleted as characters sustain blows.<ref name=gamespotfatal /><ref>{{cite web|author=Staff |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/making-japans-first-rpg |title=The Making of... Japan's First RPG |publisher=Edge Online |date=March 6, 2008 |access-date=January 15, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125093639/http://www.next-gen.biz/features/making-japans-first-rpg |archive-date=January 25, 2012 }}</ref> Each successful attack will deplete a character's health, and the round continues until a fighter's health reaches zero.<ref name="fundamentals" /> Hence, the main goal is to completely deplete the health bar of one's opponent, thus achieving a "[[knockout]]".<ref name="ignfatal" /> Games such as ''[[Virtua Fighter (series)|Virtua Fighter]]'' also allow a character to be defeated by forcing them outside of the arena, awarding a "ring-out" to the victor.<ref name="50VF" /> The ''Super Smash Bros.'' series allows players to send fighters off the stage when a character reaches a high percentage of damage; however, the gameplay objective differs from that of traditional fighting games in that the aim is to increase damage counters and knock opponents off the stage instead of depleting life bars.
   
Beginning with [[Midway Games|Midway's]] ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'' released in 1992, the ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' series introduced "Fatalities", where the match victor inflicts a brutal and gruesome finishing move onto the defeated opponent. Prompted by the announcer saying "Finish Him!", players have a short time window to execute a Fatality by entering a specific button and joystick combination while positioned at a specific distance from the opponent. The Fatality and its derivations are arguably the most notable features of the ''Mortal Kombat'' series with cultural impact and [[Mortal Kombat controversies|controversies]].<ref name="MK3">{{cite web |last=Gertsmann | first=Jeff |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/ultimatemortalkombat3/review.html?tag=summary;read-review |title=Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Review |website=GameSpot |date=October 24, 2008 |access-date=January 11, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711071814/https://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/ultimatemortalkombat3/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary%3Bread-review |archive-date=July 11, 2011 }}</ref>

Fighting games often include a single-player campaign or tournament, where the player must defeat a sequence of several computer-controlled opponents. Winning the tournament often reveals a special story-ending [[cutscene]], and some games also grant access to hidden characters or special features upon victory. ''[[Tekken (video game)|Tekken]]'' introduced the concept of story modes in 1994 with the first arcade [[full motion video]] cutscenes for each character's victory.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Santos|first=Gonçalo|title=Every Tekken Game In Chronological Order|url=https://www.thegamer.com/tekken-games-chronological-order/|date=March 14, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|bA49WgGOKp4}}</ref><ref name="DOA4">{{cite web | author = Kasavin, Greg | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/deadoralive4/review.html | title = Dead or Alive 4 Review | website = GameSpot | date = January 1, 2006 | access-date = February 2, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090130135142/http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/deadoralive4/review.html | archive-date = January 30, 2009 }}</ref>

===Character selection===
In most fighting games, players may select from a variety of [[Player character|playable characters]] with unique fighting styles, special moves, and personalities. This became a strong convention for the genre with the release of ''Street Fighter II'' (1991), and these character choices have led to deeper game strategy and replay value.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/sfhistory/games_02_02.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040902095224/http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/sfhistory/games_02_02.html | archive-date = September 2, 2004 | title = GameSpot: The History of Street Fighter – Street Fighter II: The World Warriors | website = GameSpot | access-date = April 29, 2009 }}</ref>

Custom character creation, or "create–a–fighter", is a feature of some fighting games that allows a player to customize the appearance and move set of their own character. ''[[Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium]]'' was the first game to include such a feature.<ref>{{cite book| editor= Craig Glenday| title= Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008| series= [[Guinness World Records]]| date= March 11, 2008| publisher= Guinness| isbn= 978-1-904994-21-3| page= [https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/84 84]| chapter= Record-Breaking Games| chapter-url-access= registration| chapter-url= https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0| url= https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0| url-access= registration}}</ref>

===Multiplayer modes===
Fighting games can support a two-player duel, sometimes by letting a second player challenge the first at any moment during a single-player match.<ref name="ashcraft90" /> Some games allow four-player simultaneous competition.<ref name="gamespotsmash">{{cite web | author = Anderson, Lark | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/wii/action/supersmashbros/review.html?tag=summary;read-review | title = Super Smash Bros. Brawl Review | website = GameSpot | date = March 8, 2008 | access-date = February 2, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090210125316/http://uk.gamespot.com/wii/action/supersmashbros/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary%3Bread-review | archive-date = February 10, 2009 }}</ref> Uniquely, the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series has allowed eight-player local and online multiplayer matches, beginning with ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U|Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'', though many classify the series as the [[platform fighter]] subgenre due to its deviation from traditional fighting game rules and design. Several games such as ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom]]'' and ''[[Dead or Alive (franchise)|Dead or Alive]]'' have featured teams where players form "tag teams" to fight duels, but a character may be swapped by a teammate.<ref>{{cite web | author = Zdyrko, David | url = http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/163/163946p1.html | title = Tekken Tag Tournament | website = IGN | date = October 23, 2000 | access-date = February 2, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080211230621/http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/163/163946p1.html | archive-date = February 11, 2008 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Some fighting games offer the endurance challenge of a series of opponents.<ref name="DOA4" /> Online games can suffer [[Lag (video games)|lag]] from slow [[data transmission]], which can disrupt split-second timing.<ref name="DOA4" /><ref>''Arcade Mania!'', p. 108.</ref> This is mitigated by technology such as [[Netcode#Rollback|rollback netcode]], often implemented using the open-source library [[GGPO]], which synchronizes players by quickly rolling back to the most recent accurate game state, correcting errors, and then jumping back to the current frame.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pusch |first=Ricky |date=October 18, 2019 |title=Explaining how fighting games use delay-based and rollback netcode |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/10/explaining-how-fighting-games-use-delay-based-and-rollback-netcode/ |access-date=May 19, 2025 |website=[[Ars Technica]]}}</ref> Such games include ''[[Skullgirls]]'' and ''[[Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike|Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition]]''.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=April 23, 2011|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/interview-how-a-fighting-game-fan-solved-internet-latency-issues|title=Interview: How A Fighting Game Fan Solved Internet Latency Issues|website=[[Gamasutra]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425150653/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/34050/Interview_How_A_Fighting_Game_Fan_Solved_Internet_Latency_Issues.php|archive-date=April 25, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= http://shoryuken.com/2011/06/06/street-fighter-iii-3rd-strike-online-1st-trailer-and-screens/ | title= Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online – 1st Trailer and Screens | first= Adam | last= Heart | date= June 6, 2011 | work= Shoryuken | access-date= June 6, 2011 | quote= Street Fighter III Third Strike Online Edition will be using GGPO netcode&nbsp;... | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110608025320/http://shoryuken.com/2011/06/06/street-fighter-iii-3rd-strike-online-1st-trailer-and-screens/ | archive-date= June 8, 2011 | url-status= live }}</ref>

== History ==
=== Origins (1970s to early 1980s) ===
The first fighting games were fundamentally inspired by [[martial arts film]]s, especially [[Bruce Lee]]'s [[Hong Kong action cinema]]. Films include ''[[Game of Death]]'' (1972), where Lee fights a series of [[Boss (video games)|bosses]], and ''[[Enter the Dragon]]'' (1973), about an international [[martial arts]] tournament.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gill |first1=Patrick |title=Street Fighter and basically every fighting game exist because of Bruce Lee |url=https://www.polygon.com/gaming/2020/9/24/21440150/bruce-lee-movies-street-fighter-fighting-games |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |access-date=March 24, 2021 |date=September 24, 2020 |archive-date=March 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310053038/https://www.polygon.com/gaming/2020/9/24/21440150/bruce-lee-movies-street-fighter-fighting-games |url-status=live }}</ref> Other inspiration is [[Japanese martial arts]] works, including the [[manga]] and [[anime]] series ''[[Karate Master]]'' (1971–1977), and [[Sonny Chiba]]'s ''[[The Street Fighter]]'' (1974).<ref>{{cite news |last1=McLaughlin |first1=Rus |title=IGN Presents the History of Street Fighter |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/02/16/ign-presents-the-history-of-street-fighter |access-date=January 31, 2022 |work=[[IGN]] |date=February 16, 2009}}</ref>

Before martial arts games, the earliest video games with fist-fighting are [[List of boxing video games|boxing games]], featuring battles between characters with fantastic abilities and complex special maneuvers.<ref>{{cite book | title = Extending Experiences |author1=Olli Leino |author2=Hanna Wirman |author3=Amyris Fernandez | publisher = Lapland University Press | page = 53 | year = 2008}}</ref> [[Sega]]'s black-and-white boxing game ''[[Heavyweight Champ]]'', released for [[Arcade game|arcades]] in 1976, is considered the first video game with fist fighting, but it was still considered a sports game.<ref>''Arcade Mania!'', p. 94.</ref> [[Vectorbeam]]'s [[arcade video game]] ''[[Warrior (arcade game)|Warrior]]'' (1979) is sometimes credited as one of the first fighting games;<ref name = edge>{{cite magazine | title=The Making of... Warrior | date=December 2006 | magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] Magazine | issue=169 | pages=101–103}}</ref> in contrast to ''Heavyweight Champ'' and most later games, ''Warrior'' is based on sword fighting [[duels]] and uses a [[Top-down perspective|bird's-eye view]].<ref name="tao"/> [[Sega]]'s [[jidaigeki]]-themed arcade [[action game]] ''Samurai'', released in March 1980, features a boss battle where the [[samurai]] player character confronts a boss samurai in one-on-one sword-fighting combat.<ref>{{cite web |title=サムライ |trans-title=Samurai |url=https://sega.jp/history/arcade/product/9506/ |website=[[Sega]] |access-date=May 7, 2021 |language=ja |archive-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507143731/https://sega.jp/history/arcade/product/9506/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=1980 |title=Sega Arcade History |date=2002 |series=[[Famitsu DC]] |publisher=[[Enterbrain]] |pages=40–42 (40) |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/segaarcadehistoryfamitsudc/page/n41 |language=ja}}</ref>

One-on-one boxing games appeared on consoles with [[Activision]]'s [[Atari VCS]] game ''[[Boxing (Atari 2600)|Boxing]]'',<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wolf |first1=Mark J. P. |title=Encyclopedia of Video Games: The Culture, Technology, and Art of Gaming |date=2012 |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |isbn=978-0-313-37936-9 |volume=1 |page=212 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=deBFx7QAwsQC&pg=PA212 |access-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507145122/https://books.google.com/books?id=deBFx7QAwsQC&pg=PA212 |url-status=live }}</ref> released in July 1980,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lendino |first1=Jamie |title=Adventure: The Atari 2600 at the Dawn of Console Gaming |date=June 4, 2018 |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |isbn=978-1-7323552-0-0 |page=81 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JkaoDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA81 |access-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-date=May 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509061804/https://books.google.com/books?id=JkaoDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA81 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Sega's [[SG-1000]] game ''[[Champion Boxing]]'' (1983),<ref>{{KLOV game|7308|Champion Boxing}}</ref> which is [[Yu Suzuki]]'s debut at Sega.<ref name="gccx">[[Retro Game Master|GameCenter CX]] – 2nd Season, Episode 13. Retrieved on April 4, 2009</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/974/974695p2.html|title=IGN Presents the History of SEGA|date=April 21, 2009|work=IGN|access-date=January 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314223804/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/974/974695p2.html|archive-date=March 14, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Nintendo]]'s arcade game ''[[Punch-Out!! (arcade game)|Punch-Out]]'' was developed in 1983 and released in February 1984,<ref>{{cite web |title=Punchout |url=https://cocatalog.loc.gov |website=[[United States Copyright Office]] |access-date=May 6, 2021 |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531152425/https://cocatalog.loc.gov/ |url-status=live }}</ref> as a boxing game featuring a behind-the-character perspective, maneuvers such as blocking and dodging, and [[Health meter|stamina meters]] that are depleted or replenished by blows.<ref>{{cite journal |date=August 1984 |title=Glass Joe Boxes Clever |url=http://www.solvalou.com/subpage/arcade_reviews/190/544/punch-out!!_review.html |journal=[[Computer and Video Games|Computer + Video Games]] |publisher=[[Future Publishing]] |page=47 |access-date=January 2, 2015 |archive-date=October 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022193644/http://www.solvalou.com/subpage/arcade_reviews/190/544/punch-out!!_review.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Emergence of fighting game genre (mid-to-late 1980s) ===

''[[Karate Champ]]'' was developed by [[Technōs Japan]] and released by [[Data East]] in May 1984,<ref>{{cite web |title=空手道 |trans-title=Karate Dō |url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M730501 |website=Media Arts Database |publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]] |language=ja |access-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-date=May 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510142418/https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M730501 |url-status=live }}</ref> and is credited with establishing and popularizing the one-on-one fighting game genre.<ref name="games.ign.com">{{cite web | url = http://games.ign.com/articles/840/840621p1.html | title = IGN's Top 10 Most Influential Games | website = IGN | author1 = Ryan Geddes | author2 = Daemon Hatfield | date = December 10, 2007 | access-date = April 14, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120214180351/http://games.ign.com/articles/840/840621p1.html | archive-date = February 14, 2012 | url-status = dead }}</ref> A variety of moves can be performed using the [[Dual analog control|dual-joystick]] controls. It uses a best-of-three matches format like later fighting games, and has training [[bonus stage]]s.<ref name="games.ign.com"/> The ''Player vs Player'' edition of ''Karate Champ'', released later that year, is also the first fighting game to allow two-player duel.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Toose |first1=Dan |title=Retrospect: Karate Champ (Vs) Ancient History |magazine=[[Hyper (magazine)|Hyper]] |date=December 1998 |issue=62 |page=100 |url=https://archive.org/details/hyper-062/page/100}}</ref> It influenced [[Konami]]'s ''[[Yie Ar Kung Fu]]'',<ref name="games.ign.com"/> released in October 1984.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yie Ar Kung-Fu (Registration Number PA0000276094) |url=https://cocatalog.loc.gov |website=[[United States Copyright Office]] |access-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531152425/https://cocatalog.loc.gov/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The game drew heavily from Bruce Lee films, with the main [[player character]] Oolong modelled after Lee (like in [[Bruceploitation]] films). In contrast to the grounded realism of ''Karate Champ'', ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' moved the genre towards more fantastical, fast-paced action with a variety of special moves and high jumps, establishing the template for subsequent fighting games.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carroll |first1=Martyn |title=The History Of: Yie Ar Kung-fu |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/retro-gamer/20190516/281646781578341 |access-date=April 10, 2021 |work=[[Retro Gamer]] |date=May 16, 2019 |archive-date=April 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410132417/https://www.pressreader.com/uk/retro-gamer/20190516/281646781578341 |url-status=live }}</ref> It expanded on ''Karate Champ'' by pitting the player against a variety of opponents, each with a unique appearance and fighting style.<ref name="games.ign.com"/><ref>{{cite web|author=Hjul, Alison|date=March 1986|title=Yie Ar Kung Fu|url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-03/page/n19/mode/2up|publisher=Your Sinclair|issue=3|page=19}}</ref> The player could also perform up to sixteen different moves,<ref>[http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=82 Game of The Week: Yie Ar Kung-Fu] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020173838/http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=82 |date=October 20, 2011 }}, ''[[GameSpy]]'', accessed February 27, 2011</ref> including projectile attacks,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Game Plan: Great Designs That Changed the Face of Computer Gaming|author=Ste Curran|publisher=Rotovision|year=2004|isbn=2-88046-696-2|page=40|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TXcWlWkIZ0AC&pg=PA40|access-date=April 10, 2011}}</ref> and it replaced the point-scoring system of ''Karate Champ'' with a [[health meter]] system, becoming the standard for the genre.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Good |first1=Owen S. |title=Yie Ar Kung Fu, one of the earliest fighting games, comes to Switch and PS4 |url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/24/20980867/yie-ar-kung-fu-ps4-nintendo-switch-konami-arcade-classics |access-date=May 10, 2021 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=November 24, 2019 |archive-date=May 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510054644/https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/24/20980867/yie-ar-kung-fu-ps4-nintendo-switch-konami-arcade-classics |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Irem]]'s ''[[Kung-Fu Master (video game)|Kung-Fu Master]]'', designed by [[Takashi Nishiyama]]<ref name="polygon">{{cite web |last1=Leone |first1=Matt |title=Street Fighter 1: An oral history |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/7/7/21270906/street-fighter-1-oral-history-takashi-nishiyama |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |access-date=July 16, 2020 |date=July 7, 2020 |archive-date=July 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716104722/https://www.polygon.com/2020/7/7/21270906/street-fighter-1-oral-history-takashi-nishiyama |url-status=live }}</ref> and released in November 1984,<ref>{{cite web |title=Spartan X (Registration Number PA0000234444) |url=https://cocatalog.loc.gov |website=[[United States Copyright Office]] |access-date=May 6, 2021 |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531152425/https://cocatalog.loc.gov/ |url-status=live }}</ref> is a [[side-scrolling]] [[beat 'em up]] that, at the end of each [[Level (video games)|level]], featured one-on-one boss battles that resemble fighting games.<ref name="Lendino">{{cite book |last1=Lendino |first1=Jamie |title=Attract Mode: The Rise and Fall of Coin-Op Arcade Games |date=September 27, 2020 |publisher=Steel Gear Press |pages=289–90 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d6wCEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA289 |access-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-date=April 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412193215/https://books.google.com/books?id=d6wCEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA289 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is based on Hong Kong martial arts films, specifically [[Jackie Chan]]'s ''[[Wheels on Meals]]'' (1984) and Bruce Lee's ''Game of Death''.<ref name="thegamesmachine">{{cite web |last1=Dellafrana |first1=Danilo |title=Le origini di Street Fighter |url=https://www.thegamesmachine.it/speciali/90208/street-fighter/ |website=[[The Games Machine]] |access-date=March 20, 2021 |language=it-IT |date=August 29, 2017 |archive-date=April 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420090954/https://www.thegamesmachine.it/speciali/90208/street-fighter/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="tao"/> Nishiyama later used its one-on-one boss battles as the basis for his fighting game ''Street Fighter''.<ref name="polygon"/> Nintendo's boxing sequel ''[[Super Punch-Out!! (arcade game)|Super Punch-Out]]'' was released for arcades in late 1984 and ported by [[Elite Systems|Elite]] to home computers as ''Frank Bruno's Boxing'' in 1985,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fox |first1=Matt |title=The Video Games Guide: 1,000+ Arcade, Console and Computer Games, 1962–2012, 2d ed. |date=December 1, 2012 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-1-4766-0067-3 |page=225 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LVc1QNGo_g0C&pg=PA225 |access-date=May 10, 2021 |archive-date=May 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510041701/https://books.google.com/books?id=LVc1QNGo_g0C&pg=PA225 |url-status=live }}</ref> features martial arts elements,<ref name="Horowitz">{{cite book |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Beyond Donkey Kong: A History of Nintendo Arcade Games |date=August 6, 2020 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-1-4766-8420-8 |pages=144–5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y3D0DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA144 |access-date=May 10, 2021 |archive-date=May 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510041659/https://books.google.com/books?id=Y3D0DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA144 |url-status=live }}</ref> high and low guarding, ducking, lateral dodging, and a KO meter. This meter is built up with successful attacks and, when full, enables a special, more powerful punch to be thrown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=Crash/Issue19/Pages/Crash1900022.jpg |title=Archive – Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=February 18, 2013}}</ref> [[Broderbund]]'s ''[[Karateka (video game)|Karateka]]'', designed by [[Jordan Mechner]] and released at the end of 1984,<ref name="Computist">{{cite magazine |last1=Hurlbert |first1=Jeff |title=The Games of 1984: In Review – Part II |magazine=[[Hardcore Computist]] |date=1985 |issue=19 |pages=12–7 |url=https://archive.org/details/computist-scan-19/page/n13/mode/2up}}</ref> is a one-on-one fighting game for [[home computers]] that successfully added plot to its fighting action,<ref name="tao"/> like the beat 'em up ''Kung-Fu Master''.<ref name="Lendino"/>

By early 1985, martial arts games had become popular in arcades.<ref name="CG">{{cite magazine |last1=Roberts |first1=Mike |title=Coin-Op Connection |magazine=[[Computer Gamer]] |date=May 1985 |issue=2 |pages=26–7 |publisher=[[Argus Press]] |location=United Kingdom |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gamer_Issue_02_1985-05_Argus_Press_GB/page/n25/mode/2up}}</ref> On home computers, the Japanese [[MSX]] version of ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' was released in January 1985,<ref>{{cite web |title=Yie Ar Kung-Fu |url=https://www.generation-msx.nl/software/konami/yie-ar-kung-fu/377/ |website=Generation-MSX |access-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-date=May 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510142359/https://www.generation-msx.nl/software/konami/yie-ar-kung-fu/377/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Beam Software]]'s ''[[The Way of the Exploding Fist]]'' was released for [[PAL regions]] in May 1985;<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Special Feature: Happy Birthday! |magazine=[[Popular Computing Weekly]] |date=May 1, 1987 |pages=14–18 (18) |url=https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1987-05-01/page/n17}}</ref> ''The Way of the Exploding Fist'' borrowed heavily from ''Karate Champ'',<ref name="zzap64review">{{cite journal|date=July 11, 1985|title=Way of the Exploding Fist|url=https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-004/page/n29/mode/2up|journal=[[Zzap!64]]|issue=4 (August 1985)|pages=30–32}}</ref> but nevertheless achieved critical success and afforded the burgeoning genre further popularity on home computers in PAL regions,<ref name="runitagain">{{cite web|author1=Candy, Robin|author2=Eddy, Ricky|date=October 1987|title=Run it Again!|url=https://archive.org/details/crash-magazine-45/page/n37/mode/2up|publisher=Crash|issue=45|pages=38}}</ref><ref name="karateace">{{cite web|author=Davies, Jonathan|date=October 1988|title=Karate Ace|url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-34/page/n45/mode/2up|publisher=Your Sinclair|issue=34|page=46}}</ref> becoming the UK's best-selling [[1985 in video games|computer game of 1985]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=News Desk: Exploding Fist tops Gallup 1985 charts |magazine=[[Popular Computing Weekly]] |date=March 20, 1986 |page=4 |url=https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1986-03-20/page/n3}}</ref> In North America, Data East ported ''Karate Champ'' to home computers in October 1985,<ref name="data_east_v_epyx">''Data East USA, Inc. v. Epyx, Inc.'', [http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/862/862.F2d.204.87-2294.html 862 F. 2d 204, 9 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) 1322] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516005748/http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/862/862.F2d.204.87-2294.html |date=May 16, 2010 }} (9th Cir. 1988).</ref> becoming one of the best-selling computer games of the late 1980s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Petska-Juliussen |first1=Karen |last2=Juliussen |first2=Egil |title=The Computer Industry Almanac 1990 |date=1990 |publisher=Brady |isbn=978-0-13-154122-1 |location=New York |pages=3.10–11 |url=https://archive.org/details/computerindustry00kare/page/n265/mode/2up}}</ref><ref name="megahits">{{cite journal | author=Worley, Joyce | title=Mega Hits: The Best of the Best | journal=[[Video Games & Computer Entertainment]] | issue=11 | date=December 1989 | url=https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_Computer_Entertainment_Issue_11_December_1989 | pages=130–132, 137, 138 }}</ref> Other game developers also imitated ''Karate Champ'', notably [[System 3 (company)|System 3]]'s computer game ''[[International Karate]]'', released in Europe in November 1985; after [[Epyx]] released it in North America in April 1986, Data East took [[Data East USA, Inc. v. Epyx, Inc.|unsuccessful legal action]] against Epyx over the game.<ref name="data_east_v_epyx"/> ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' went on to become the UK's best-selling [[1986 in video games|computer game of 1986]], the second year in a row for fighting games.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Yie Ar tops charts for 1986 |magazine=[[Popular Computing Weekly]] |date=February 12, 1987 |page=6 |url=https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1987-02-12/page/n5}}</ref> The same year, [[Martech]]'s ''[[Uchi Mata (video game)|Uchi Mata]]'' for home computers featured novel controller motions for [[grappling]] maneuvers, but they were deemed too difficult.<ref name="runitagain"/>

In the late 1980s, side-scrolling beat 'em ups became considerably more popular than one-on-one fighting games,<ref name="Polygon">{{cite web |last1=Leone |first1=Matt |title=Street Fighter 2: An Oral History |url=https://www.polygon.com/a/street-fighter-2-oral-history/ |access-date=April 29, 2021 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=February 3, 2014 |archive-date=May 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515155936/https://www.polygon.com/a/street-fighter-2-oral-history |url-status=live }}</ref> with many arcade [[Video game developer|game developers]] focused more on producing beat 'em ups and shoot 'em ups.<ref name="segahistory">{{cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/sat/segafight/page2.html | title = History of Sega Fighting Games | website = GameSpot | access-date = October 11, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204190119/http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/sat/segafight/page2.html | archive-date=February 4, 2009}}</ref> Takashi Nishiyama used the one-on-one boss battles of his earlier beat 'em up ''Kung-Fu Master'' as the template for [[Capcom]]'s fighting game ''[[Street Fighter (video game)|Street Fighter]]'',<ref name="polygon"/> combined with elements of ''Karate Champ'' and ''Yie Ar Kung Fu''.<ref name="sfhistory">{{cite web|title=The History of Street Fighter|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/sfhistory/history.html|website=[[GameSpot]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204224001/http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/sfhistory/history.html|archive-date=February 4, 2009|access-date=October 11, 2008}}</ref> ''Street Fighter'' found its own niche in the gaming world, which was dominated by beat 'em ups and shoot 'em ups at the time.<ref name="sfhistory" /> Part of the game's appeal was the use of special moves that could only be discovered by experimenting with the game controls, which created a sense of mystique and invited players to practice the game.<ref name="sf2mystery" /> Following ''Street Fighter's'' lead, the use of command-based hidden moves began to pervade other games in the rising fighting game genre.<ref name="sf2mystery">{{cite web | url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3485/game_design_essentials_20_.php?page=16 | title = Game Design Essentials: 20 Mysterious Games | website = Gamasutra | access-date = October 12, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081005065837/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3485/game_design_essentials_20_.php?page=16 | archive-date = October 5, 2008 | url-status = dead }}</ref> ''Street Fighter'' also introduced other staples of the genre, including the [[Blocking (martial arts)|blocking]] technique, as well as the ability for a challenger to jump in and initiate a match against a player at any time. The game also introduced [[Pressure sensor|pressure-sensitive]] controls that determine the strength of an attack, though due to causing damaged arcade cabinets, Capcom replaced it soon after with a six-button control scheme offering light, medium, and hard punches and kicks, which became another staple of the genre.<ref name="1UP-SF">Nadia Oxford, [http://www.1up.com/features/20-years-street-fighter 20 Years of Street Fighter] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121206043053/http://www.1up.com/features/20-years-street-fighter |date=December 6, 2012 }}, [[1UP.com]], November 12, 2007</ref>

In 1988, [[Magical Company|Home Data]] released ''Reikai Dōshi: Chinese Exorcist'', also known as ''Last Apostle Puppet Show'', the first fighting game to use [[Digitizing|digitized]] [[Sprite (computer graphics)|sprites]] and [[motion capture]] animation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/fighters/fighters8.htm|title=Hardcore Gaming 101: Pre-Street Fighter II Fighting Games|access-date=October 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011172741/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/fighters/fighters8.htm|archive-date=October 11, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Meanwhile, home [[game console]]s largely ignored the genre. ''[[Budokan: The Martial Spirit]]'' was one of the few releases for the [[Sega Genesis]], but was not as popular as games in other genres.<ref name="segahistory" /> Technical challenges limited the popularity of early fighting games. Programmers had difficulty producing a game that could recognize the fast motions of a joystick, and so players had difficulty executing special moves with any accuracy.<ref name="sfhistory" /><ref name = "segahistory" />

===Mainstream success (early 1990s)===
The release of ''[[Street Fighter II]]'' in 1991 is considered a revolutionary moment in the fighting game genre. [[Yoshiki Okamoto]]'s team developed the most accurate joystick and button scanning [[Subroutine|routine]] in the genre thus far.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}} This allowed players to reliably execute multi-button special moves, which had previously required an element of luck. The graphics took advantage of Capcom's [[CP System|CPS arcade chipset]], with highly detailed characters and [[level (video games)|stages]]. Whereas previous games allowed players to combat a variety of computer-controlled fighters, ''Street Fighter II'' allowed players to play against each other. The popularity of ''Street Fighter II'' surprised the gaming industry, as arcade owners bought more machines to keep up with demand.<ref name="sfhistory" /> ''Street Fighter II'' was also responsible for popularizing the [[combo (video gaming)|combo]] mechanic, which came about when skilled players learned that they could combine several attacks that left no time for the opponent to recover if they timed them correctly.<ref name="1up_1">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-street-fighter-ii |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720141819/http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-street-fighter-ii |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 20, 2012 |title=The Essential 50 Part 32: Street Fighter II |work=1Up.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://top100.ign.com/2007/ign_top_game_24.html |title=The Top 100 Games of All Time! |author=IGN staff |year=2007 |work=IGN.com |access-date=June 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830043153/http://top100.ign.com/2007/ign_top_game_24.html |archive-date=August 30, 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/features/street-fighter-ii-things-you-did-not-know |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20110401182730/http://www.1up.com/features/street-fighter-ii-things-you-did-not-know |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 1, 2011 |title=20 Things You Didn't Know About Street Fighter II |date=March 30, 2011 |work=1UP.com |access-date=June 16, 2011 }}</ref> Its success led to fighting games becoming the dominant genre in the arcade game industry of the early 1990s,<ref>{{citation|title=Insert Coin Here: Getting a Fighting Chance|author=Jay Carter|magazine=[[Electronic Games]]|date=July 1993|issue=10|url=https://archive.org/stream/Electronic-Games-1993-07/Electronic%20Games%201993-07#page/n15/mode/2up|access-date=December 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402180521/https://archive.org/stream/Electronic-Games-1993-07/Electronic%20Games%201993-07#page/n15/mode/2up|archive-date=April 2, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> which led to a resurgence of the arcade game industry.<ref name="usgamer">{{cite web|title=Top 10 Biggest Grossing Arcade Games|website=[[US Gamer]]|url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/top-10-biggest-grossing-arcade-games-of-all-time|access-date=January 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231034753/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/top-10-biggest-grossing-arcade-games-of-all-time|archive-date=December 31, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The popularity of ''Street Fighter II'' led it to be released for home game consoles and becoming the defining template for fighting games.<ref name="sfhistory" /><ref name = "segahistory" />

SNK released ''[[Fatal Fury: King of Fighters|Fatal Fury]]'' shortly after ''Street Fighter II'' in 1991. It was designed by Takashi Nishiyama, the creator of the original ''Street Fighter'', which it was envisioned as a spiritual successor to.<ref name="1up_leone">{{cite web|title=The Man Who Created Street Fighter|url=http://www.1up.com/features/the-man-who-created-street-fighter|last=Leone|first=Matt|website=[[1UP.com]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718180754/http://www.1up.com/features/the-man-who-created-street-fighter|archive-date=July 18, 2012|access-date=December 19, 2011}}</ref> ''Fatal Fury'' placed more emphasis on storytelling and the timing of special moves,<ref name="1up_leone"/> and added a two-plane system where characters could step into the foreground or background. Meanwhile, Sega experimented with ''[[Dark Edge (arcade game)|Dark Edge]]'', an early attempt at a 3D fighting game where characters could move in all directions. However, Sega never released the game outside Japan because it felt that "unrestrained" 3D fighting games were unenjoyable.<ref name = "segahistory" /> Sega also attempted to introduce [[Holography|holographic]] [[Stereoscopy|3D]] technology to the genre with ''[[Holosseum]]'' in 1992, though it was unsuccessful.<ref>{{cite web|last=Blagdon|first=Jeff|title=Sega's 'Time Traveler' might have changed arcade games, if it wasn't for Street Fighter II|url=https://www.theverge.com/2012/5/2/2993327/time-traveler-sega-holographic-game|work=[[The Verge (website)|The Verge]]|access-date=May 24, 2012|date=May 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604084413/http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/2/2993327/time-traveler-sega-holographic-game|archive-date=June 4, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Several fighting games achieved commercial success, including SNK's ''[[Art of Fighting]]'' and ''[[Samurai Shodown]]'' as well as Sega's ''[[Eternal Champions]]''. Nevertheless, ''Street Fighter II'' remained the most popular,<ref name = "segahistory" /> spawning a ''Champion Edition'' that improved game balance and allowed players to use boss characters that were unselectable in the previous version.<ref name="sfhistory" />

Chicago's [[Midway Games]] achieved unprecedented notoriety when they released ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'' in 1992. The game featured digital characters drawn from real actors, numerous secrets,<ref name = "segahistory" /><ref name="mortalmonday">{{cite web|title=Monday Bloody Monday|url=http://www.1up.com/features/monday-bloody-monday|publisher=1up|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160612034315/http://www.1up.com/features/monday-bloody-monday|archive-date=June 12, 2016|access-date=April 29, 2009}}</ref> and "[[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)|Fatality]]" finishing maneuvers in which the player's character kills their opponent. The game earned a reputation for its gratuitous violence,<ref name = "mortalmonday" /> and was adapted for home game consoles.<ref name = "segahistory" /> The home version of ''Mortal Kombat'' was released on September 13, 1993, a day promoted as "Mortal Monday". The advertising resulted in line-ups to purchase the game and a subsequent backlash from politicians concerned about the game's violence.<ref name = "mortalmonday" /> The ''Mortal Kombat'' franchise would achieve iconic status similar to that of ''Street Fighter'' with several sequels as well as movies, television series, and extensive merchandising.<ref name="MK3" /><ref>{{cite web |author1=O'Neill, Cliff |author2=Greeson, Jeff |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_mortalk/index.html |title=History of Mortal Kombat |website=GameSpot |date=November 1, 1999 |access-date=January 12, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070322180222/http://uk.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_mortalk/index.html |archive-date=March 22, 2007 }}</ref> Numerous other game developers tried to imitate ''Street Fighter II'' and ''Mortal Kombat''{{'s}} financial success with similar games, including [[Rare (company)|Rare]] Software with ''[[Killer Instinct (1994 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'', a game that featured unprecedentedly detailed pre-rendered 3D graphics and vastly improved on the core concept of combos, presenting a way faster gameplay than most other games of that era, specific combo-breaker maneuvers, and the "Ultra", a series of combined finishing moves surpassing the number of 20 hits. Many of the games of that period were low budget clones of the more popular games, and in some cases this led to controversy; in 1994, Capcom USA took unsuccessful legal action against Data East over the 1993 arcade game ''[[Fighter's History]]'', which supposedly plagiarized ''Street Fighter 2''.<ref name="essential50" /> Data East's largest objection in court was that their 1984 arcade game ''Karate Champ'' was the true originator of the competitive fighting game genre, which predated the original ''Street Fighter'' by three years,<ref>{{cite book|date=December 30, 1994|title=[[Gamest]]|volume=134}}</ref> but the reason the case was decided against Capcom was that the copied elements were [[scènes à faire]] and thus excluded from copyright.<ref>''Capcom U.S.A. Inc. v. Data East Corp.'' 1994 WL 1751482 (N.D. Cal. 1994). [http://www.patentarcade.com/2005/08/case-capcom-v-data-east-nd-cal-1994-c.html Analysis at Patent Arcade] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713140945/http://www.patentarcade.com/2005/08/case-capcom-v-data-east-nd-cal-1994-c.html |date=July 13, 2010 }} accessed June 18, 2009.</ref>

=== Emergence of 3D fighting games (mid-to-late 1990s) ===
[[File:Virtua Fighter.png|thumb|''[[Virtua Fighter (arcade game)|Virtua Fighter]]'' (1993) is the first widespread 3D fighting game after a few earlier attempts by [[Sega]] and other companies. It is typical of such fighting games in that action takes place in a two-dimensional plane of motion. Here, one player ducks the other's attack.]]
[[Sega AM2]] debuted in the genre with the 1993 arcade game ''[[Burning Rival]]'',<ref name="am2hp">{{cite web|url=http://www.sega-am2.co.jp/jp/games/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040630004045/http://www.sega-am2.co.jp/jp/games/index.html|title=SEGA-AM2 – Games : 最新のAM2作品 -|archive-date=June 30, 2004}}</ref> but they gained renown with the release of ''[[Virtua Fighter (video game)|Virtua Fighter]]'' for the same platform the same year. It is the first fighting game with [[3D computer graphics|3D]] [[Polygonal modeling|polygon]] graphics and a viewpoint that zoomed and rotated with the action. Despite the graphics, players were confined to back and forth motion as seen in other fighting games. With only three buttons, it was easier to learn than ''Street Fighter'' and ''Mortal Kombat'', which has six and five buttons respectively. By the time the game was released for the [[Sega Saturn]] in Japan, the game and system were selling at almost a one-to-one ratio.<ref name = "segahistory" /> In 1994, [[Namco]] released [[Tekken (video game)|''Tekken'']], the rival arcade game introducing cutting-edge 3D polygon technology at a revolutionary 60 frames per second.<ref name="Harada">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/an-audience-with-katsuhiro-harada/|title=An Audience With: Katsuhiro Harada – on 20 years of ''Tekken'' and the future of fighting games|magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]|date=2013-09-23|access-date=2014-11-21|archive-date=September 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926003747/http://www.edge-online.com/features/an-audience-with-katsuhiro-harada/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chavez |first=Steven 'Dreamking23' |date=February 8, 2024 |title=It's unbelievable what 30 years has done for Tekken's visuals |url=https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2024/feb/08/tekken-visuals-long-way-1994/ |access-date=August 20, 2024 |website=EventHubs |language=en}}</ref>

The 1995 [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] game ''[[Battle Arena Toshinden]]'' is credited for taking the genre into "true 3D" due to its introduction of the sidestep maneuver, which [[IGN]] described as "one little move" that "changed the fighter forever". The "sidestep" in the game, however, consisted of shoulder rolls instead of actual sidesteps.<ref>{{YouTube|vtSlGWHdE3U}}</ref><ref name="ign_toshinden">{{cite web|title=Battle Arena Toshinden takes the fighter into true 3-D, but is it enough?|url=http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/150/150716p1.html|website=IGN|access-date=August 31, 2011|date=November 21, 1996|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822005754/http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/150/150716p1.html|archive-date=August 22, 2012}}</ref> That year, Namco released ''[[Tekken 2]]'', which introduced actual sidestepping or "mist steps" as first released in arcade games and in the international fighting game community. These moves are only exclusive to its protagonist, the penultimate boss of the arcade mode, [[Kazuya Mishima]] in his regular human state. The mist steps also allow combos to be performed as a manner of ''"crouch dashing,"'' or when the Mishima player could run to the opponent while crouching since regular running prevented executing easy combos.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tekken 7 - Regarding the Change to the Sidestepping|url=http://www.avoidingthepuddle.com/news/2015/5/14/tekken-7-regarding-the-change-to-the-sidestepping.html|date=May 14, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Sorry kids, Tekken has NOT always been about juggling|url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/389730/discussions/0/2381701715727063368/?l=hungarian&ctp=6|date=October 23, 2017}}</ref> Polygonal fighters became trendy and many developers started to make them. Further all-new titles were released in 1995: ''[[Zero Divide]]'' on the PlayStation,<ref>{{Cite web |title=[レビュー] ゼロ・ディバイド (PS) (1995年のゲーム) {{!}} 思考回廊 |url=https://trynext.com/review/page/b00008hw0j.php |access-date=August 20, 2024 |website=思考回廊：レビュー |language=ja |archive-date=August 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820181425/https://trynext.com/review/page/b00008hw0j.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> the Western-developed ''[[FX Fighter]]'' on PC and ''[[Criticom]]'' on console,<ref name="3-3DO">{{cite magazine |last= |first= |date=May 1996 |title=Maximum Reviews |url=https://www.outofprintarchive.com/catalogue/maximum/Maximum006.html |magazine=Maximum - The Video Game Magazine |publisher=EMAP |page=122 |volume= |issue=6 |accessdate=}}</ref> and Sega's arcade ''[[Fighting Vipers]]'' - on top of ''Tekken 2'', an updated ''[[Battle Arena Toshinden 2]]'', and console ports of ''Tekken'' and ''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]''.  A multitude of new major polygonal releases arrived in 1996 from both prime and smaller developers. The 1996 arcade game ''[[Dead or Alive (video game)|Dead or Alive]]'' offered an interactive feature within its stages called the "danger zone", an environmental hazard outside the center of stages where if an opponent is knocked into it, they will take extra damage, jeopardizing their position and giving their attacker an advantage. If an opponent is knocked into the danger zone with very low health, the danger zone is more likely to knock them out than a regular attack.<ref name=G4>{{Cite episode |series=Icons |title=Dead or Alive |series-link=Icons (TV series) |network=[[G4 (American TV channel)|G4]] |date=August 5, 2004 |season=3 |number=11 |url=http://www.g4tv.com/icons/episodes/3352/Dead_or_Alive.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231112359/http://www.g4tv.com/icons/episodes/3352/Dead_or_Alive.html |archive-date=2016-12-31 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Other major 1996 releases include ''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'', ''[[Soul Edge]]'', ''[[Last Bronx]]'' (in Japan),<ref>{{cite magazine |date=June 1997 |title=Tokyo Game Show Report from Japan |url=https://archive.org/stream/NextGeneration30Jun1997/Next_Generation_30_Jun_1997#page/n16 |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |page=16 |issue=30}}</ref> and the home port of ''Tekken 2'',<ref name="3-3DO2">{{cite magazine |last= |first= |date=May 1996 |title=Virtua Fighter 3 steals US show |url=https://dn790006.ca.archive.org/0/items/Next-Generation-1996-05/Next%20Generation%201996-05.pdf |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |publisher= |page=21 |volume= |issue= |accessdate=}}</ref> cementing 3D as the future of the genre.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=April 1997 |title=An interview with Noritaka Funamizu |magazine=Next Generation |page=70 |issue=28}}</ref>

In 1994, SNK released ''[[The King of Fighters '94]]'' in arcades, where players choose from teams of three characters to eliminate each other one by one.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://wii.ign.com/articles/852/852523p1.html | title = IGN: King of Fighters '94 | website = IGN | access-date = October 17, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081005211302/http://wii.ign.com/articles/852/852523p1.html | archive-date = October 5, 2008 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Eventually, Capcom released further updates to ''Street Fighter II'', including ''Super Street Fighter II'' and ''Super Street Fighter II Turbo''. These games feature more characters and new moves, some of which are a response to hackers of the original ''Street Fighter II'' game to add new features. However, criticism of these updates grew as players demanded a true sequel. By 1995, the dominant franchises were the ''Mortal Kombat'' series in America and the ''[[Virtua Fighter]]'' series in Japan, with ''[[Street Fighter Alpha]]'' unable to match the popularity of ''Street Fighter II''.<ref name="sfhistory" /> Throughout this period, the fighting game was the dominant genre in competitive video gaming, with enthusiasts popularly attending arcades in order to find human opponents.<ref name="MK3" /> The genre was also very popular on home consoles. At the beginning of 1996, ''[[GamePro]]'' (a magazine devoted chiefly to home console and handheld gaming) reported that for the last several years, their reader surveys had consistently yielded 4 out of 5 respondents name fighting games as their favorite genre.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=King Doom vs. King Kombat |magazine=[[GamePro]] |issue=90 |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=March 1996|page=12}}</ref>

In the late 1990s, traditional 2D fighting games began to decline in popularity, with specific franchises falling into difficulty due to 3D fighters. Although the release of ''[[Street Fighter EX]]'' introduced 3D graphics to the series,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/ps/198825-street-fighter-ex-plus-alpha/index.html |title=Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha for PlayStation |work=GameRankings |date=September 30, 1997 |access-date=June 1, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719115244/http://www.gamerankings.com/ps/198825-street-fighter-ex-plus-alpha/index.html |archive-date=July 19, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/152/152120p1.html |title=Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha – PlayStation Review at IGN |work=Uk.psx.ign.com |date=October 26, 1997 |access-date=June 1, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831203226/http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/152/152120p1.html |archive-date=August 31, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Imagine+Media%27s+PSM+Names+Top+25+PlayStation+Games+of+All+Time.-a050215867|title=Imagine Media's PSM Names Top 25 PlayStation Games of All Time|date=August 3, 2011|access-date=May 19, 2011|publisher=Imagine Media|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610005652/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Imagine+Media%27s+PSM+Names+Top+25+PlayStation+Games+of+All+Time.-a050215867|archive-date=June 10, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> both it and ''[[Street Fighter: The Movie (arcade game)|Street Fighter: The Movie]]'' flopped in arcades.<ref name=sfhistory /> A home video game also titled ''[[Street Fighter: The Movie (home video game)|Street Fighter: The Movie]]'' was released for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] and [[Sega Saturn]], but it is not a [[Porting|port]], but a separately produced game based on the same premise.<ref>''All About Capcom Head-to-Head Fighting Game 1987–2000'', pg. 288</ref> Capcom released ''Street Fighter III'' in 1997 which features improved 2D visuals, but is also unable to match the impact of earlier games.<ref name=sfhistory /> Excitement stirred in Japan over ''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'' in arcades,<ref name="segahistory" /> and Sega eventually ported the game to its [[Dreamcast]] console.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/dreamcast/action/virtuafighter3tb/news.html?sid=2448719 | title = Dreamcast Virtua Fighter 3 Ships | work = GameSpot | access-date = October 12, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090204185410/http://www.gamespot.com/dreamcast/action/virtuafighter3tb/news.html?sid=2448719 | archive-date = February 4, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref> Meanwhile, [[SNK]] released several fighting games on its [[Neo Geo (system)|Neo Geo]] platform, including ''[[Samurai Shodown II]]'' in 1994, ''[[Real Bout Fatal Fury]]'' in 1995, ''[[The Last Blade]]'' in 1997, and annual updates to its ''[[The King of Fighters]]'' franchise.<ref name="The History of SNK">{{cite web | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/features/6089278/index.html | title = The History of SNK | work = GameSpot | access-date = January 12, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090216195839/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/6089278/index.html | archive-date = February 16, 2009}}</ref> ''[[Garou: Mark of the Wolves]]'' from 1999 (part of the ''Fatal Fury'' series) was considered one of SNK's last great games;<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/fatal-fury-mark-of-the-wolves-review/1900-2822675/ | title = Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves Review | work = GameSpot | author = Andrew Seyoon Park | date = November 5, 2001 | access-date = June 19, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160413085419/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/fatal-fury-mark-of-the-wolves-review/1900-2822675/ | archive-date = April 13, 2016 | url-status = live }}</ref> the company announced that it would close its doors in late 2001.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/bestof_2001/p3_16.html | title = The Best and Worst of 2001 – BEST FIGHTING GAME | work = GameSpot | year = 2001 | access-date = November 12, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090205011140/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/bestof_2001/p3_16.html | archive-date = February 5, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref> ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' reported that in 1996, U.S. gamers spent nearly $150&nbsp;million on current generation fighting games, and in Japan, fighting games accounted for over 80% of video game sales.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=October 1997|title=Everybody's Kung-Fu Fighting|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/6/6b/EGM_US_099.pdf|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|issue=99|page=196|access-date=June 1, 2020|archive-date=July 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719142433/https://retrocdn.net/images/6/6b/EGM_US_099.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

The fighting game genre continued to evolve, with several strong 3D fighting games emerging in the late 1990s. [[Namco]]'s ''[[Tekken (video game)|Tekken]]'' (released in arcades in 1994 and on the PlayStation in 1995) proved critical to the PlayStation's early success, with its [[Tekken|sequels]] also becoming some of the console's most important games.<ref>{{cite web | author = Gerstmann, Jeff | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/ps/action/tekken3/review.html?tag=summary;read-review | title = Tekken 3 Review | website = GameSpot | date = March 30, 1998 | access-date = January 11, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120716220916/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps/action/tekken3/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review | archive-date = July 16, 2012}}</ref>  The [[Soul (series)|''Soul'' series]] of weapon-based fighting games also achieved considerable critical success, beginning with 1995's ''[[Soul Edge]]'' (known as ''Soul Blade'' outside Japan) to ''[[Soulcalibur VI]]'' in 2018.<ref>{{cite web | author = Robertson, Ed | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/ps/action/soulblade/review.html?tag=summary;read-review | title = Soul Blade Review | website = GameSpot | date = April 3, 1997 | access-date = January 11, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120716024748/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps/action/soulblade/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review | archive-date = July 16, 2012}}</ref><ref name="soul4">{{cite web|title=Soulcalibur IV Review|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/soulcalibur-iv-review/1900-6195194/|author=Calvert, Justin|date=July 31, 2008|website=GameSpot|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507095551/http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/soulcaliburiv/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review&page=2|archive-date=May 7, 2010|access-date=January 11, 2009}}</ref> [[Tecmo]] released ''[[Dead or Alive (video game)|Dead or Alive]]'' in the arcades in 1996, porting it for the Sega Saturn in 1997 and PlayStation in 1998. It spawned a [[Dead or Alive (franchise)|long-running franchise]], known for its fast-paced control system, innovative [[counterattack]]s, and [[environmental hazard|interactive environments]]. The series again included games important to the success of their respective consoles, such as ''[[Dead or Alive 3]]'' for the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] and ''[[Dead or Alive 4]]'' for the [[Xbox 360]].<ref name="DOA4" /><ref>{{cite web | author = Staff | url = http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/152/152306p1.html | title = Dead or Alive (PS) | website = IGN | date = March 27, 1998 | access-date = January 12, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110713005618/http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/152/152306p1.html | archive-date = July 13, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves...|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/two-men-enter-one-man-leaves/1100-6142102/|author=Rorie, Matthew|date=January 9, 2006|work=GameSpot|access-date=January 12, 2009}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In 1998, ''[[Bushido Blade (video game)|Bushido Blade]]'', published by [[Square (video game company)|Square]], introduced a realistic fighting engine that features three-dimensional environments while abandoning time limits and health bars in favor of an innovative Body Damage System, where a sword strike to a certain body part can amputate a limb or decapitate the head.<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 25 Beat-'Em-Ups: Part 1|work=[[Retro Gamer]]| date=October 2, 2009|url=http://www.nowgamer.com/features/434/top-25-beat-em-ups-pt-1|archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160523152229/http://www.nowgamer.com/features/434/top-25-beat-em-ups-pt-1|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 23, 2016|access-date=March 17, 2011}}</ref>

Video game enthusiasts took an interest in [[fictional crossover]]s, which feature characters from multiple franchises in a particular game.<ref name="financialexpress">{{cite news | url = http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Nintendo-designs-fighting-game-for-its-Wii-console/284337/ | title = Nintendo designs fighting game for its Wii console | newspaper = The Financial Express | access-date = October 12, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080622032815/http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Nintendo-designs-fighting-game-for-its-Wii-console/284337/ | archive-date = June 22, 2008 | url-status = live }}</ref> An early example of this type of fighting game is the 1996 arcade release ''[[X-Men vs. Street Fighter]]'' (which later became the ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom]]'' series), featuring [[comic book]] [[superhero]]es and characters from other Capcom games.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} In 1999, [[Nintendo]] released the [[Super Smash Bros. (video game)|first game]] in the ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' series, which allowed match-ups from various franchises, such as [[Pikachu]] vs. [[Mario]].<ref name="financialexpress"/>

=== Decline (early 2000s) ===
In the early 2000s, the fighting genre boom turned to bust. In retrospect, multiple developers attribute its decline to its increasing complexity and specialization, and to other factors such as [[market saturation|over-saturation]]. This complexity shut out casual players, and the market for fighting games became smaller and more specialized.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/rare-may-do-new-killer-instinct | title = Rare "may do" new Killer Instinct | author = Johnny Minkley | date = November 26, 2008 | access-date = November 28, 2008 | website = Eurogamer | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090203113801/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/rare-may-do-new-killer-instinct | archive-date = February 3, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name = "sf4interview">{{cite web | url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3791/saving_street_fighter_yoshi_ono_.php?page=2 | title = Saving Street Fighter: Yoshi Ono on Building Street Fighter IV | publisher = GamaSutra | access-date = October 12, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081013190454/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3791/saving_street_fighter_yoshi_ono_.php?page=2 | archive-date = October 13, 2008 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Even as far back as 1997, many in the industry said that the fighting game market's growing inaccessibility to newcomers was bringing an end to the genre's dominance.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Crispin |last=Boyer |title=EGM Takes a Time-Tripping Look at the Evolution of Arcades|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=103 |date=February 1998 |pages=91–92}}</ref> Furthermore, arcades gradually became less profitable throughout the late 1990s to early 2000s due to the increased technical power and popularity of home consoles.<ref name="essential50" /><ref name="The History of SNK" /> The early 2000s is considered to be the "Dark Age" of fighting games.<ref name="Learned"/>

The two most prolific developers of 2D fighting games, Capcom and SNK, combined intellectual property to produce ''[[SNK vs. Capcom]]'' games. SNK released the first game of this type, ''[[SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium]]'', for its [[Neo Geo Pocket Color]] handheld at the end of 1999. [[GameSpot]] regarded the game as "perhaps the most highly anticipated fighter ever" and called it the best fighting game ever to be released for a handheld console.<ref>{{cite web | author = Mielke, James | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/ngpc/action/snkvscapcommatchoftm/review.html?tag=summary;read-review | title = SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium Review | website = GameSpot | date = January 28, 2000 | access-date = February 5, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120715185555/http://uk.gamespot.com/ngpc/action/snkvscapcommatchoftm/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review | archive-date = July 15, 2012 }}</ref><ref name = "Capcom vs. SNK Review">{{cite web | author = Lopez, Miguel | url =  http://uk.gamespot.com/dreamcast/action/capcomvssnkmf2000/review.html| title = Capcom vs. SNK Review | website = GameSpot | date = September 14, 2000 | access-date = February 5, 2009 }} {{dead link|date=January 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Capcom released ''[[Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000]]'' for arcades and the [[Dreamcast]] in 2000, followed by sequels in subsequent years. Though none matched the critical success of the handheld version, ''Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO'' was noted as the first game of the genre to successfully utilize internet competition.<ref name = "Capcom vs. SNK Review" /><ref>{{cite web | author = Kasavin, Greg | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox/action/capcomvssnk2eo/review.html | title = Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO Review | website = GameSpot | date = February 14, 2003 | access-date = February 5, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120723144609/http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox/action/capcomvssnk2eo/review.html | archive-date = July 23, 2012 }}</ref> Other crossovers from 2008 included ''[[Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars|Tatsunoko vs. Capcom]]'' and ''[[Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe]]''.<ref>{{cite web | author = Miller, Greg | url = http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/930/930344p1.html | title = Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe Review | website = IGN | date = November 15, 2008 | access-date = April 29, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090331104300/http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/930/930344p1.html | archive-date = March 31, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author = Tanaka, John | url = http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/937/937796p1.html | title = Tatsunoko VS Capcom Playtest | website = IGN | date = December 11, 2008 | access-date = February 5, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090121081122/http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/937/937796p1.html | archive-date = January 21, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref> The most successful crossover, however, was ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' for the [[Wii]]. Featuring 40 characters from Nintendo and third-party franchises, the game was a runaway commercial success in addition to being lavished with critical praise.<ref name="gamespotsmash" /><ref name="ignsmash">{{cite web | author = Casamassina, Matt | url = http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/856/856580p3.html | title = Super Smash Bros. Brawl Review | website = IGN | date = March 4, 2008 | access-date = January 31, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090207092541/http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/856/856580p3.html | archive-date = February 7, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/AU8xLess7wISKbSMpYCj_HThii8UiBzG | title = Super Smash Bros. Brawl Smashes Nintendo Sales Records | publisher = Nintendo.com | date = March 17, 2008 | access-date = February 6, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080915093943/http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/AU8xLess7wISKbSMpYCj_HThii8UiBzG | archive-date = September 15, 2008 | url-status = live }}</ref>

In the new millennium, fighting games became less popular and plentiful than in the mid-1990s, with multiplayer competition shifting towards other genres.<ref name="MK3" /><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/best-of/genreawards/index.html?page=5 | title = GameSpot's Best of 2007: Best Fighting Game Genre Awards | website = GameSpot | access-date = October 12, 2008 }} {{dead link|date=August 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> However, SNK reappeared in 2003 as SNK Playmore and continued to release games.<ref name = "The History of SNK" /> [[Arc System Works]] received critical acclaim for releasing ''[[Guilty Gear X]]'' in 2001, as well as its sequel ''[[Guilty Gear XX]]'', as both were 2D fighting games featuring striking [[anime]]-inspired graphics.<ref>{{cite web | author = Kasavin, Greg | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/guiltygearx2/review.html?tag=summary;read-review | title = Guilty Gear X2 Review | website = GameSpot | date = February 1, 2003 | access-date = February 5, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120716013149/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/guiltygearx2/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review | archive-date = July 16, 2012 }}</ref> Fighting games became a popular genre for amateur and [[doujin]] developers in Japan. The 2002 title ''[[Melty Blood]]'' was developed by then-amateur developer [[French Bread (game developer)|French Bread]] and achieved cult success on the [[Personal computer|PC]]. It became highly popular in arcades following its 2005 release, and a version was released for the [[PlayStation 2]] the following year.<ref>''Arcade Mania!'', pp. 109–112.</ref> The late 1990s and early 2000s saw the rise in [[online game|online gaming]]. In 2004, ''[[Mortal Kombat: Deception]]'', ''[[Dead or Alive Ultimate]]'', and the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] version of ''[[Street Fighter Anniversary Collection]]'' became the first fighting games to offer [[Multiplayer video game#Online multiplayer|online multiplayer]] and have received positive reception from critics. While the genre became generally far less popular than it once was,<ref name="MK3" /> arcades and their attendant fighting games remained reasonably popular in Japan during this time period, and remain so even today. ''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' lacked an online mode, but still achieved success both on home consoles and in arcades; players practiced at home and went to arcades to compete face-to-face with opponents.<ref>''Arcade Mania!'', pp. 108–109.</ref>  In addition to ''Virtua Fighter'', the ''Tekken'', ''Soul'' and ''Dead or Alive'' franchises continued to release installments.<ref name="DOA4" /><ref name="soul4" /> Classic ''Street Fighter'' and ''Mortal Kombat'' games were re-released on [[PlayStation Network]] and [[Xbox Live Arcade]], allowing internet play, and in some cases, [[High-definition video|HD]] graphics.<ref name="MK3" /><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/streetfighter2livearcadexbox360/default.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090430183304/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/streetfighter2livearcadexbox360/default.htm | archive-date = April 30, 2009 | title = Xbox Live: Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting | publisher = Xbox.com | access-date = February 6, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/superstreetfighteriiturbohdremix/index.html |title=Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix PS3 - GameSpot.com |publisher=Uk.gamespot.com |access-date=June 1, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209210333/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/superstreetfighteriiturbohdremix/index.html |archive-date=February 9, 2009 }}</ref>

The early part of the decade had seen the rise of competitive video gaming, referred to by the term [[Esports]]. The rise in esports saw the rise of major international fighting game tournaments such as [[Tougeki – Super Battle Opera]] and [[Evolution Championship Series]], and famous players such as [[Daigo Umehara]].<ref name="1UPscoop20100623">{{cite web|title=Being The Very Best at Fighting Games|url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3180053|author=Kevin Gifford|date=June 23, 2010|publisher=1UP|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629070056/http://www.1up.com/news/fighting-games|archive-date=June 29, 2011|access-date=June 24, 2010}}</ref><ref name=greatest_eurogamer>{{cite web|title=Daigo Umehara: The King of Fighters|website=Eurogamer|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/daigo-umehara-the-king-of-fighters-interview|access-date=May 18, 2010|date=November 27, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516232037/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/daigo-umehara-the-king-of-fighters-interview|archive-date=May 16, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> An important fighting game at the time was ''[[Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike]]'', originally released in 1999. The game gained significant attention with "[[Evo Moment 37]]", also known as the "Daigo Parry", which refers to a portion of a ''3rd Strike'' semi-final match held at [[Evolution Championship Series 2004]] (Evo 2004) between Daigo Umehara and [[Justin Wong]]. During this match, Umehara made an unexpected [[Comeback (sports)|comeback]] by parrying 15 consecutive hits of Wong's "Super Art" move using [[Chun-Li]] while Umehara had only one pixel on his health bar. Umehara subsequently won the match. "Evo Moment #37" is frequently described as the most iconic and memorable moment in the history of competitive video gaming, compared to sports moments such as [[Babe Ruth's called shot]] and the [[Ice Hockey]] [[Miracle on Ice]].<ref name=KotakuBook>{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/someone-wrote-a-book-about-street-fighters-greatest-mat-1563009143|work=[[Kotaku]]|title=Someone Wrote A Book About Street Fighter's Greatest Match|last=Narcisse|first=Evan|date=April 14, 2014|access-date=September 18, 2021|archive-date=October 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022093742/https://kotaku.com/someone-wrote-a-book-about-street-fighters-greatest-mat-1563009143|url-status=live}}</ref> It inspired many to start playing ''3rd Strike,'' which brought new life into the [[fighting game community]] (FGC) during a time when the community was in a state of stagnation.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2014/nov/22/justin-wong-evo-moment-37-may-have-helped-save-fgc-many-games-were-dying-time-and-it-brought-some-new-life-scene/|title = Justin Wong: EVO moment #37 may have helped save the FGC as many games were dying at the time, it brought some new life to the scene|date = November 22, 2014|access-date = September 18, 2021|archive-date = April 29, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210429063956/https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2014/nov/22/justin-wong-evo-moment-37-may-have-helped-save-fgc-many-games-were-dying-time-and-it-brought-some-new-life-scene/|url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="Learned">{{cite news |last1=Learned |first1=John |title=How a Parry Saved Street Fighter: 20 Years of 3rd Strike |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/how-a-parry-saved-street-fighter-20-years-of-street-fighter-3-3rd-strike |access-date=September 18, 2021 |work=[[USgamer]] |date=May 13, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=July 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715215250/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/how-a-parry-saved-street-fighter-20-years-of-street-fighter-3-3rd-strike |url-status=live }}</ref> Fighting games have also been featured in esports scenes with variety of gaming genres, with ''[[Dead or Alive 3]]'' becoming the fighting game to be included in the Xbox Championship in 2004,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20040307/ms.htm|title="Xbox Championship Vol.4 ~DEAD OR ALIVE 3" Kansai teams win both team and individual competitions|website=Game Watch|date=7 March 2004|language=ja|access-date= }}</ref> and ''[[Dead or Alive Ultimate]]'' becoming the first fighting game to be included in the [[World Cyber Games]] (WCG) in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcg.com//6th//history//wcg2005//wcg2005_overview.asp|title=WCG Official Website - WCG History - WCG 2005|publisher=World Cyber Games|access-date=13 April 2023|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100808133059/http://www.wcg.com//6th//history//wcg2005//wcg2005_overview.asp|archive-date=8 August 2010}}</ref> ''[[Dead or Alive 4]]'''s competitive scene became the first competitive esport fighting game scene to be televised as it was the only fighting game included in the esport league, the [[Championship Gaming Series]] (CGS), in 2007 and 2008. The league was operated and fully broadcast by [[DirecTV]] in association with [[British Sky Broadcasting]] (BSkyB) and [[Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific|STAR TV]].<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19663003/ CNBC] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070711191339/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19663003/ |date=July 11, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Champion Gaming Series Games |work=Championship Gaming Series |url=http://www.thecgs.com/index.php?s=games |access-date=October 7, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007011852/http://www.thecgs.com/index.php?s=games |archive-date=October 7, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hotspawn.com/other/guides/championship-gaming-series-ahead-of-its-time| title=CHAMPIONSHIP GAMING SERIES: A CONCEPT "AHEAD OF ITS TIME"| website=Hotspawn | date=January 8, 2023| publisher=Lawrence "Malystryx" Phillips | access-date=April 13, 2023}}</ref> ''Dead or Alive'' has been credited for launching the careers of [[pro-gamer]] turned [[Koei Tecmo]] employee, Emmanuel Rodriguez,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/06/11/esports-master-landed-dream-job-at-team-ninja/|title=How an Esports "Master" Landed His Dream Job at Team Ninja to Help Players Be Great|publisher=[[Xbox|Xbox.com]]|first=Jon|last=Robinson|date=June 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611222410/https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/06/11/esports-master-landed-dream-job-at-team-ninja/|archive-date=June 11, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> and the highest-paid women pro-gamers, [[Kat Gunn]] and [[Vanessa Arteaga]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Myers |first1=Maddy |title=Ten Years Ago, Dead Or Alive Launched The Careers Of The Highest-Paid Women Pro Gamers |url=https://compete.kotaku.com/ten-years-ago-dead-or-alive-launched-the-careers-of-th-1795048304 |access-date=May 2, 2021 |work=Kotaku |date=May 9, 2017}}</ref>

=== Rebirth (late 2000s to present) ===
[[File:EVO 2008 - Street Fighter IV.jpg|thumb|''[[Street Fighter IV]]'' event at Evo 2009]]
The late 2000s featured a number of games that sparked another surge in fighting game popularity. ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' was released in early March 2008 to universal acclaim and went on to set a new record in sales, at one point selling at 120 units per minute.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Super Smash Bros. Brawl Smashes Nintendo Sales Records|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/super-smash-bros-brawl-smashes-nintendo-sales-records|publisher=Games Industry International|date=March 18, 2008}}</ref> Another game was ''[[Street Fighter IV]]'', the series' first mainline title since ''Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike'' in 1999, which was released in early 2009 also to critical acclaim,<ref>{{cite web | author = Chiappini, Dan | url = http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/streetfighteriv/review.html?tag=summary;read-review&page=2 | title = Street Fighter IV Review | website = GameSpot | date = February 18, 2009 | access-date = February 26, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090225102747/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/streetfighteriv/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary%3Bread-review&page=2 | archive-date = February 25, 2009 }}</ref> having garnered praise since its debut at Japanese arcades in July 2008.<ref>{{cite web | author = Rogers, Tim | url = http://www.edge-online.com/features/the-20-best-games-tgs?page=0,3 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081015034257/http://www.edge-online.com/features/the-20-best-games-tgs?page=0%2C3 | archive-date = October 15, 2008 | title = The 20 Best Games at TGS | publisher = Edge Online | date = October 12, 2008 | access-date = February 9, 2009 }}</ref> The console versions of ''Street Fighter IV'', as well as the updated ''[[Super Street Fighter IV]],''<ref name="CVG-MVC3"/> sold more than 6&nbsp;million copies over the next few years.<ref name="capcom_platinum">{{cite web|url=http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/business/million.html |title=Platinum Titles |date=December 31, 2012 |access-date=February 8, 2012 |publisher=[[Capcom]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208030840/http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/business/million.html |archive-date=February 8, 2015 }}</ref> The success of these two games, among others, sparked a renaissance for the genre,<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/AU8xLess7wISKbSMpYCj_HThii8UiBzG |title=Super Smash Bros. Brawl Smashes Nintendo Sales Records |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |date=March 17, 2008 |access-date=August 3, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915093943/http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/AU8xLess7wISKbSMpYCj_HThii8UiBzG |archive-date=September 15, 2008}}</ref><ref name="CVG-MVC3">{{cite web|title=Marvel vs Capcom 3|work=[[Computer and Video Games]]|date=February 5, 2011|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/287197/previews/marvel-vs-capcom-3-the-most-bonkers-beat-em-up-of-the-year/|access-date=February 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208014319/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/287197/previews/marvel-vs-capcom-3-the-most-bonkers-beat-em-up-of-the-year/|archive-date=February 8, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Shacknews>{{cite web|title=Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds Review|date=February 16, 2011 |publisher=[[Shacknews]]|url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/67542/marvel-vs-capcom-3-fate|access-date=February 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110323235105/http://www.shacknews.com/article/67542/marvel-vs-capcom-3-fate|archive-date=March 23, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> introducing new players to the genre and with the increased audience allowing other fighting game franchises to achieve successful revivals of their own, as well as increasing tournament participation.<ref name="gspot_vf5fs">{{cite web|last=Kemps|first=Heidi|title=Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown Review|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/virtua-fighter-5-final-showdown/reviews/virtua-fighter-5-final-showdown-review-6382527/|website=[[GameSpot]]|access-date=June 16, 2012|date=June 14, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618082928/http://uk.gamespot.com/virtua-fighter-5-final-showdown/reviews/virtua-fighter-5-final-showdown-review-6382527/|archive-date=June 18, 2012}}</ref> ''[[Tekken 6]]'' was building off the popularity of its [[Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection| previous iteration]] and was still positively received, selling more than 3&nbsp;million copies worldwide by August 2010, one year after its release.<ref name="sales">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-08-06-tekken-6-breaks-million-marker|title=Tekken 6 breaks 3 million sales|website=Eurogamer|date=August 6, 2010|access-date=August 8, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625085801/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-08-06-tekken-6-breaks-million-marker|archive-date=June 25, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Other successful games that followed include ''[[Mortal Kombat (2011 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'',<ref name="CVG-MVC3"/><ref name="2d-x_e3">{{cite web|last=Guzman|first=Eric|title=Dead or Alive 5, Persona 4 Arena, Virtua Fighter 5, and more – the E3 fighters|url=http://www.2d-x.com/dead-or-alive-5-persona-4-arena-virtua-fighter-5-and-more-fighting-games-are-back/|publisher=2D-X|access-date=June 16, 2012|date=June 11, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615233141/http://www.2d-x.com/dead-or-alive-5-persona-4-arena-virtua-fighter-5-and-more-fighting-games-are-back/|archive-date=June 15, 2012}}</ref> ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds|Marvel vs. Capcom 3]]'',<ref name="CVG-MVC3"/><ref name=Shacknews/> ''[[The King of Fighters XIII]]'',<ref name="2d-x_e3"/> ''[[Dead or Alive 5]]'',<ref name="2d-x_e3"/> ''[[Tekken Tag Tournament 2]]'',<ref name="2d-x_e3"/> ''[[Soulcalibur V]]'',<ref>{{cite web |last=Basile |first=Sal |title=SoulCalibur V Review |url=http://www.ugo.com/games/soulcalibur-v-review |publisher=[[UGO Networks]] |access-date=August 29, 2012 |date=January 31, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202211050/http://www.ugo.com/games/soulcalibur-v-review |archive-date=February 2, 2012 }}</ref> and ''[[Guilty Gear Xrd]]''. Though the critically acclaimed ''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]'' was released to very little acclaim in 2007,<ref name="gspot_vf5fs"/> its update ''Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown'' received much more attention due to renewed interest in the genre.<ref name="gspot_vf5fs"/><ref name="2d-x_e3"/>

Numerous [[Indie game|indie]] fighting games have also been crowdfunded on websites such as [[Kickstarter]] and [[Indiegogo]], the most notable success being the tag team fighting game ''[[Skullgirls]]'' in 2012. Later, in 2019, [[Ubisoft]] reported that the free-to-play platform fighting game ''[[Brawlhalla]]'' reached 20&nbsp;million players, with it climbing to 80 million by 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Brawlhalla celebrates 20 million players|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/109934/brawlhalla-celebrates-20-million-players|access-date=June 21, 2020|website=Shacknews|date=February 14, 2019 |language=en|archive-date=June 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624064058/https://www.shacknews.com/article/109934/brawlhalla-celebrates-20-million-players|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2018, ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' for the [[Nintendo Switch]] was released. It became the best-selling fighting game of all time, topping its [[Wii]] predecessor ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' and introduced nearly 90 characters through its default mode and through [[downloadable content]] or DLC,<ref>{{cite web |last=Mammit |first=Aaron |title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate earns title of best-selling fighting game in history |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/super-smash-bros-ultimate-best-selling-fighting-game/ |date=November 3, 2019 |access-date=November 4, 2019 |publisher=[[Digital Trends]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104010049/https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/super-smash-bros-ultimate-best-selling-fighting-game/ |archive-date=November 4, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> having sold 34.22&nbsp;million copies worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web|title=IR Information: Sales Data – Top Selling Title Sales Units|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html|date=March 31, 2024|website=[[Nintendo]]|access-date=August 6, 2021|archive-date=January 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130072006/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Later in the mid-2020s, the genre achieved another renaissance with the arrival of ''[[Street Fighter 6]]'' and its immediate success, together with ''[[Mortal Kombat 1]]'' and ''[[Tekken 8]]''. ''Street Fighter 6'' sold over 1 million copies within five days after its launch,<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Street Fighter 6 Sells Over 1 Million Units Worldwide! – New title appeals to broad range of players, from fighting game newcomers to core fans alike, while Street Fighter series cumulative sales pass 50 million units |url=https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/news/html/e230607.html |language=en-US |access-date=June 7, 2023 |website=[[Capcom]] |date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> and sold over 3 million copies by January 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=January 16, 2024 |title=Street Fighter 6 Punches Through 3 Million Copies Sold |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/street-fighter-6-punches-through-3-million-copies-sold |access-date=January 16, 2024 |website=[[IGN]] |language=en}}</ref> ''Mortal Kombat 1'' sold over 2 million copies in its first two months,<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 9, 2023 |title=Mortal Kombat 1 has sold nearly 3 million copies since the late 2023 launch |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/137751/mortal-kombat-1-3-million-copies |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=Shacknews |language=en}}</ref> and garnered over 3 million copies by January 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mortal Kombat 1 Has Sold 3 Million Units |url=https://gamingbolt.com/mortal-kombat-1-has-sold-3-million-units |access-date=January 30, 2024 |website=GamingBolt |language=en-US}}</ref> while the latest game ''Tekken 8'', which was released in January 2024 sold over 2 million copies in its first month alone.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ashley|first=Jordan|title=TEKKEN 8 SALES GO BEYOND 2 MILLION IN LATEST UPDATE
|url=https://www.esports.net/news/fighting-games/tekken-8-sales/|date=February 2024}}</ref> Thus, the 2020s have had a marked resurgence in fighting games that has been deemed a new golden age in fighting games.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Middler|first=Jordan|title= 2024 PREVIEW: HOW STRONG IS TEKKEN 8 IN A GOLDEN AGE OF FIGHTING GAMES?|url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/features/2024-preview-how-strong-is-tekken-8-in-a-golden-age-of-fighting-games/|date=December 31, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Taylor-Kent|first=Oscar|title=Tekken 8 review: "We're in the Golden Age for fighting games, and Tekken is the king"|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/tekken-8-review/|date=January 23, 2024}}</ref>

== Financial performance ==
=== Highest-grossing franchises ===
The following are the highest-grossing fighting game franchises, in terms of total gross revenue generated by [[arcade games]], [[console game]]s, and [[computer games]].

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center"
|-
! Rank !! Franchise !! Debut !! Creator(s) !! Owner !! Gross revenue !! Subgenre !! As of !! class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref|Reference(s)}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 1 
| ''[[Street Fighter]]'' 
| [[1987 in video games|1987]] 
| [[Takashi Nishiyama]]<br />Hiroshi Matsumoto 
| [[Capcom]] 
| $10.6 billion
| 2D (Traditional)
| [[2020 in video games|2020]] 
| <ref name="gamerevolution">{{cite news|title=World of Warcraft Leads Industry With Nearly $10 Billion In Revenue|url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/13510-world-of-warcraft-leads-industry-with-nearly-10-billion-in-revenue|work=[[Game Revolution]]|publisher=[[CraveOnline]]|date=January 26, 2017|access-date=March 16, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818101110/https://www.gamerevolution.com/features/13510-world-of-warcraft-leads-industry-with-nearly-10-billion-in-revenue|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 2 
| ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' 
| [[1992 in video games|1992]] 
| [[Ed Boon]] <br /> [[John Tobias]] 
| [[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] || ${{#expr:5+0.054}} billion <br /> (including other media)
| 2D (Traditional)
| [[2006 in video games|2006]]
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/threshold-digital-research-labs-greenlights-its-first-digitally-animated-feature-film-foodfight-73557002.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108095511/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/threshold-digital-research-labs-greenlights-its-first-digitally-animated-feature-film-foodfight-73557002.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 8, 2017|title=Threshold Digital Research Labs Greenlights Its First Digitally Animated Feature Film, 'Foodfight!'|agency=[[PR Newswire]]|publisher=[[Cision Inc.|Cision]]|date=June 13, 2000|access-date=January 8, 2017}}</ref><ref name="nextgen-console">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010055400/http://www.next-gen.biz/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3537&Itemid=34&pop=1&page=0 |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3537&Itemid=34&pop=1&page=0 |title=The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century |author1=Campbell, Colin |author2=Keiser, Joe |date=July 29, 2006 |work=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |archive-date=October 10, 2007 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 12, 2018 }}</ref>
|}

=== Best-selling franchises ===
==== Arcade ====
The following are the best-selling fighting [[arcade video game]] franchises that have sold at least 10,000 [[Arcade cabinet|arcade units]]. The prices of fighting game arcade units ranged from {{US$|1300|long=no|1992|round=-2}} for ''[[Street Fighter II Dash]]'' (''Champion Edition'') in 1992,<ref name="Curran-38">{{Cite book|title=Game plan: great designs that changed the face of computer gaming|author=Ste Curran|publisher=Rotovision|year=2004|isbn=2-88046-696-2|page=38|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TXcWlWkIZ0AC&pg=PA38|access-date=April 11, 2011|quote=When ''Street Fighter II''' (pronounced street fighter two dash) was released just a short time later, it sold around 140,000 units, at ¥160.000 (c. US $1300 / £820) each. The figures were beyond massive — they were simply unheard of. Capcom's ''Titanic'' wasn't sinking. Anything but. The game was a runaway success in its territory of choice, bringing Western gamers as much joy as it had in the East.|archive-date=April 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418053920/https://books.google.com/books?id=TXcWlWkIZ0AC&pg=PA38|url-status=live}}</ref> up to {{US$|{{To USD|14|GBR|year=1993|round=yes}},000|long=no|1993|round=-3}} for ''[[Virtua Fighter (video game)|Virtua Fighter]]'' (1993).<ref name="CVG147">{{cite magazine |title=Arcade Action: Virtua Fighters |magazine=[[Computer & Video Games]] |publisher=[[EMAP]] |issue=147 (February 1994) |date=January 15, 1994 |pages=100–1 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/4/4c/CVG_UK_147.pdf#page=100 |access-date=October 14, 2021 |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019004419/https://retrocdn.net/images/4/4c/CVG_UK_147.pdf#page=100 |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition to unit sales, arcade games typically earned the majority of their gross revenue from coin drop earnings.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Rank !! Franchise !! Debut !! Creator(s) !! Owner !! Arcade unit sales !! Subgenre !! As of !! class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref|Reference(s)}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 1 
| ''[[Street Fighter]]'' 
| [[1987 in video games|1987]] 
| [[Takashi Nishiyama]]<br />Hiroshi Matsumoto 
| [[Capcom]] 
| 500,000 
| 2D (Traditional)
| [[2002 in video games|2002]] 
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Call-it Entertainment, Inc. Partners with Capcom to Launch Street Fighter Wireless Game Series|url=http://www.wirelessdevnet.com/news/2002/137/news9.html|access-date=April 17, 2012|date=May 16, 2002|agency=[[Business Wire]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120918011202/http://www.wirelessdevnet.com/news/2002/137/news9.html|archive-date=September 18, 2012}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 2 
| ''[[Virtua Fighter]]'' 
| [[1993 in video games|1993]] 
| [[Yu Suzuki]] <br /> [[Seiichi Ishii]] 
| [[Sega]] 
| 110,000+ 
| 3D (Traditional)
| [[1997 in video games|1997]] 
| {{efn|''[[Virtua Fighter]]'' series arcade unit sales:
*''[[Virtua Fighter (video game)|Virtua Fighter]]'' {{ndash}} 40,000+ ({{as of|1996|lc=y}})<ref name="VF"/>
*''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' {{ndash}} 40,000+ ({{as of|1996|lc=y}})<ref name="GM515"/>
*''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'' {{ndash}} 30,000 ({{as of|1997|lc=y}})<ref name="GM557"/>
}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 3 
| ''[[Tekken]]'' 
| [[1994 in video games|1994]] 
| [[Seiichi Ishii]] <br /> [[Namco]]
| [[Bandai Namco Entertainment]] 
| 94,000+ 
| 3D (Traditional)
| [[2000 in video games|2000]] 
| {{efn|''[[Tekken]]'' series arcade unit sales:
*''[[Tekken 2]]'' {{ndash}} 40,000 ({{as of|1996|lc=y}})<ref name="GM534"/>
*''[[Tekken 3]]'' {{ndash}} 35,000 ({{as of|1997|lc=y}})<ref name="GM557"/>
*''[[Tekken Tag Tournament]]'' {{ndash}} 19,000  ({{as of|2000|lc=y}})<ref name="Tag">{{cite magazine|editor-last=Akagi|editor-first=Masumi|title="Tekken TT", "Samba DE Amiga" Top Videos|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/20010115p.pdf#page=10|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=626|date=January 15, 2001|page=18|access-date=October 30, 2021|archive-date=October 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030220531/https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/20010115p.pdf#page=10|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 4 
| ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' 
| [[1992 in video games|1992]] 
| [[Ed Boon]]<br />[[John Tobias]]
| [[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] 
| 51,000+ 
| 2D (Traditional)
| [[2002 in video games|2002]] 
| <ref name="nytimes2002"/>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 5 
| ''[[Darkstalkers]]'' 
| [[1994 in video games|1994]] 
| Junichi Ohno <br /> Alex Jimenez 
| [[Capcom]] 
| 24,000+ 
| 2D (Traditional)
| [[1996 in video games|1996]] 
| <ref name="okamoto_darkstalkers"/>
|}

==== Home ====
The following are the best-selling fighting game franchises for home systems, having sold at least 10 million software units for [[game consoles]] and [[personal computers]].

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center"
|-
! Rank !! Franchise !! Debut !! Creator(s) !! Owner(s) !! Software sales  !! Subgenre !! As of !! class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref|Reference(s)}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 1 
| ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' 
| [[1992 in video games|1992]] 
| [[Ed Boon]], [[John Tobias]] and [[Midway Games]]
| [[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] 
| 85 million 
| 2D
| January [[2025 in video games|2025]] 
|{{efn|''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' series sales:
* Up until 2023 – {{nowrap|80 million}}<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230518005472/en/Warner-Bros.-Games-Announces-Mortal-Kombat-1 | title=Warner Bros. Games Announces Mortal Kombat 1 | date=May 18, 2023| access-date=May 31, 2023}}</ref>
* ''[[Mortal Kombat 1]]'' - {{nowrap|5 million}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/mortal-kombat-1-sales-top-5-million-copies-as-netherrealm-keeps-trucking-forward- |first=Justin |last=Carter |title=Mortal Kombat 1 sales top 5 million copies as NetherRealm 'keeps trucking forward' |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |date=January 23, 2025 |access-date=February 2, 2025 }}</ref>}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 2 
| ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' 
| [[1999 in video games|1999]] 
| [[Masahiro Sakurai]] and [[HAL Laboratory]] 
| [[Nintendo]] 
| 77.21 million 
| 2D
| March [[2025 in video games|2025]] 
| {{efn|''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' series sales:
* ''[[Super Smash Bros. (video game)|Super Smash Bros.]]'': 5.55 million worldwide<ref name="supersmash">{{cite news |url=https://www.destructoid.com/more-like-mario-kart-8-million-here-are-the-wii-u-and-3ds-best-sellers-395819.phtml |title=More like Mario Kart 8 million: Here are the Wii U and 3DS best-sellers |last=Hansen |first=Steven |work=[[Destructoid]] |publisher=ModernMethod |date=October 26, 2016 |access-date=April 24, 2017 |archive-date=April 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425031222/https://www.destructoid.com/more-like-mario-kart-8-million-here-are-the-wii-u-and-3ds-best-sellers-395819.phtml |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'': 7.09 million<ref name="ssb2">{{cite web|date=March 10, 2008|url=https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/1u0FthaPxTSSeJelWm4Jt8TI0VJlTt5j|title=At Long Last, Nintendo Proclaims: Let the Brawls Begin on Wii!|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|access-date=February 15, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513182616/http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/1u0FthaPxTSSeJelWm4Jt8TI0VJlTt5j|archive-date=May 13, 2008}}</ref>
* ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'': 13.32 million<ref name="nintendotop_wii"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/wii.html|title=IR Information : Financial Data - Top Selling Title Sales Units - Wii Software|website=Nintendo Co., Ltd.|access-date=October 23, 2021|archive-date=February 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221112520/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/wii.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U]]'': 15.02{{nbsp}}million combined (9.64{{nbsp}}million for 3DS,<ref name="Nintendo"/> 5.38{{nbsp}}million for Wii U)<ref name="wii_u"/>
* ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'': 36.24{{nbsp}}million<ref name="nintendo-software">{{cite web |title=Sales Data - Top Selling Title Sales Units |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html |website=IR Information |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |access-date=May 16, 2019 |archive-date=January 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130072006/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|group=n|name=SmashBros}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 3 
| ''[[Tekken]]'' 
| [[1994 in video games|1994]] 
| [[Seiichi Ishii]] and [[Namco]]
| [[Bandai Namco Entertainment]] 
| {{nowrap|58 million}}
| 3D
| February [[2025 in video games|2025]]
|{{efn|''[[Tekken]]'' series sales:
*Up until 2023 - {{nowrap|55 million}}<ref name="namco2023sales">{{cite web |title=Fact Book 2023 |date=2023 |publisher=[[Bandai Namco Group]] |page=3 |url=https://www.bandainamco.co.jp/files/ir/integrated/pdf/2023EN_fact.pdf |access-date=November 5, 2023}}</ref>
* ''[[Tekken 8]]'' - {{nowrap|3 million}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gamingbolt.com/tekken-8-has-sold-2-million-units|first=Shubhankar|last=Parijat|title=Tekken 8 Has Sold 2 Million Units|website=GamingBolt|date=February 15, 2024|access-date=February 15, 2024}}</ref>}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 4 
| ''[[Street Fighter]]'' 
| [[1987 in video games|1987]] 
| [[Takashi Nishiyama]] and Hiroshi Matsumoto 
| [[Capcom]] 
| 56 million 
| 2D
| December [[2024 in video games|2024]] 
| <ref name=capcomsales>{{cite web|url=https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/finance/salesdata.html |title=CAPCOM {{!}} Game Series Sales |access-date=May 19, 2025 |archive-date=May 8, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250508012738/https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/business/salesdata.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 5 
| ''[[Naruto: Ultimate Ninja]]'' 
| [[2003 in video games|2003]] 
| [[Masashi Kishimoto]] ([[Naruto|manga]]) and [[CyberConnect2]] (games) 
| [[Bandai Namco Entertainment]] 
| 32.52 million 
| Arena
| March [[2023 in video games|2023]]
| <ref name=namco2023sales />
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 6 
| ''[[Soulcalibur]]'' 
| [[1995 in video games|1995]] 
| Hiroaki Yotoriyama and [[Namco]] 
| [[Bandai Namco Entertainment]] 
| 17 million 
| 3D
| July [[2021 in video games|2021]]
| {{efn|''[[Soulcalibur]]'' series sales:
*Up until 2018 - {{nowrap|15 million}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/201809/13164002.html |title="Tgs2018"バンダイナムコエンターテインメントブースの見どころを一挙公開、『God Eater 3』や『ソウルキャリバー Vi』など今後発売予定のタイトルが多数試遊出展 |language=ja-JA |date=September 13, 2018 |access-date=May 19, 2025}}</ref>
* ''[[Soulcalibur VI]]'' - {{nowrap|2 million}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/07/soulcalibur-vi-sales-top-two-million|title=Soulcalibur VI sales top two million|last=Romano|first=Sal|date=July 21, 2021|website=Gematsu|language=en-US|access-date=July 21, 2021|archive-date=October 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011042132/https://www.gematsu.com/2021/07/soulcalibur-vi-sales-top-two-million|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 7 
| ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom]]'' 
| [[1996 in video games|1996]] 
| [[Akira Yasuda]], Ryota Niitsuma, [[Noritaka Funamizu]] and Tsuyoshi Nagayama 
| [[Capcom]] and [[Marvel Games]]
| 12 million 
| 2D 
| December [[2024 in video games|2024]] 
| <ref name="capcomsales"/>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 8
| ''[[Dead or Alive (franchise)|Dead or Alive]]'' 
| [[1996 in video games|1996]] 
| [[Tomonobu Itagaki]] and [[Team Ninja]]
| [[Koei Tecmo]]
| 10.05 million
| 3D 
| April [[2019 in video games|2019]] 
| {{efn|''[[Dead or Alive (franchise)|Dead or Alive]]'' series sales:
* Up until 2016 – {{nowrap|9.7 million}}<ref>[http://www.nikkansports.com/amusement/pachinko/news/1677795.html?mode=all SLOTデッド オア アライブ5　発表 - パチンコニュース : ニッカンアミューズメント] [[Nikkan Sports]], 7-13-2016.</ref>
* ''[[Dead or Alive 6]]'' - {{nowrap|350,000}}<ref name=gematsu>{{cite web |last=Romano |first=Sal |title=Dead or Alive 6 shipments top 350,000 |url=https://gematsu.com/2019/04/dead-or-alive-6-shipments-top-350000 |website=Gematsu |date=26 April 2019 |access-date=16 May 2019}}</ref>}}
|}

=== Best-selling fighting games ===
==== Arcade ====
The following games are the top ten best-selling fighting [[arcade video game]]s, in terms of [[Arcade cabinet|arcade units]] sold. The prices of fighting game arcade units ranged from {{US$|1300|long=no|1992|round=-2}} for ''[[Street Fighter II Dash]]'' (''Champion Edition'') in 1992,<ref name="Curran-38"/> up to {{US$|{{To USD|14|GBR|year=1993|round=yes}},000|long=no|1993|round=-3}} for ''[[Virtua Fighter (video game)|Virtua Fighter]]'' (1993).<ref name="CVG147"/> In addition to unit sales, arcade games typically earned the majority of their gross revenue from coin drop earnings, which are unknown for most games. Arcade revenue figures, from unit sales and coin drop earnings, are listed if known.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Rank
! Title
! Release
! Developer
! Manufacturer
! Arcade unit sales 
! Gross revenue
! Inflation
! Subgenre
! class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref|Reference(s)}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 1 
| ''[[Street Fighter II]]'' 
| [[1991 in video games|1991]] 
| [[Capcom]]
| [[Capcom]] 
| 221,000+ 
| {{US$|5.31 billion|long=no}}+ 
| {{US$|{{inflation|US|5.31|1991|r=1}} billion|long=no}} 
|2D (Traditional)
| {{efn|See ''{{Section link|Street Fighter II|Reception}}''}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 2
| ''[[Virtua Fighter (video game)|Virtua Fighter]]'' 
| [[1993 in video games|1993]] 
| [[Sega AM2]]|| [[Sega]] 
| 40,000+ || {{Unknown}} 
| {{Unknown}} 
|3D (Traditional)
| <ref name="VF">{{cite news 
| title=Virtua Fighter Kids: New Sega Saturn game is way "a-head" of its time |url=https://segaretro.org/Press_release:_1996-09-03:_Virtua_Fighter_Kids:_New_Sega_Saturn_game_is_way_%22a-head%22_of_its_time |access-date=October 11, 2021 |publisher=[[Sega of America]] |date=September 3, 1996}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]'' || [[1994 in video games|1994]] 
|[[Sega AM2]]|| [[Sega]] || 40,000+ || {{Unknown}} || {{Unknown}} 
|3D (Traditional)|| <ref name="GM515">{{cite magazine|title=Sega Promotes 64-Bit CG Board "Model 3"|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=515|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=April 1, 1996|page=26|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19960401p.pdf#page=14|access-date=October 19, 2021|archive-date=March 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200309060115/https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19960401p.pdf#page=14|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 4 
| ''[[Tekken 2]]'' 
| [[1996 in video games|1996]] 
|[[Namco]]
| [[Namco]] 
| 40,000 
| {{Unknown}} 
| {{Unknown}} 
|3D (Traditional)
| <ref name="GM534">{{cite magazine|editor-last=Akagi|editor-first=Masumi|title="Tekken 2", "Virtua Cop 2" Top Videos '96|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=534|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=February 1, 1997|page=26|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19970201p.pdf#page=14|access-date=October 14, 2021|archive-date=February 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208221358/https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19970201p.pdf#page=14|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 5 
| ''[[Tekken 3]]'' 
| [[1997 in video games|1997]] 
| [[Namco]]
| [[Namco]] 
| 35,000 
| {{Unknown}} 
| {{Unknown}} 
|3D (Traditional)
| <ref name="GM557">{{cite magazine|editor-last=Akagi|editor-first=Masumi|title="Tekken 3", "Virtua Fighter 3" Top Videos|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=557|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=February 1, 1998|page=22|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19980201p.pdf#page=12|access-date=October 17, 2021|archive-date=June 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627015115/https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19980201p.pdf#page=12|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 6 
| ''[[Karate Champ]]'' 
| [[1984 in video games|1984]] 
| [[Technōs Japan]] 
| [[Data East]] 
| 30,000+ 
| {{Unknown}} 
| {{Unknown}} 
|2D (Traditional)
| <ref name="GM259">{{cite magazine|title=Overseas Readers Column|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=259|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=May 1, 1985|page=22|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850501p.pdf#page=12|access-date=October 14, 2021|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225100048/https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850501p.pdf#page=12|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 7 
| ''[[Virtua Fighter 3]]'' 
| [[1996 in video games|1996]] 
| [[Sega AM2]] 
| [[Sega]] 
| 30,000 
| {{Unknown}} 
| {{Unknown}} 
|3D (Traditional)
| <ref name="GM557"/>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 8
| ''[[Street Fighter (video game)|Street Fighter]]'' 
| [[1987 in video games|1987]] 
| [[Capcom]] 
| [[Capcom]] 
| 10,000–50,000 
| {{Unknown}} 
| {{Unknown}} 
|2D (Traditional)
| <ref name="polygon"/>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 9 
| ''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' 
| [[1993 in video games|1993]] 
| [[Midway Games]] 
| [[Midway Games]] 
| 27,000 
| {{US$|600 million|long=no}} 
| {{US$|{{inflation|US|0.6|1993|r=2}} billion|long=no}} 
|2D (Traditional)
| <ref name="nytimes2002">{{cite news|last=Horwitz|first=Jeremy|title=Technology: Mortal Apathy?|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/08/technology/08MIDW.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 8, 2002|access-date=October 14, 2021|archive-date=October 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003002950/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/08/business/technology-mortal-apathy.html?pagewanted=2|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="usgamer"/>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 10
| ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'' 
| [[1992 in video games|1992]] 
| [[Midway Games]] 
| [[Midway Games]] 
| 24,000 
| {{US$|570 million|long=no}} 
| {{US$|{{inflation|US|0.57|1992|r=2}} billion|long=no}} 
|2D (Traditional)
| <ref name="nytimes2002"/>
|-
| ''[[Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors]]'' 
| [[1994 in video games|1994]] 
| [[Capcom]] 
| [[Capcom]] 
| 24,000 
| {{Unknown}} 
| {{Unknown}} 
|2D (Traditional)
| <ref name="okamoto_darkstalkers">{{cite AV media |last=Okamoto |first=Yoshiki |author1-link=Yoshiki Okamoto |title=[How Darkstalkers Was Born!] Katsuya Akitomo, the Man Who Influenced Character Designs in "CAPCOM" |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-jiOuxVUog  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/l-jiOuxVUog| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|website=[[YouTube]] |time=6 minutes |access-date=July 21, 2021 |date=January 23, 2021}}{{cbignore}}.</ref>
|}

==== Home ====
The following games are the top ten best-selling fighting games for home systems, in terms of software units sold for [[game consoles]] and [[personal computers]].

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center"
|-
! Rank !! Title !! Release !! Developer !! Publisher 
!Platform(s)!! Software sales 
!Subgenre!! class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref|Reference(s)}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 1 
| ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' 
| [[2018 in video games|2018]] 
| [[Bandai Namco]] & [[Sora Ltd.|Sora]] 
| [[Nintendo]] 
| [[Nintendo Switch|Switch]] 
| 36.24 million 
|2D
| <ref name="nintendoswitch">{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html |title=Sales Data - Top Selling Title Sales Units |website=[[Nintendo]] |date=March 2024 |access-date=May 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170617105805/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html |archive-date=June 17, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 2 
| ''[[Street Fighter II]]'' 
| [[1992 in video games|1992]] 
| [[Capcom]] 
| [[Capcom]]
| [[Multi-platform]] 
| 15.5 million  
|2D
| <ref name="IGN">{{cite news |last1=Bankhurst |first1=Adam |title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Is The Best-Selling Fighting Game Ever |url=https://ign.com/articles/2019/11/04/super-smash-bros-ultimate-is-the-best-selling-fighting-game-ever |access-date=March 29, 2020 |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=November 4, 2019 |archive-date=January 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105120343/https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/11/04/super-smash-bros-ultimate-is-the-best-selling-fighting-game-ever |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 3 
| ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' 
| [[2014 in video games|2014]] 
| [[Bandai Namco]] & [[Sora Ltd.|Sora]] 
| [[Nintendo]] 
| [[3DS]] & [[Wii U]] 
| 15.02 million 
|2D
| <ref name="Nintendo">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/3ds.html |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |date=December 31, 2018 |access-date=January 31, 2019 |title=IR Information : Financial Data - Top Selling Title Sales Units - Nintendo 3DS Software |archive-date=May 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529081142/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/3ds.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="wii_u">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/wiiu.html|title=IR Information : Sales Data - Top Selling Software Sales Units - Wii U Software|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|access-date=May 16, 2019|archive-date=February 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215145209/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/wiiu.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 4 
| ''[[Mortal Kombat 11]]'' 
| [[2019 in video games|2019]] 
| [[NetherRealm]] 
| [[Warner Bros.]]
| [[Multi-platform]] 
| 15 million 
|2D
| <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gamespress.com/Warner-Bros-Games-and-NetherRealm-Studios-Celebrate-the-30-th-Annivers | title="Warner Bros. Games and NetherRealm Studios Celebrate the 30 th Anniversary of Mortal Kombat; New Video Honors Three Decades of Entertainment from the Iconic Franchise" - Games Press }}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| 5 
| ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''
| [[2008 in video games|2008]] 
| [[Sora Ltd.|Sora]] 
| [[Nintendo]] 
| [[Wii]] 
| 13.32 million 
|2D
| <ref name="nintendotop_wii">{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/wii.html|title=Nintendo Top Selling Software Sales Units: Wii|date=March 31, 2012|access-date=May 12, 2016|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|archive-date=November 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118111108/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/wii.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/wii.html|title=IR Information : Sales Data - Top Selling Software Sales Units - Wii Software|access-date=October 15, 2021|archive-date=October 9, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009225646/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/wii.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="1"|6
| ''[[Tekken 7]]''
| [[2017 in video games|2017]]
| [[Bandai Namco]]
| [[Bandai Namco]]
|rowspan=6| [[Multi-platform]]
|rowspan="1" |12 million
| 3D
| <ref name="Gematsu">{{cite web |date=December 11, 2022 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/12/tekken-7-sales-top-10-million-tekken-series-sales-top-54-million |title=Tekken 7 sales top 10 million, Tekken series sales top 54 million |publisher=Gematsu |language=en |access-date=December 12, 2022 |archive-date=December 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221211221622/https://www.gematsu.com/2022/12/tekken-7-sales-top-10-million-tekken-series-sales-top-54-million |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://en.bandainamcoent.eu/tekken/news/tekken-8-sells-over-2-million-copies-worldwide-the-first-month-after-launch | title=TEKKEN 8 sells over 2 million copies worldwide in the first month after launch | date=January 26, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=December 11, 2022 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/12/tekken-7-sales-top-10-million-tekken-series-sales-top-54-million |title=Tekken 7 sales top 10 million, Tekken series sales top 54 million |publisher=Gematsu |language=en |access-date=December 12, 2022 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 7 
| ''[[Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4]]''
| [[2016 in video games|2016]]
| [[CyberConnect2]]
| [[Bandai Namco]]
| 11.9 million
|Arena
| <ref>{{Cite web |date=December 6, 2022 |title=《第1回》サイバーコネクトツー【2024年卒向け会社説明会】基本編 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9DYbWOH1Fs&t=258s&ab_channel=CyberConnect2OFFICIALCHANNEL |access-date=April 27, 2023 |website=Youtube |at=At 258 seconds, or at 4:18. |language=ja}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 8 
| ''[[Mortal Kombat X]]''
| [[2015 in video games|2015]]
| [[NetherRealm]]
| [[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment|Warner Bros.]]
| 11 million 
|2D
| <ref>[https://www.videogamer.com/news/mortal-kombat-x-has-sold-nearly-11-million-copies MKX with nearly 11 million copies sold worldwide, series creator Ed Boon revealed during a Q&A with Game Informer.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029204625/https://www.videogamer.com/news/mortal-kombat-x-has-sold-nearly-11-million-copies/ |date=October 29, 2021 }}, [[Game Informer]], VideoGamer (April 4, 2019) MKX: nearly 11M</ref>
|-
!rowspan="8"|9
| ''[[Dragon Ball FighterZ]]'' 
| [[2018 in video games|2018]] 
| [[Arc System Works]] 
| [[Bandai Namco]] 
|rowspan="8" |10 million
|2D
| <ref name=dragonball>{{Cite web |date=May 10, 2023 |title=Dragon Ball FighterZ and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 shipments and digital sales top 10 million each |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2023/05/dragon-ball-fighterz-and-dragon-ball-xenoverse-2-shipments-and-digital-sales-top-10-million-each |access-date=May 13, 2023 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2]]'' 
| [[2016 in video games|2016]] 
| [[Dimps]] 
| [[Bandai Namco]] 
|Arena
| <ref name=dragonball/>
|-
| ''[[Street Fighter IV]]'' 
| [[1992 in video games|2009]] 
| [[Capcom]] 
| [[Capcom]] 
|2D 
| <ref name="Capcom">{{cite web |date=December 31, 2024 |title=Platinum Titles |url=http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/finance/million.html |access-date=February 21, 2025 |website=[[Capcom]]}}</ref>
|
|}

== See also ==
{{Wiktionary|Appendix:Glossary of fighting games}}
* [[Fighting game community]]
* [[List of fighting games]]
* [[M.U.G.E.N.]]
* [[Platform fighter]]
{{clear}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Video game genre}}
{{Martial arts}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fighting Game}}
[[Category:Fighting games| ]]
[[Category:Video game genres]]