While 2024 might have been light on new fighting game franchises, it delivered plenty of excitement with new entries in beloved series like Tekken and Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi. Whether you enjoy close-quarters combat or unleashing special attacks, 2024 offered diverse opportunities to showcase your fighting skills.
Tekken 8 (9.5)
The long wait for the King of the Iron Fist Tournament has ended with Tekken 8, a game worthy of the legendary series. While the single-player content and netcode may have issues, the excellent learning tools and diverse character roster (including Clive Rosfield from Final Fantasy XVI) make it a top fighting game.
Featuring cutting-edge visuals for fighting games and exceptional learning tools, Tekken 8 stands out as one of the best releases in the fighting game genre over the last few years.
WWE 2K24 (7.5)
After a rough patch, the WWE 2K series has made a comeback with WWE 2K24, offering fun new mechanics, match types, and a great selection of play modes. The core gameplay could use refinement, but Visual Concepts seems to be on the right track to deliver a great experience for WWE fans.
With the release of WWE 2K24 this series no longer feels like a carny outcast amongst the other big sports franchises. While the game’s core action could stand to be even further refined, fun new mechanics, match types, and a fully-developed suite of modes are worth cheering for.
Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO (9.5)
The Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series returns with Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO. Developer Spike Chunsoft has created a game that not only feels great to play but also leverages modern gaming technology to immerse players in the Dragon Ball universe. While balance may be an issue, it's a must-have for fans.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is undeniably one of the best games based on Akira Toriyama's series. With an engaging story mode that includes intriguing what-if scenarios, a combat system that's easy to learn but challenging to master, a massive character roster, and impressive attention to detail, Spike Chunsoft has created a must-have for Dragon Ball fans.
MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (8)
The MARVEL vs CAPCOM series is celebrated with the release of the MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, This collection features the first two main entries as well as other games made by CAPCOM featuring Marvel Comics characters. Though some haven't aged well, others, like MARVEL vs. CAPCOM 2, are still incredibly fun. Lack of cross-platform play is a significant drawback.
The MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a fantastic celebration of the series, showcasing some of the best fighting games released by the Japanese publisher in the late '90s and early 2000s.
Rivals of Aether II
Rivals of Aether II capitalized on the platform fighting genre, offering a game that embraces the mechanics made popular by Super Smash Bros. Melee. Its focus on advanced tech provides a game that is sure to grow in popularity. However, the lack of single-player content is a drawback.
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Honorable Mentions
2024 also saw the release of other solid fighting games that deserve to be mentioned:
- UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes
- MultiVersus
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind
- Blazing Strike
- Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns
