What is wrong with modern fighting games? I’m not entirely sure, but somewhere in the last few years, they’ve turned me off of the genre entirely. Well, that was until earlier this year I decided to go back to when they used to be the premium gaming experience of their respective generations. Fighting games used to be brilliant!
Soul Calibur VI should have hooked me. It plays great, it looks amazing too. However, the lack of arcade progression and the word heavy story mode just do nothing for me. I like having stuff to unlock as I go, it gives it purpose in single player. Soul Calibur V had a stupid fixed timer too, which ruined casual 2-player gaming. So wind back the clock, and IV was epic, but Soul Calibur I and II are still the benchmark for the franchise. Being the first game I owned on the Dreamcast, Soul Calibur will always have a place in my heart.
The same with the new Tekken games, they’re all glitz and somehow more complicated than they need to be. However, go back to the PlayStation 1 days, and they’re magical. I still thing Tekken 3 is the highlight of the entire franchise and while a little slower paced, it’s still a great game to play.
Street Fighter has never really changed that much throughout its lifetime. Despite that, not a single modern version has interested me either. If I want to play Street Fighter with some friends there’s only one place to go. The SNES version of Street Fighter II Turbo… seriously, it doesn’t get (and didn’t get) any better than this. That being said, Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike isn’t too shabby either.
Mortal Kombat is one of the only games that’s aged incredibly well. I love the sheer violence of the new versions. The story mode is cheesy and fun too. But once again, if you want the raw thrill of kicking your friends face in and shouting “TOASTY” then there’s only one version for me. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.
There’s so many great ones, but again, they’re getting quiet old now. Honestly, I’d still take them over almost any modern fighting game too. The original Soul Blade, the precursor to Soul Calibur is still tremendously fun to play. As are the original arcade and N64 versions of Killer Instinct. Plus, while I missed it back in the day, King of Fighters in the late 90’s really pushed the limits for those wanting an alternative to Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. However, the one that just doesn’t seem to get enough hype has to be the Bloody Roar series. Check it out below!
Got a suggestion of an even better classic fighting game? Or even better yet, perhaps there are some more modern ones you think I should get stuck into? Let me know in the comments below, or follow the social links below and let me know there too!
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