It's the most heralded, most duplicated, and most monumental fighting game to have ever graced humankind. Its iconic cast of "World Warriors" is plastered all over t-shirts, its music has turned into unforgettable memes, and its presence has led to the creation and rise of the almighty FGC (Fighting Game Community). The game we're showering all these accolades upon is Street Fighter II. And in the years since its 1991 release, Capcom's prodigious fighting game franchise has grown to include noted improvements that have pushed itself and the fighting game genre as a whole forward. It's easy to get excited about Street Fighter 6 and be on the lookout for other fighters that can scratch that 1v1 itch before its full release. We're in a generous mood, which is why we're going to push you in the right direction of the 12 best games like Street Fighter.
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The 15 Best Games Like 'Street Fighter'
Games Like 'Street Fighter'
1. ‘Garou: Mark of the Wolves’
The Street Fighter III sub-series introduced longtime followers to a "New Generation" of martial artists who rose to fame alongside legacy characters such as Ryu and Chun-Li. Garou: Mark of the Wolves embraced that very same theme of newness for the Fatal Fury franchise and is held up by many as one of the best fighting games ever made. Garou's "Just Defend" parrying-like system, likable cast of brawlers, catchy OST, and clever "Tactical Offense Position" (T.O.P.) mechanic showcases this game's depth and makes it a first-ballot pick for FGC members searching for games like Street Fighter.
2. ‘The King of Fighters XV’
SNK's The King of Fighters franchise has been a mainstay of the fighting game genre since 1994. Now in its 15th mainline iteration, you'll be treated to the best entry in the series to date. The King of Fighters XV brings back a ton of SNK fighting and non-fighting game mainstays, plus there are some cool debuting characters to take note of. What's here's a 3v3, team elimination contest where you'll need to become familiar with three combatants that'll get you through the long haul. Once you get accustomed to some of the tougher directional inputs for the bigger super moves and master the "MAX Mode" system, you'll fall in love with this one.
3. ‘Darkstalkers 3’
Ryu and Chun-Li are the front-facing icons that have been a part of every major Street Fighter game. As for Darkstalkers, Morrigan and Demitri stand out as the series' signature fighters. Back in the day, Capcom deviated from that IP to try something a bit different and delve into the realm of horror movies for this fighting game. Darkstalkers 3 is the most refined and celebrated entry in that fun experiment - the roster is filled to the brim with unique supernatural character archetypes, the music slaps tremendously, and the trippy "Dark Force System" lends this game a cool gimmick to wrap your head around.
4. ‘Guilty Gear -Strive-’
Anime fighters have risen to the occasion nowadays and sit side by side with the juggernauts of the fighting game genre as a whole. The reigning king of that sub-genre is Guilty Gear, which has pumped out some pretty amazing fighters since its inception in 1998. Guilty Gear -Strive- simplifies the gameplay mechanics a bit, but doesn't dumb them down to the point where you feel unrewarded for your high-level playing efforts. The outlandish characters will grab you via their wild personalities and choice of weaponry. This beautifully animated fighter pops off the screen (especially when you pull off a "Roman Cancel") - you'll get a ton of mileage out of this must-play pick on this list of the best Street Fighter games.
5. ‘Street Fighter X Tekken’
Crossover fighters don't get any crazier than this! When the Japanese publishing/development houses Capcom and Bandai Namco came decided to mash up their two premiere fighting game IPs during the early 2010s, Street Fighter X Tekken was born. If you've never sat down with this one, make it your mission to give it a shot. You'll come to love the seamless tag team transitions that let you land sick combos and get a kick out of utilizing the familiar combo strings of your favorite Tekken characters on a 2D plane. Pitting Ryu and Ken against Kazuya and Jin are the stuff fighting game dreams are made of.
6. ‘Injustice 2’
The DC Universe is known far and wide thanks to its assemblage of the world's biggest superheroes and supervillains. NetherRealm Studios, which is the development studio best known for its work on the Mortal Kombat games, brought all those comic book icons into an exciting fighting game called Injustice: Gods Among Us. What we're recommending here is its sequel, Injustice 2. The roster expanded to include even more DC greats and even a collection of guest characters you'd never expect to see duking it out with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and more. This game's extensive gear customization system, destructive stage cinematics, and explosive super moves are guaranteed to blow your mind.
7. ‘BlazBlue: Central Fiction’
Arc System Works went hard to make the Guilty Gear series such a beloved IP. And it made sure to do the exact same for a series that's similar to that game and also rooted in the foundation put forth by Street Fighter. The best version of the game we're speaking of is BlazeBlue: Central Fiction, an anime fighter that stands tall next to its contemporaries. The game's roster reaches its biggest offering and includes some super cool characters (Mai Natsume and her speedy spear work get a lot of olive from us!). Each character comes with a powerful gimmick/ability, which makes the extensive act of learning their ins and outs such an amusing activity.
8. ‘UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[cl-r]’
Time for us to jump into another outstanding anime fighter that's perfect for fans hungry for more quality games like Street Fighter. That game is the "uniquely" named UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[cl-r]. French Bread, which is the development studio that originated the Melty Blood series, applied its expertise for high-octane anime fighting game action here and it definitely shows. The roster is full of formidable fighters that either run headlong into battle with weapons or just their devastating hands and feet. Continuing your vicious combo strings via the game's signature "Cross-Cast Veil Off" feels and looks so damn cool.
9. ‘Melty Blood: Type Lumina’
Let's stay on the topic of French Bread-made fighters for a moment and show some love to the latest Melty Blood game. And don't worry - you won't need to be confined to the bathroom of an FGC tournament to enjoy some solid competition. Melty Blood: Type Lumina spruces up the anime visuals of the past series entries and injects some interesting new combat mechanics in the form of the "Rapid Beat" (auto combos), "Moon Skills" (super powerful special moves), and "Moon Drive" (a special form of powering up your chosen character). The action that erupts here is fast as all hell - if you manage to keep up with the big moves coming your way and stay in the fight, you'll gain a new favorite here when it comes to the best games like Street Fighter.
10. ‘DNF Duel’
Many modern-day fighters rely on simplified controls that are easy to learn, yet hard to master when it comes time to implement them into your flashy combo strings properly. DNF Duel is considered one of those games and it's a damn good time. This fighting game spinoff of the beat 'em up/MMORPG Dungeon & Fighter - its characters are simply named after their combat classes, but they look super cool thanks to their crisp anime-inspired designs. Linking your standard special moves into the more lethal versions of those moves never grows tiresome as you lock down an opponent with some ferocious combos.
11. ‘Samurai Shodown’ (2019)
The Samurai Shodown series has always focused on more methodical combat where a single strike can damn near clear out half of an opponent's life gauge. The 2019 series revival sticks close to that method of weapons-based combat and it's an awesome return to fine form for SNK's other standout fighter. You'll need to pick your moves wisely while you look for advantageous openings and capitalize on your opponent screwing up on missed attacks. The additional ability granting "Rage Gauge," "Super Special Moves," and "Lightning Blade" attacks are just a slew of the awesome abilities at your disposal here.
12. 'Mortal Kombat 11'
At the height of Street Fighter's popularity, Mortal Kombat rose up to offer a fun alternative that dealt in providing a whole bunch more blood and gore. The latest iteration of that ruthless fighter is Mortal Kombat 11, which is a fighter with a more methodical pace that feels like a natural evolution of the gameplay featured in Mortal Kombat II. The Aftermath version of the game expands the roster to feature even more series regulars and some shocking guest characters, plus some additional story chapters to play through. Get ready to brutalize your foes with your character's custom movesets that include violent special moves, bone-breaking "X-Ray" maneuvers, and jaw-dropping Fatalities and Brutalities.
13. 'Them's Fightin' Herds'
Them's Fightin' Herds is such a wild concept that was built out of a project that was once supposed to be a My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fighter, funny enough. Now it features its own original lineup of barnyard animals that just so happen to test their mettle during intense brawls on a 2D plane. This four-button fighter gives players a freeform combat system where a deep magic system, enhanced special moves, and a juggle decay system that keeps players from getting locked into infinite combo strings. When you consider games like Street Fighter, this animal-filled brawler is one of the more unique picks to consider.
14. 'FOOTSIES'
FOOTSIES is a fighting game that every casual should give a shot at if they want to learn the basic fundamentals of the genre as a whole. Don't let its simple visual palette keep you away from this one - it's a highly addictive fighter that makes you very aware of your mistakes and pushes you to become better at landing crucial blows when the opportunity arises. The first one to land a blow wins, so pick your spots wisely before you even make an attempt to press a button. Mastering FOOTSIES will make you better at all fighting games, period.
15. 'Granblue Fantasy: Versus'
Based on the mobile gacha RPG (that's still not available in American territories, sadly...), Granblue Fantasy: Versus brings in the wide cast of fantastical warriors into another one of those fighters that's easy to play and hard to master. Easy inputs for special moves are implemented here, but you can also rely on traditional directional inputs to get quicker access to those same moves as they're attached to a seconds-long cooldown timer before you use them again. This fighter looks amazing in motion and plays at a more manageable pace that kind of makes it feel like a modern-day version of Street Fighter II. Prepare yourself to be in awe of each character's cinematic "Super Skybound Arts!"
NOTE: A new and improved version of this game called Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is coming out sometime in 2023, so it might just be worth waiting for that version to come out.
