In honor of Street Fighter V (check out our review here), it’s time to step back and size up the fighting game scene on Xbox One and PS4. There have been plenty of pretenders and contenders to sort through, but only a few have managed to uppercut their way through to the podium. It’s too early to say whether Street Fighter V manages to join the ranks of the elite. Bear in mind that this generation is still relatively young. We’ve yet to see mainstays such as SoulCalibur, Tekken and King of Fighters make their debuts.
Here’s a look at the best current-gen fighters:
5. Killer Instinct
Publisher: Microsoft Games
Developer: Double Helix Games
Platform: Xbox One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKL3IK69ISs
A free-to-play launch title for the Xbox One, you can either stick with the limited selection of fighters offered gratis or buy new characters individually or in packs. One of the first games to showcase the capabilities of the console, its fluid, well-balanced battles have led to a community that’s still thriving more than two years after release. If you’re into the game and want the full experience, you’re best off springing for the $15 Combo Breaker pack.
ORDER: Killer Instinct Combo Breaker Pack here
4. Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Platforms: PS4, Vita, PC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhvO1sM5lgU
A graphically enhanced version of the last-gen DC Universe fighting game, this version has all the downloadable characters released on the earlier version. NetherRealm, the demented geniuses behind the Mortal Kombat franchise, stepped up its game after the lukewarm Mortal Kombat vs. D.C. Universe to craft a superhero slugfest that gave each character more of a distinct flavor. Background-smashing set pieces have characters smash through walls and scrap in mid-air as they tumble to the ground.
ORDER: Injustice: Gods Among Us here
3. Ultra Street Fighter IV
Publisher: Capcom
Developers: Dimps, Capcom
Platforms: PS4, PC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d__QncYv3VU
This is the final version of the game that single-handedly resurrected the entire genre back in 2008. Complete with all the characters, special moves and stages that were added over several years, this is the definitive version and — until Street Fighter V gets its server problems straightened out — the best Street Fighter game in existence. The new-gen version tightens up the movesets, blows out the visuals and shows what the old classic can do when armed with modern tech.
ORDER: Ultra Street Fighter IV here
2. Mortal Kombat X
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSi2LDkyKmI
This game was hyped for months, but seems to have faded into the background amid all the Street Fighter hype. That’s a shame, because this is the strongest pure one-on-one fighter available this generation, with blistering combos, stunning finishes and a monster array of fighters from both past and present to draw from. Although irritating microtransactions drag it down, the round-to-round gameplay is too stunning to ignore.
ORDER: Mortal Kombat X here
1. Super Smash Bros.
Publisher: Nintendo
Developers: Sora Ltd., Bandai Namco
Platforms: Wii U, 3DS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb1m_wyB4bM
You may be groaning at this selection, but if so, that’s only because you didn’t bother to buy a Wii U. With multiplayer that extends to as many as eight players, brawls become chaotic affairs, filled with a blur of power-ups, stage-spawned wipeouts and bonus items. Victory may sometimes depend on luck as much as skill, but no other fighter comes close to approaching the adrenaline level this game creates.
