Fighting Games Online – Classic Arcade Fighters

Why classic fighting games still hold up

Modern fighting games are great, but the arcade classics are where the genre's language was invented: the fireball motion, the dragon punch, the charge move, the super bar. They are also quick to learn – one stick, four or six buttons, rounds that last a minute – and endlessly deep once you start learning combos.

King of Fighters: the 3-on-3 team fighter

SNK's King of Fighters changed the formula in 1994 by letting you pick a team of three. Every yearly release added characters and systems, and two of them became legends: KOF '98, the "dream match" with almost every fighter from the earlier games, and KOF 2002, which brought back the roster without the striker system and is still played in tournaments today. If you are new, start with KOF '98 for its balance or KOF 2002 online for its combo freedom.

Street Fighter: where it all started

Capcom's Street Fighter games set the template. Street Fighter II made Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li and Guile household names in 1991, and Super Street Fighter II added four new fighters a couple of years later. The Alpha games and crossovers like X-Men vs. Street Fighter push the speed even further with tag battles and big combos.

SNK's other fighters: swords and rivals

SNK did not stop at KOF. SNK fighting games collects Samurai Shodown II, a weapon-based fighter where one clean hit can take half your life bar, and The Last Blade series with its beautiful Bakumatsu-era art. They play slower and more deliberately than KOF – perfect if you prefer reading your opponent to long combos.

More fighting games

Beyond the big three series you will find console fighters such as Tekken 3, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Bloody Roar 2 and Super Smash Bros., plus handheld gems for Game Boy Advance and Neo Geo Pocket. They are listed further down this page.

How to win your first online match

1. Learn three moves first. A projectile, an anti-air and one sweep cover most situations.
2. Block more than you think. Hold back to guard; most beginners lose by attacking all the time.
3. Jump less. Jumping in is easy to punish with an anti-air.
4. Use your super meter. In KOF and the Alpha games, a stocked super can turn a lost round.