Netcode finally works, and the genre is in better health than it has been since the arcades. Pick the one you would build a tournament on.
1Street Fighter 6Capcom's 2023 entry, with the Drive system and a single-player World Tour mode.1000pts
2Mortal Kombat 11 UltimateThe 2020 complete edition of NetherRealm's best-selling game.787pts
3Guilty Gear StriveArc System Works' 2021 fighter, the one that made an anime fighter approachable.754pts
4Tekken 8Bandai Namco's 2024 fighter and its aggression-rewarding Heat system.538pts
5Mortal Kombat 1NetherRealm's 2023 reboot, built around the Kameo assist system.440pts
6Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate ShowdownSega's 2021 remaster, the series' return after more than a decade away.323pts
7The King of Fighters XVSNK's 2022 three-on-three entry, the series' strongest netcode to date.0pts
8Granblue Fantasy Versus: RisingArc System Works' 2023 overhaul of the Granblue fighter, with rollback netcode, a free-to-play lite version and a far bigger roster.
9Fatal Fury: City of the WolvesSNK's 2025 revival of Fatal Fury, the first new entry in 26 years and the Best Fighting Game winner at The Game Awards 2025.
10Marvel Tokon: Fighting SoulsArc System Works' 2026 four-on-four Marvel tag fighter for PlayStation 5 and PC, praised by critics for its accessible controls and comic-book visuals.
11MultiVersusWarner Bros.' free-to-play platform fighter that put Batman, Bugs Bunny and Shaggy in one arena, winning Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards 2022.
12Under Night In-Birth II Sys:CelesFrench-Bread's 2024 sequel to its cult anime fighter, the first in the series with rollback netcode and a 24-character launch roster.
13Melty Blood: Type LuminaFrench-Bread's 2021 return of the Type-Moon fighter, nominated for Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards and a staple at Evo Japan.
14DNF DuelArc System Works and Neople's 2022 fighter built on the Dungeon & Fighter universe, known for its fast, MP-driven special moves.
15Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZeroBandai Namco's 2024 arena fighter that revived the Budokai Tenkaichi formula with more than 180 characters and sold over five million copies.
162XKORiot Games' free-to-play two-versus-two tag fighter set in the League of Legends universe, launched in 2025 after years of development.
17Invincible VSQuarter Up's 2026 three-on-three tag fighter based on the Invincible comics and animated series, praised for its brutal, faithful combat.
18Rivals of Aether IIAether Studios' 2024 3D sequel to the indie platform fighter, built for competitive play with rollback netcode and a ranked mode.
Comments 1
Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1 shipped four months apart in 2023, thirty-two years after the first exchange: https://youpick.best/articles/mortal-kombat-vs-street-fighter-ranked
YP
ypb-teamSep 22
