The Best New Fighting Games to Play in 2024

• Developers: FRENCH-BREAD, Arc System Works
• Rating: T for Teen

After three iterations of the first entry in this anime fighter series, we're now set to enter the next stage of hyperfast combat on behalf of French-Bread and Ecole Software (published courtesy of the anime fighting game gods at Arc System Works). Under Night In-Birth II [Sys:Celes] is being promoted as the final chapter in the ongoing saga that focuses on rival "In-Births" that come to blows after they realize their ability to manipulate their bodies' natural "EXS." This time around, this version of Under Night comes new and improved thanks to three new characters (Kaguya, Tsurugi, and Kuon), rollback netcode, new moves for past members of the roster, and a new power-boosting mechanic known as "Celestial Vorpal" mode. Under Night In-Birth II [Sys:Celes] is the first fighting game coming our way in 2024.

• Developer: Nabi Studios
• Rating: T for Teen

So the original Toribash is a fighting game all about turn-based combat that lets you utilize 3D physics tools to make your fighters any way you see fit. Toribash Next improves that signature style of gameplay while injecting new three- to four-player modes, such as team fights and free-for-all. There are tons of weapons you can attach to your custom figures, which include guns, swords, and staves. Player-hosted servers for online skirmishes, an in-game economy powered by the buying & selling of characters & mods, and a vast amount of customization options make Toribash Next the type of fighting game that fans of LittleBigPlanet would feel right at home with.

• Developers: Bandai Namco Studios, Arika
• Rating: T for Teen

The two kings of the fighting game genre are undoubtedly Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. Those two legendary IPs dropped their latest entries last year, so now the third king (more specifically, "King of the Iron Fist Tournament) Tekken is set to release its next mainline franchise entry to complete that fighting game triple threat. Tekken 8 is going big - we're talking about a starting roster of 32 characters, a bombastic story mode, a tutorial mode-inspired "Arcade Quest," the "Super Ghost Battle" mode that lets you teach your AI companion to mimic your playstyle, and the return of "Tekken Ball." On the gameplay side of things, the brand new "Heat" system welcomes a more in-your-face approach to combat and even longer combo strings. Improved online play should help you and your friends have a more stable connection during those epic Jin vs. Kazuya sets!

• Developers: Byking, Gemdrops
• Rating: T for Teen

Honestly, no one is the least bit surprised to see yet another mega-popular anime receiving an arena fighter adaptation these days. Like Dragon Ball, Naruto, Kill la Kill, and Demon Slayer before it, Jujutsu Kaisen is throwing its most recognizable warriors onto open battlefields for all-out brawls. Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash lets players command two of their favorite characters from the action-packed manga/anime during epic battles that can lead to stages collapsing due to all the frenetic hand-to-hand combat, "Cursed Techniques," and "Domain Expansions" being dished out among them. As you make your way through the events of the manga/anime's first season, you'll come across the likes of Aoi Todo, Maki Zen'in, Yuta Okkotsu, and many more across a roster of 16 launch characters.

• Developer: Calappa Games
• Rating: N/A

The second entry in the crustacean wrestling fighting game series is here to amaze curious onlookers who want to bash and slash with sea creatures! Fight Crab 2 retains the first game's outlandish lineup of oceanic wildlife fighters and its deep physics engine to coincide with newly added live commentary & an easy-to-use "Modern" control scheme for beginner players. Your chosen crab can now learn certain skills that gift them with the ability to automatically perform certain maneuvers, which should help you in your conquest for crab superiority. An extensive career mode and your usual gamut of 1v1 online casual/ranked matches should keep you busy in the Fight Club-inspired world of Fight Crab.

• Developer: Yatagarasu Dev Team
• Rating: N/A

Back in 2015, a little-known indie fighting game called Yatagarasu Attack on Cataclysm landed on Steam. That anime-stylized 2D fighter played like the arcade fighters that blossomed during the 90s, such as Street Fighter II and Fatal Fury. Now in 2024, an updated version of that slept-on fighter is arriving in the form of Yatagarasu Enter the Eastward. Past players will be returning to the game and be treated to three new characters (Ugui, Ao Tienyi, and Sistan), a core "blocking" system, and in-game commentary. While we're looking forward to returning to the retro gameplay mechanics of this indie brawler, we're a bit let down by the lack of a rollback netcode implementation for this release.

• Developer: Visual Concepts
• Rating: T for Teen

"The story's not finished..." That's the theme of this year's installment of publisher 2K and developer Visual Concepts' foray into the wild and wonderful world of World Wrestling Entertainment. WWE 2K24, which features Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, and Rhea Ripley as its cover stars, comes with a host of cool features. Those features are this year's "2K Showcase" celebrating 40 years of WrestleMania, four new match types (Ambulance, Special Guest Referee, Casket, and Gauntlet), a roster of over 200 Superstars, and gameplay changes in the form of "Super Finishers," the new "Trading Blows" minigame, and so much more. Franchise modes such as "MyGM," "MyFACTION," "MyRISE," "Universe," and "Creation Suite" will also make their grand returns with significant updates of their own.

• Developers: Triple Hill Interactive, Grindstone, Toko Midori Games
• Rating: N/A

Bushido Blade may no longer be getting new series entries, sadly. But quality spiritual successes such as this one keep its highly strategic swordplay and one-hit kills alive and well. Die by the Blade takes place in a universe that's described as "samurai-punk," which brings together elements of Japanese samurai culture and cyberpunk vibes. You'll take your lone swordsman into battle with rival blade wielders and be forced to pick your spots carefully as you look for the perfect opportunities to strike. You'll be able to strike down your foes in this game with the two-handed nodachi, the naginata pole weapon, the dual-wielded wakizashi, and more.

• Developer: RareBreed Makes Games
• Rating: N/A

Blazing Strike looks and feels like a long-lost SNK fighting game that we unknowingly passed by in the arcades. And that's part of the reason why we're so intrigued by it. Publisher Aksys Games and development studio RareBreed Makes Games have come together to produce a 2D fighter that pays homage to the golden age of the genre itself. Alongside retro stylized visuals, Blazing Strike will implement modern-day fighting game conventions such as heightened mobility, flashy super moves, and comeback mechanics. The game's "Rush" system also offers something fresh and unique for this throwback fighter as it allows each character to utilize even more special moves, move faster, and jump much higher than before. Hopping online to enjoy some heated battles in Blazing Strike should be a joy thanks to its usage of GGPO rollback netcode.

• Developer: Bloodrune Entertainment
• Rating: N/A

All you have to do is take a few seconds to watch Blazing Worldstars in action to see where its inspirations lie. The heavyweights of the 90s golden age of arcade fighters have given Bloodrune Entertainment a template to work from in regards to crafting this 2D fighter. This game's roster is composed of anthropomorphic warriors, which includes a bear that looks eerily similar to Baloo from Disney's TaleSpin. The mechanical side of this indie fighter incorporates a six-button layout, a feel akin to The King of Fighters, a parry system that's comparable to Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, and a signature "Enhance System" that will instantly remind users of Street Fighter V's "V-Trigger" system.

• Developer: Team Coreupt LLC
• Rating: N/A

The cleverly named Coreupt (get it? Like "Corrupt") looks to be one the more intriguing indie fighters on this list. What's on offer here is a 3D-stylized brawler that features incredibly fast-paced 2D combat that looks like it lifted the best parts of the Marvel vs. Capcom series. This game's roster finds themselves going to war with the fate of the universe on the line. You can either choose to save it or condemn it to its horrible fate via hype-inducing battles that let you pull off some of the flashiest combos you'll ever see. Landing those lengthy combo strings across traditional modes such as Arcade, Story, and Survival should be just as fun as pulling them off against your online competitors (powered by rollback netcode, of course!).

• Developer: Modus Studios
• Rating: N/A

Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age looks like a natural evolution of Sega's Eternal Warriors that just so happens to utilize the lane-switching mechanics of the first couple of Fatal Fury games. This 2V2 fighter comes with a whole of strategy to implement with your chosen ally and plenty of opportunities to land some sick combo strings with them by your side. Switching lanes to avoid incoming attacks, dash behind an opponent, or just catch a quick breather from all the action can be accomplished here. "RealMatch" rollback technology is promised to provide players with little to no lag during online matches, so you should have no issue bombarding your unlucky foes with team-based attacks during furious matchups. The inclusion of drop-in, drop-out co-op for the entirety of Diesel Legacy's modes is a pretty sweet deal, too!

• Developer: Spike Chunsoft
• Rating: N/A

One of the greatest Dragon Ball fighters of all time is without a doubt Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3. That quality arena fighter with one of the biggest rosters ever seen in a fighter came out back in 2007! Publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment and developer Spike Chunsoft have heard fans' please for an all-new installment in that series - those cries have finally been heard, which is why we're set to receive DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO. A graphical palette that looks as close to the source material as possible, a roster that features a who's who of characters scattered across the storied Dragon Ball timeline, and explosive battles that mimic the madness of the anime's most iconic fights are being put on display by this anime brawler. Get ready for a massive roster of 164 playable characters/forms, massive environmental destruction, and so much more!

• Developer: SNK
• Rating: N/A

SNK has been doing a phenomenal job of rejuvenating its beloved fighting game IPs. So far, we've been treated to new entries within the Samurai Shodown and The King of Fighters franchises. Next up to receive that grand treatment is the franchise that made Terry Bogard such a beloved fighting game personality, Fatal Fury. Alongside Terry are returning series favorites such as Joe Higashi, Andy Bogard, Rock Howard, Billy Kane, Kain R. Heinlein and so much more. As the third game to be developed to run on Unreal Engine 4, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is setting itself up to be a rousing comeback for a 90s fighting game staple. Right off the bat, we're a huge fan of the visual stylings of this fighter that help differentiate it from KOF! Hopes are extremely high for this upcoming SNK fighter, to say the least.

• Developer: Kluge Interactive
• Rating: N/A

We're going to deviate from your usual array of traditional fighting games by highlighting a fighter based in the realm of virtual reality. FINAL FURY places players smack dab in the middle of a fighting tournament centered in a sci-fi universe. With a roster of extraterrestrial warriors to choose from, you'll get to throw hands and rely on elemental-based special moves from an immersive first-person viewpoint. With a soundtrack powered by Zardonic (the composer behind SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE) and well-tuned VR gameplay mechanics, FINAL FURY promises to be a must-play for Meta Quest enthusiasts.

• Developer: Aether Studios
• Rating: N/A

One of the top platform fighters introduced by an independent development studio is Rivals of Aether, a one- to four-player brawler that garnered a huge player base that fell in love with its roster of anthropomorphic fighters. Aether Studios, the developer behind that aforementioned game, is going above and beyond with its follow-up Rivals 2. Instead of relying on 2D-based sprites, Rivals 2 is going full 3D with its graphical presentation. New combat features include the ability to generate a shield and grappling attacks that give you the ability to pummel your unlucky recipients. Returning warriors such as  Zetterburn, Ranno, and Wrastor will be joined by newcomers such as Dungeons of Aether's Fleet for a new 3D battle royale for the ages!

• Developers: Onanim Studio, Valente Studio
• Rating: N/A

The overall premise behind Trajes Fatais: Suits of Fate is such a mind trip! So the guests of a costume party find themselves morphing into the actual entities they've dressed up as. Now imbued with amazing levels of power and forcibly encased in a magic barrier, those individuals must fight for their lives in the hopes of escaping their current predicament. This fighter owes its inspiration to classic 90s fighters, such as The King of Fighters, Street Fighter, and Guity Gear. And based on the fantastical array of characters on offer here, you'll get some Darkstalkers vibes here as well! Keep a very close eye on Trajes Fatais: Suits of Fate.

• Developer: Son Studios
• Rating: N/A

With a name like Netcode Warriors, it's evident that the developers behind this game are cooking up something special that features a strong rollback netcode implementation. This cel-shaded arena fighter features the same sort of striking anime visuals we loved in KILL la KILL -IF. The gameplay in this game looks way better than that one, though - the combo-heavy mechanics on display in Netcode Warriors has us excited about what we can pull off with this game's roster of armored weapon-wielding warriors. Local split-screen & online multiplayer, an arcade ladder, a training mode, combo challenges, and a local tournament mode are all here and accounted for, by the way.