GamesNostalgia

Retro games, abandonware, freeware and classic games for PC and Mac

iten

Best fighting games on GamesNostalgia

Fighting games are games in which two or more players fight with each other or against computer-controlled characters, often using martial arts. There is a variety of moves available, like punching, kicking, grabbing, throwing, and blocking, that should be used to defeat the opponent.

Most of these games are based on duels on fixed screens, such as Kung-Fu: The Way of the Exploding Fist. Progressive games like Double Dragon or Streets of Rage, where you need to fight multiple enemies, are usually defined as beat 'em up or brawlers.

Most of the first fighting games in the 1970s and 80s, like International Karate +, were about sports: boxing and martial arts. Then, some games like Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior added more imaginative features that allowed the genre to grow more.

The end of the 80s and early 90s is when Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat were released. Both of these are considered staples of the fighting game genre. Street Fighter II, in particular, was a revolution with its accurate controls, simple gameplay, and multiplayer mode. The ability to play against other players really kickstarted the competitive side of fighting games.

While the concept of a fighting game itself is simple, it allows for a ton of freedom. Different environments, perspectives, combos, and even weapons. All that and more made the fighting games we know and love so popular. If you like this genre, don't forget to check brawler games too!

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 genesis

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game developed and published by Midway Games in 1995. It is an improved and slightly different version of Mortal Kombat 3. The original thi...

Year: 1996 Genre: Brawler

2 players arcade brawler coin-op conversion fighting martial arts motion capture versus violence

Super Street Fighter II DX amiga

Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers is the fourth chapter of the popular beat-em-up series based on the arcade Street Fighter II. This edition, known as Super Street Fighter 2, is the first to use "Super" in the title.

Year: 1995 Genre: Brawler

2 players aga arcade brawler competitive fighting martial arts versus

Super Street Fighter II Turbo dosamiga

Super Street Fighter II Turbo is a competitive fighting game created by Capcom and released initially as an arcade in 1994. It is the fifth game in the Street Fighter 2 series, ...

Year: 1995 Genre: Brawler

2 players 3do aga arcade brawler competitive fighting versus

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! nes

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out! is one of the most iconic boxing games and was developed and published by Nintendo in 1987 for the NES. In addition to being a classic icon, it is also one of the best-selling games of all time.

Year: 1987 Genre: Sports

boxing fighting licensed nes original game sports

Mortal Kombat 3 genesis

Mortal Kombat 3 is the third game in the popular series of fighting arcades created by Midway. The coin-op was released in 1995. The same year several ports, including the Sega Megadrive/Genesis, were released.

Year: 1995 Genre: Brawler

2 players arcade brawler coin-op conversion competitive fighting martial arts motion capture

International Karate++ windows

International Karate Deluxe is an amazing freeware remake of the never released International Karate++, the sequel of one of the most popular fighting game on the Commodore 64 and Amiga, International Karate + (also known as IK+).

Year: 1999 Genre: Brawler

brawler competitive enhanced remakes fighting martial arts versus

International Karate + amigacommodore-64

International Karate + (also known as IK+, or Chop N' Drop in the US) is a side-view karate fighting game created by System 3 initially for 8-bit platforms (Commodore 64, ZX Spectr...

Year: 1988 Genre: Brawler

2 players brawler c64 original game commodore 64 competitive fighting martial arts

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game genesis

WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game is a coin-op created by Midway in 1995. It is impossible to deny that many of today's adults grew up with games like Super Mario Bros or Sonic. Bu...

Year: 1995 Genre: Brawler

2 players arcade brawler coin-op conversion competitive fighting licensed motion capture wrestling

Street Fighter amiga

Street Fighter is a fighting game created by Capcom and released initially as an arcade in 1987. It is the first chapter of the fighting series that became popular thanks to the sequel, Street Fighter II.

Year: 1988 Genre: Brawler

2 players arcade brawler coin-op conversion competitive fighting martial arts

Shadow Fighter amiga

Shadow Fighter is a fighting game created by N.A.P.S. and published by Gremlin Graphics exclusively for the Amiga, initially for ECS machines, then AGA. Clearly inspired by popular...

Year: 1994 Genre: Brawler

2 players aga amiga original game brawler competitive fighting japan versus

One Must Fall 2097 dos

One Must Fall: 2097, developed by Diversions Entertainment and published by Epic MegaGames in 1994, is set in the future where fighting between humans is outlawed. Of course, humans being who they are, need a way to fight each other.

Year: 1994 Genre: Brawler

battlemech brawler fighting freeware mecha science fiction versus

Capital Punishment amiga

Capital Punishment is an original Amiga fighting game developed in 1996 by clickBOOM Interactive for Amiga AGA models only. If you're here without knowing this entry, let me ask you a few questions.

Year: 1996 Genre: Brawler

2 players aga amiga original game brawler competitive fantasy fighting multiplayer

Panza Kick Boxing amiga

Panza Kick Boxing is a Thai kickboxing sim that uses the license of André Panza, a French Kickboxer, nine times world champion in several disciplines. The game was developed by Fu...

Year: 1990 Genre: Brawler

2 players amiga original game boxing brawler competitive fighting licensed martial arts

WWF Wrestlemania dosamiga

WWF WrestleMania is a wrestling game created by Twilight originally for the Amiga and published by Ocean in 1991. The game, which was the first official WWF-licensed title for home...

Year: 1991 Genre: Brawler

2 players amiga original game brawler fighting sports versus wrestling