Last year we saw two of the Big Three in fighting games battle it out to be crowned champions of 2023. The last member of the Big Three appeared in 2024, and while there were some contenders here and there, with one game that I just can’t stop playing, this was a one-horse race from January.
5. Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
But that doesn’t mean we don’t have good games to talk about. This entry may play a little false, because it just brings old classics to modern machines, but if I’m being honest, we need numbers here, folks. And Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is still one of the best fighters this year has produced. Nostalgic visuals and fighting styles, taking you back to the days when weird crossovers weren’t just a thing for Call of Duty and Fortnite.
4. MultiVersus
Player First Games attempted to release MultiVersus a few years ago, but in 2024 we got the full game. There were a few things players didn’t like, but otherwise you still have a very tight platformer with impressive game mechanics. If only more people were willing to play it.
3. Undisputed
From the wacky world of Bugs Bunny hitting you in the head with a giant hammer to a realistic boxing simulator, Undisputed tries to give players the experience they would expect in other sports games. With realistic visuals and an authentic boxing experience, Undisputed may be more for a certain kind of fan of sports games, but it remains a top contender in this year’s list of fighters.
2. Dragon Ball: sparks! Zero
As someone who just started watching Dragon Ball this year, I came back to Sparking! Zero after initially seeing it as a fun but superficial fighting game. Now I see it the same way I see Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II for fans of the grim distant future. This is authentic Dragon Ball, complete with ridiculous powers, destructible environments and a system that makes stronger characters feel powerful while making it incredibly satisfying to win as a weaker fighter. Aside from shaky netcode and problems with private lobbies, this is the most fun I’ve had with an anime fighter.
1. Tekken 8
But, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is not the most fun I’ve had beating the snot out of someone this year. That prize goes to the expected winner, Tekken 8. It may be an anticlimax, but that’s how this industry goes sometimes. Tekken 8 turns up the heat, making for faster and more dangerous battles, but it still ultimately feels like a skill game. Without the two best entries on this list, 2024 might have been a surprisingly bad year for fighters, but thankfully we have them to thank for giving us a phenomenal traditional hunter and a wild anime-brawler.