The 22 Best Fighting Games on Xbox One

Ever since this new take on the fast and furious faster arrived during the original Xbox One launch in 2013, Killer Instinct has morphed into one of the most feature-rich games on the market today. The gameplay is equally fun to play and watch thanks to the flashy combos, "Combo Breakers," and "Ultra Combos" that bring all the hype. Alongside the game's OG roster members, there are some surprising special guests hailing from Halo, Gears of War, and even Battletoads. In its current form, Killer Instinct is a must-have if you take your fighting game seriously and own an Xbox One.

The 3v3 fighting game that looks as beautiful as it plays is undoubtedly Arc System Works' Dragon Ball FighterZ. Every corner of the Dragon Ball universe is represented here through a massive character roster - you'll get a ton of mileage out of mixing and matching your favorite superpowered warriors and even putting together a team of nothing but Goku's. The bombastic action on display here is super hype and will keep you enthralled for years to come. With a ton of DLC characters on deck in its current form, you'll definitely have an easy time finding the superpowered warriors you need to pull off awesome Dramatic Finishes.

Bandai Namco's marquee 3D fighter still reigns as "The King of the Iron Fist." Tekken 7 pushes the franchise forward with Rage Art & Rage Drive attacks, slow-motion events that play out during a match's climactic final moments, and a slew of new characters & guests that offer varied fighting styles. If you're in the mood for some super hype and perfectly paced 3D skirmishes, then Tekken 7 is one of the most viable options to spend some time with. Your mind will be blown as you see that The Walking Dead's Negan can throw hands with Final Fantasy XV's Noctis in this one.

Tekken 7 lets you dish out KOs via your hands and feet, while Soulcalibur VI gives you the ability to end your opponent with your weapon of choice. This quality entry in the Soulcalibur series is a welcome return to form that features the same enjoyable combat system that debuted all the way back in 1995. The new Reversal Edge system gives players a new option to counter with and swing the tide of battle back in their favor. If you're really big on creating custom battlers, then Soulcalibur VI will certainly keep you occupied. The best weapons fighter on the market is right here.

The famous end-of-round callout of "FINISH HIM/HER!" is synonymous with the Mortal Kombat series. Mortal Kombat XL features an even darker take on the incredibly gory fighter and features an even faster pace when compared to previous series entries. Pulling off double-digit combos at insane speeds is one of the reasons why MK fans still play this game religiously. If you prefer your MK clashes to move at a frenetic pace, then this final edition of MK XL should keep you satiated. It's gonna be so hard to put this game down once you and the honor run some Predator vs. Xenomorph sets back and forth. MK XL is one of the fastest, bloodiest, and goriest fighting games on Xbox One.

Mortal Kombat 11 is incredible on its own, but this new and improved version goes the extra mile by offering all the DLC characters and mechanical adjustments needed to make it feel truly complete. The Ultimate edition of the latest entry in the MK franchise looks and feels like a super improved version of Mortal Kombat 2. You'll definitely get your money's worth thanks to the crazy amount of single-player and multiplayer content on offer here. Plus you're going to want to hop into some fights between The Terminator, Rambo, and RoboCop. All those wild Fatalities, Brutalities, and Friendships look their very best here.

Injustice: Gods Among Us started this franchise off on a very high note. Then Injustice 2 catapulted the all-DC fighting game to new heights. If you want to take a chance on it now, then you're better off getting the Legendary Edition that comes with all the DLC. Besides all the iconic DC heroes and villains at your disposal, Injustice 2 also features guests in the form of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hellboy, Raiden, and Sub-Zero. The battles that play out in this NetherRealm Studios fighter are beyond epic, to say the least. Comic book fanatics will be in pure heaven here with this pick.

"IT'S MAHVEL BAYBEE!" Once that phrase is uttered, FGC diehards already know what's on the agenda. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 keeps the crossover fighting game hype going between the worlds of Marvel and Capcom. The 3v3 wars that erupt in this fighter are a sight for the eyes and hell entertaining when you try them out for yourself. Prepare yourself for some wild struggles between the likes of Spider-Man, Strider Hiryu, Super-Skrull, and even Phoenix Wright. Watching your life get torn to shreds by an expert Vergil player is upsetting. But making an epic comeback with X-Factor is equally satisfying.

The anime fighter that you hear tons of jokes about when it comes to its main locations at FGC tournaments came back in a major way in 2021. Melty Blood: Type Lumina offers an impressive uptick in visuals and all the classic roster members that made the game such a cult hit in the first place. The auto-combo system (Rapid Beat) and Moon systems (Moon Skills and Moon Drive) are easy to wrap your head around. But once you start mixing all those skills in with your favorite characters, Melty Blood: Type Lumina's complexities will grab you and quickly convince you of its greatness. The free DLC characters are the icing on the cake for this amazing anime brawler.

Dead or Alive 6 is decent enough, but it just doesn't measure up to its far superior predecessor. The final update Dead or Alive 5 is the one you should seek out as it features a complete roster that features the debut of Honoka and also brings in Phase-4, Nyotengu, Raidou, and Marie Rose. And with the presence of guest fighters from the Virtua Fighter, Fatal Fury, and Samurai Warriors series, Dead or Alive 5: Last Round feels like a true celebration of fighting games. You'll have all the fun in the world as you knock your opponents off the side of buildings and discover new tag team grapple combinations with all your favorite characters. Dead or Alive 5: Last Round is undoubtedly one of the best fighting games on Xbox One.

The Ultimate Ninja Storm games from development studio CyberConnect 2 reached their climax by telling the story behind the early origins of Naruto's son Boruto. And from a single-player standpoint, that substantial piece of add-on content offers an enjoyable journey that throws you headfirst into the rising ninja's initial struggle. Besides all the adventuring you'll be doing on your own, you'll be able to enjoy some team-based ninjutsu clashes with a ton of your favorite Naruto Shippuden heroes and villains. There's a ton of fun to be had with this game's deceptively deep battles that always look beautiful in motion. This anime arena brawler is most definitely one of the finest fighting games on Xbox One.

The BlazBlue games stayed on PS3 and PS4 for a good while. Eventually, it floated over to the Xbox One with an updated version that offered all the incredible anime fighter action fans can't get enough of. BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend marks the sixth installment of the series - it offers character balances, the "Overdrive" battle mechanic, and four additional roster additions. Thanks to all the fun we've had learning the ins and outs of Bullet and Azrael's fun toolsets, we have to award this BlazBlue series entry as one of the hypest fighting games on Xbox One.

The 2019 revival of Samurai Shodown marked another high point for the weapons-based fighting game that blew up in the 90s. SNK went all out to respect the franchise's ongoing tradition of slower-paced, methodical clashes with this brand new series installment. But SNK also made sure to throw in some fresh ideas via new characters with varied playstyles, a "Rage Explosion" mechanic that acts as a last-ditch save, and the all-powerful "Lightning Blade" attack that finishes your foes in style. And of course, each character can pull off some hard-hitting super moves that feel so satisfying to land.

The first Nidhogg got a lot of love due to its minimalist art style and simple yet deceptively deep gameplay style. The sequel offers a brighter and flashier visual template but makes sure to retain the amusing back & forth madness that erupts during each fight. The basic premise of this fighter is as follows - two toons go back and forth using all types of weapons to block the other from reaching the end of their stage goal. Keeping your rival from doing so means you'll be doing a whole lot of weapons throwing, sliding, and leaping. And, simply put, Nidhogg 2's fast and furious activity never gets old.

Blue Mammoth Games' free-to-play platform fighter provides the Super Smash Bros. vibes you've come to expect. This clever take on the popular sub-genre of fighting games features 2D stylized art, bite-sized warriors, and some fast & furious gameplay. On top of Brawlhalla's huge base roster is a nice offering of guest character skins from the WWE, Adventure Time, Kung Fu Panda, etc. If you want a more casual fighting game experience that emphasizes fun over hardcore play, then Brawlhalla should keep you entertained.

Gang Beasts is not only just one of the best fighting games on Xbox One, it's also one of the most hilarious party games that'll always have you and your people rolling all night. Make sure you get the homies together in a room so you can all bask in the hilarity that ensues when everyone tries sending their foes off the side of every stage. The gelatinous, floppy avatars you'll use in this party fighter are another part of the reason why you'll laugh uncontrollably during every play session.

Street Fighter has long been recognized as the reigning king of the entire fighting game genre. The series' 30th Anniversary Collection brings together all of the mainline 2D installments as a playable history lesson of Capcom's most popular IP. You can play through the arcade mode ladders of every game within this compilation, of course. But you can also hop into some online sets via Turbo: Hyper Fighting, Super Turbo, Alpha 3, and 3rd Strike. The gallery of concept art, character animations, and more are also worth getting this fighting game compilation for, too.

Right now, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is one of the most content-rich fighting games you can have unlimited fun with. Now, this 3v3 fighter features voice acting, a fully realized story mode filled with comic book panel sequences, and a roster packed with characters from several eras of the Power Rangers legacy. For all the Marvel vs. Capcom fans out there, this team-based fighter hits all the right notes that the series does. Plus this game has Megazord and giant monster assists! How can you say no to this "Mighty Morphin" brawler?

After you've spent some time hacking and slashing everyone to death in the 2019 edition of Samurai Shodown, you'll probably want to revisit all the incredible series entries that came before it. Thankfully you can do just that by checking out the Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection. All the mainline games and their upgrades are here, including a version upgrade that was once lost to time (Samurai Shodown V Special). Each of those mainline entries features online play, which is definitely a dream come true for Sam Sho fans everywhere.

The official video game representation for the largest MMA league on the planet comes from EA Sports. And after three decent to good iterations, this entry stands tall as the undisputed champion. EA Sports UFC 4 is the most recent installment in the series and it makes sure to iron out all the kinks from its predecessors. The striking game is at its finest, the grappling & submission work is much easier to understand, and the Backyard & Kumite side modes offer more traditional takes on fighting game mechanics.

Capcom's vault full of classic 2D fighting games is godlike. So much so that the FGC has been furiously requesting a modern way to play them on consoles with rollback netcode. Thankfully, Capcom heard those pleas and made sure to fulfill them in the most efficient way possible with the Capcom Fighting Collection. This throwback compilation features the following classics - Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors, Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge, Vampire Savior: The Lord of Vampire, Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers’ Revenge, Vampire Savior 2: The Lord of Vampire, Red Earth, Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix, and Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness.

The Super Smash Bros. platform fighter formula has been copied a bunch of times. But MultiVersus has come out and shockingly mastered it better than everything else. What makes this game stand out from Nintendo's smash-hit multiplayer fighter is MultiVersus' emphasis on 2v2 battles. Free-for-all and 1v1 clashes are also present here, so you have plenty of ways to do battle. With a roster that includes Bugs Bunny, Batman, and even Lebron James from Space Jam, this free-to-play fighter is definitely worth a shot. This party brawler stands tall as one of the best fighting games on Xbox One.