Top 5 Fighting Games as of 2019 By Score On PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch

Ah, the beauty of fighting games. If you thought the classic beat-em-up genre is dead, you’re dead wrong. In fact, it’s still one of the strongest gaming communities ever. Take a look at the yearly FGC and EVO for example.

These games are truly enjoyable whether you’re fighting against a challenging AI opponent, playing 1v1 with a buddy next to you in local two-player mode or getting competent online (in which you’ll need a decently fast internet so the net code doesn’t screw you over and discontinue your match).

And with the hype for new fighting games this year especially Mortal Kombat 11 and Samurai Showdown - which will both show up on EVO 2019 (although we did wish Dead or Alive 6 was included), we thought this would be a great time to showcase the top 5 fighting games based on Metacritic scores.

Take note that these games are based on their presence in major esports tournaments and a number of active players in 2019. Games such as Mortal Kombat X and Killer Instinct, which are still both excellent, won’t be in the list.

Oh and if you’re looking to play them on PC (except for Smash Bros) and need a powerful one to play them smoothly since they use a lot of GPU, you might want to consider the best gaming PCs in 2019.

Right, now onto the top 5!

5. Tekken 7 - The most perfect hitboxes in fighting game history (Metascore: 82)

Tekken 7 was released in 2017 but has been gaining constant updates through season passes that include new and returning characters, guest characters (Negan from TWD anyone?) and game changes like the recent wall bounce. It drives both audiences and players into the game thanks to its insane combos, gorgeous graphics and most balanced 3D fighting mechanics ever.

Oh and yes, the hitboxes are de-li-cious.

4. SoulCalibur VI - The return of weapon clashes (Metascore: 84)

After the disappointing SoulCalibur V, SCVI brought back what made SoulCalibur so loved; the return of iconic characters and the engrossing customization. Of course, the epic music scoring, grand-scale visuals and excellent fighting mechanics (armor “destruction” included) bring so much life here. It has the same blessing of Harada-san (the guy behind Tekken) so expect but superb content and combat. And then there’s Geralt of Rivia…

3. Dragon Ball FighterZ - A love letter to both fans of the anime and the fighting game genre (Metascore: 87)

When Capcom released Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite, many were dismayed for its lackluster roster (no X-Men, no real Marvel game), questionable graphics and bothersome character designs such as Spiderman without a neck and Chun-Li’s face in general.

Thankfully, Dragon Ball FighterZ came into existence and has become the staple cross-tag battle game ever since. With visuals and sounds that are loyal to the anime, same great voice actors, very well-made characters both old and new, constant updates, and a fighting system that is both welcoming to new players and hardcore fighters, Dragon Ball FighterZ is a great testament as to what makes fighting games so great.

2. Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition - The OG competitive fighting game still remains as one of the best (Metascore: 88)

Street Fighter has come a long way since people started wasting tokens in arcades to have a shot at Street Fighter II. Street Fighter V had a very rocky start in 2015 because of the lack of content and balancing issues, all under a big price tag. But ever since then, the dev team listened to its fans and ushered in what could be the GOAT of the series: Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition. Containing brand-new game modes, including the much-demanded single player story mode, a much-improved V System, a better net code and constant addition of characters, SF made a comeback, showing everyone that they’re still the best in the 1v1 fighting game scene.

1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - EVERYONE IS HERE! (Metascore: 93)

It would be a mortal sin not to include SSB here, especially with the latest one - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Beyond the Smash memes that kept showing everyone is literally in the game, the roster does have the most number of characters included in a fighting game. That includes everyone from the first Smash game up to various special guest characters including Ryu and Ken from Street Fighter, Joker from Persona 5 and Megaman from, you guessed it, Megaman.

Including a great stream of game modes, levels and well-balanced brawl mechanics (as in everyone is OP) at launch, it’s easy to say that SSBU truly is the fighting game of fighting games since it is appealing to both noobs and highly-competitive players.

Well, there you have it. The top 5 fighting games of 2019. So, what’s your favorite fighting game of all time? Let us know in the comments below!