The 28 Best Fighting Games on Switch

Owning a Switch and the definitive edition of Smash is gaming’s version of a peanut butter sandwich - the combination just makes too much sense to ignore. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate features the series’ craziest franchise crossover roster to date, an amazing playlist of familiar & remixed songs to jam out to, and plenty of content for those that crave both solo modes & multiplayer brawl sessions. This fighter is the only game that lets you hop into a match as Kazuya Mishima and battle it out with Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Solid Snake in Dracula’s Castle from Castlevania.

ARMS launched right alongside the Switch and ended up as one of the shining beacons of Nintendo’s new console. It offers a very festive atmosphere that makes way for one of the most charismatic fighting game rosters ever. The motion controls at the heart of the game give it that novelty factor that allows casual gamers to enjoy themselves as much as hardcore ones. The mixing and matching of various arm attachments and intense matches that you’ll get engaged in will quickly make you an ARMS believer.

This formerly Wii U exclusive Pokémon fighter now has a home on the Switch and is worth hopping into if you haven’t already. The coolest factor that makes this game one of a kind is the way it seamlessly switches between 3D and 2D planes during battle. Pokkén Tournament DX is deceptively simple at first. But once you grasp all the mechanics at hand, you’ll enjoy your time spent becoming a sick pro with a wealth of familiar Pocket Monsters.

This is THE greatest Dragon Ball fighting game (and Dragon Ball game period!) of all time. Arc System Works are master architects when it comes to putting together a beautifully animated and mechanically solid anime fighter. With the iconic roster of Dragon Ball FighterZ mashed up with those two factors, you just can’t go wrong with it. The 3v3 team battles that take place in this game are the definition of hype as beams are thrown, air combos are dished out, and cinematic finishers come into play.

At one point in time, Arc System Works moved away from the Guilty Gear series for a bit to produce an equally great spiritual successor. That game was BlazBlue, which ended up getting a series of system and roster updates that further improved its formula. The final installment in the series is the best one of course. BlazBlue Central Fiction Special Edition is a flashy fighter with a roster full of characters that come with their own gimmicks tied to a single button. And once you find your main, you’ll come to adore just how chaotic fights unfold in this game.

This anime fighter offers a battle royale full of beloved characters from Arc System Works’ many IPs and even a popular anime. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle’s roster brings together the very best from BlazBlue, Persona 4 Arena, Under Night In-Birth, RWBY, Arcana Heart, Senran Kagura, and Akatsuki Blitzkampf. The 2v2 clashes you’ll be treated to in this 2D fighting game gem explode off the screen and are just as hyperactive as you’d expect.

This two-pack is an essential pickup for anime fighting game aficionados. The Guilty Gear 20th Anniversary Edition comes with the very first game in the franchise, plus it offers one of the best entries in the series in the form of Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R. So not only do you get to see how the game played at the very start, you’ll get to enjoy one of the most polished and tournament ready entries in the long-running series.

The indie fighting game that commanded everyone’s attention back in 2012 has received a number of substantial updates since then. Skullgirls 2nd Encore is the most improved version of the team-based fighter - its package is outfitted with a bunch of new characters, system adjustments, new stages, etc. This lady-brawler (which also happens to feature a few male brawlers, by the way) has a spectacular art style and great fighting game mechanics to back it up.

We finally have a superior Power Rangers fighting game! And once you get your hands on it, you’ll feel like you’re playing an amazing Marvel vs. Capcom mod. Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is a combo-heavy fighter that’s chaotic in all the best ways possible. The roster consists of numerous Power Rangers and their most infamous rivals from across the franchise’s long-standing legacy. If you’re in the market for some Mighty Morphin’ skirmishes, then it’s definitely worth hopping into this one.

Remember Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix? Well, it got ported over to the Switch and got a few notable additions in the process. That updated version of the remade fighter is called Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers. The classic roster comes with two extra shoto warriors - Evil Ryu against Violent Ken. You can go to war with your buds off and online via some classic Street Fighter II action. You can enjoy this 2D fighter with its classic 16-bit pixel art or its HD graphical sheen (both art styles come with their own audio renditions as well).

Capcom’s most recognizable IP is most certainly Street Fighter. And for those of you who’d love to play through its storied history, you can do just that by hopping into the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. This compilation comes with each and every version of Street Fighter, Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha, and Street Fighter III. With 13 of the finest 2D fighters at your disposal within this collection, you definitely have a lot to enjoy here.

SNK gave the Samurai Shodown series a new lease on life with a 2019 return to fine form. This reboot brings together the most beloved weapons wielders from the series’ many entries and throws in a few new faces & guest combatants to boot. The clashes in this new Samurai Shodown play out just like they did back in the day - slower-paced and more methodical than today’s fighting game offerings. Prepare yourself for plenty of blood spray and slick fight finishes in this one.

Once you’ve gotten a taste of the most recent Samurai Shodown game, then you’ll probably get an itch to check out all the titles that came before it. The Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection comes with seven series installments. The most surprising game inclusion of them all is Samurai Shodown V Perfect, an updated version of Samurai Shodown V Special that almost never saw a full release.

Anime arena fighters are a dime a dozen these days. But if you’re looking for the best-looking and mechanically sound games within the popular sub-genre, then look no further than the Ultimate Ninja Storm series. This compilation brings together the first three entries in the series. If you’re in the mood for some wonderfully animated ninja-themed struggles and jaw-dropping boss encounters, then make sure you give this Naruto fighting game collection a shot.

Once you’ve made your way through the story modes for the first three Ultimate Ninja Storm games, it’s only right that you see it through to its full completion with the fourth and final game in the series. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Road to Boruto lets you play out the final events of the Naruto Shippuden story arc and even enjoy the early missions tied to Naruto’s son Boruto. And as always, the team-based ninja combat is as fun as ever and refined to near perfection.

The Super Smash Bros. formula is a winning one, that’s for sure. Other developers know this as a fact, which is why many of them have created Smash clones of their own. One of the better platform fighters out there is Brawlhalla, a 2D take on the 3D 4-player fighter that features an insane roster of its own. Launching enemies into the air and smacking them off the stage can be done with original roster members and recognizable faces from the world of The Walking Dead, WWE, Adventure Time, and several other mainstream IPs.

The next Smash-like fighter on this list is Rivals of Aether, which compiles a lineup of fighters that each stick to their own elemental powers. You’ll be able to bash the competition with the powers granted to you by Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. And the fact that you can deliver some KO’s with Shovel Knight is the extra cherry on top for this quality platform party fighter. Up to four players can get into some fierce battles with a roster full of anthropomorphic fighters. 

The ACA (Arcade Archives) Neo Geo line makes several of SNK’s (and even non-SNK studios’) best and underrated games available on current-gen consoles. Many of the titles that come from the SNK archives are on offer here, such as this classic Fatal Fury game. Garou: Mark of the Wolves advances Fatal Fury’s signature battle mechanics via the “Tactical Offense Position” and “Just Defend” systems, which do a lot to make this 2D fighter such an engrossing experience.

The King of Fighters 2001 marks the end of the series’ "NESTS Chronicles" story arc. And with that comes a satisfying conclusion and the same amazing team elimination battle mechanics that SNK’s premiere fighter has always relied on. This game allows players to construct a team of characters that can be used as playable characters and strictly as assists (“Strikers”). Deciding between how many Strikers you want on your squad and how much Power Gauge meter you want for all your super move needs is a part of KOF 2001’s shockingly high level of strategy.

Most KOF fans point to this entry and its remake as the greatest entries in the series. The original version of The King of Fighters 2002 is ready to play on the Switch and it’s just as awesome as everyone says it is. The Striker system is gone here as the game reverts back to 3v3 teams, plus the Power Gauge system also gets a few adjustments to switch things up a bit. This “Dream Match” rendition of The King of Fighters has all your roster favorites and so much more.

Series favorite Ash Crimson makes his debut here in The King of Fighters 2003. And this time around, players acquire the ability to switch in other members of their three-person teams right in the middle of a fight. Making one of your selected fighters the team leader grants them the opportunity to pull off an exclusive special move, which is a mechanic that plays right into KOF’s team-building synergy.

Never heard of this one, huh? That doesn’t come as a surprise, honestly. But we’re here to put you on and make sure a few more people give this underrated 2D fighter the respect it deserves. Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle is the sequel to Savage Reign - it sets itself apart from its predecessor by introducing 2v2 clashes that let players perform mid-match character switches. If the thought of a weapons-based version of Real Bout Fatal Fury and Marvel vs. Capcom excites you, then you’ll love this one.

Unlike Samurai Shodown, The Last Blade series offers a faster-paced take on weapons-based gameplay. The Last Blade 2 is the best of ‘em all as it refines its “Speed” and “Power” character types and introduces three fan favorites. Hibiki Takane, Setsuna, and Kojiroh Sanada join a roster that features some of the coolest melee weapons users in fighting game history.

The Neo Geo Pocket Color was a very slept-on handheld that deserves your attention if you’ve never even heard of it. It featured a handheld version of SNK’s most successful franchises - one of the games that got a portable port is SNK vs. Capcom. SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium is a surprisingly solid pixel fighter that lets you catch some W’s as both SNK and Capcom icons.

Similar to SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium, SNK Gals’ Fighters focuses on the highly favored lady contingent of SNK’s femme fatales. The combative ladies from Fatal Fury, The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and The Last Blade all gather within this pocket fighter to find out who’s the very best.

The super slick-looking character classes featured in the Dungeon Fighter Online series have always made fans request their services in a proper fighting game. DNF Duel finally fulfills that lofty request and brings forth a visually stunning anime brawler that's easy to play, yet hard to master. Pulling off special moves and the more powerful versions of those moves is simply activated by tapping a button and a specific direction simultaneously. Putting all your favorite character's standard and special moves together results in some flashy combos, which points to this game's most significant appeal.

Time for us to jump into another outstanding anime fighter that's on par with Guilty Gear and BlazBlue. That game is the "uniquely" named UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[cl-r]. French Bread, which is the development studio that's most famous for producing the Melty Blood series, applied its expertise for high-octane anime fighting game action here and it definitely shows. The roster is full of formidable fighters that either run headlong into battle with weapons or just their devastating hands and feet. Continuing your vicious combo strings via the game's signature "Cross-Cast Veil Off" feels and looks so damn cool.

The anime fighter that you hear tons of jokes about when it comes to its main locations at FGC tournaments came back in a major way back in 2021. Melty Blood: Type Lumina offers a commendable visual upgrade and all the memorable roster members that made the game such a cult hit during its heyday. The auto-combo system (Rapid Beat) and Moon systems (Moon Skills and Moon Drive) are easy to wrap your head around. But once you start mixing all those skills in with your favorite characters, Melty Blood: Type Lumina's complexities will grab you and quickly convince you of this game's high level of quality.