[Top 12] Best Fighting Games for PS4 and PS5

Updated:

06 Jul 2023

Fighting games are one of the most popular genres of video games. From Mortal Kombat to Street Fighter to Tekken to others, there are a variety of fighting video games to choose from. If you have a PS4 or PS5, here is a list of the best fighting games to choose from.

12. Fighting EX Layer- 2018 (Arcade, PS4, PC, Switch, and Android/IOS)

Hayate fighting Skullomania

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4WaS7d2MvU

Fighting EX Layer is a fighting game that exclusively has Arika characters that appeared in the Street Fighter EX games (which Arika developed) or Fighting Layer (which Arika also developed). As a guest character, the game even features Terry Bogard from Fatal Fury.

This game has some amazing female characters too. To name a few, there is Sanane who is skilled with a naginata. You also have Shirase who is a deadly assassin, and you have the red-haired gun wielding Sharon.

The game plays similar to Street Fighter where the fights are 2D, and there is a gauge to fill up which enhances your attacks. A unique aspect of the game is the Gougi Deck. The Gougi is a set of cards that the player can get once they are arranged; each Gougi offers a boost but also has a requirement each to trigger the boost. An example would be you having to do a certain amount of damage in combos to trigger a boost in attack power. This Gougi system helps make each fight feel different and complex.

You should choose this game if…

You like the Street Fighter EX games.
You want a fighting game with good graphics.
You want complexity in fighting games.
You want a fighting game that encourages you to try out more complex combos.

11. Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel- 2015 (Arcade, PS3/PS4, PC)

Saber fighting Mora

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYgWJnEZVp4

Are you a fan of visual novels? Have you wanted a game where you can fight as a visual novel waifu? Look no further than Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel. This is a crossover fighting game where the cast consists of female characters from different visual novels (and it features Nitroplus’s mascot Super Sonico).

To name a few heroines, there is the sword-wielding Saber from Fate/stay night. There is demon hunter Ignis from Jingai Makyo, and Ein from Phantom of Inferno. There are plenty more heroines, with their unique moveset, to choose from.

The game is a fun 2D fighting game. You can even choose two supporting characters from visual novels or even Anime (that Nitroplus has been involved with). You can pick characters such as Akane Tsunemori (from Psycho Pass), Sakura (from Axanael), and Angela Balzac (from Expelled from Paradise). The game even has a story mode.

You should choose this game if…

You are a fan of visual novels (especially any of them represented in this game).
You want a fighting game with a unique roster of characters.
You like the idea of playing Anime/Visual Novel waifus battling it out.
You like fast pace fighting action.

10. The King Of Fighters XV- 2022 (PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S)

Kyo doing an upper flame kick on Benimaru

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o7Ip64-Sio

King of Fighters XV is the newest entry in the 3-on-3 fighting game series. You choose three characters to form a team before fighting an enemy team in fast-paced combat.

This game has a large roster including many female characters. You characters such as Kula Diamond (who has the power of ice), Chizuru Kagura (whose fighting style is based around traditional Japanese dancing), and even female characters from other SNK games such as Yuri Sakazaki from The Art of Fighting.

The 3-on-3 fighting helps sets itself apart from many other fighting games. Not only is the gameplay fun, but you often decide what would be the best 3 characters to pick for a team, so it adds a layer of strategy. With such a large roster, you have the opportunity to experiment with many different characters and teams. And if you are really good, you could just use only one character from your team if you can defeat everyone with that one character.

You should choose this game if…

You like 3-on-3 fighting games
You want a large and diverse roster
You want a fighting game with an amazing soundtrack

9. Melty Blood: Type Lumina- 2021 (PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One)

Shiki striking an opponent with his knife

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4cvNNB65uM

This game is a 2D fighting game based on the Tsukihime visual novel by Type-Moon (the same company that made Fate/stay night). This actually takes place 10 days before the events of the Tsukihime remake visual novel. Like in any fighting game, you pick your character and fight a series of opponents.

This game’s roster consists of characters from the Tsukihime series and most of them are female characters. This includes the main female character named Arcuceid Brunestud who is a vampire, a couple of maid characters (one of which fights with a broom), and even Saber from Fate/stay night.

This fighting has a couple of interesting mechanics. The first is the “Rapid Beat” mechanic which causes an auto combo to activate once the player repeatedly presses an attack button. Another one is the “Moon Skill” which lets the player use powerful special moves once they are able to.

This is a fun fighting game that you should check out if…

You are a fan of Tsukihime (or Type-Moon content in general)
You want a fast paced fighting game with interesting mechanics
You want a fighting game with amazing animation and a great soundtrack

8. Blazblue: Central Fiction- 2015 (Arcade, PS3, PS4, PC, Switch)

Jin doing a freezing attack on his opponent

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucgrtS-8mag

This interesting game is a mixture of a fighting game and a visual novel. The story mode is pretty much you playing a visual novel with fights in between throughout; you can play arcade mode which means you will be playing a fun 2D fighting game.

This game has a large roster of 36 characters which has a variety of female characters. You have Noel Vermillion who is a soldier and a clone of a girl (whose body is used as a vessel for one of the antagonists), there is a vampire girl named Rachel Alucard, and even a squirrel-like person named Makoto Nanaya.

The fighting portion is a fun traditional 2D fighter, but it is not without uniqueness though. The gameplay has a mechanic called “Overdrive”. This mechanic consists of a bar that fills up which, once activated, can enhance a character’s abilities.

You should choose this game if…

You like visual novels and/or anime and want a game that uses that anime style
You want a fun fighting game with an anime aesthetic.
You are interested in more niche fighting games.

7. Dead or Alive 5: Last Round- 2015 (Arcade, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One)

Hitomi fighting Bass

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZelsxoJ-KWU

This game is a 3D fighting game that focuses on characters competing in a tournament while a big story is going on outside of it.

When it comes to Dead or Alive games, one of the big appeals is its female characters. This game has your mainstays such as Kasumi and Ayane, who are both ninjas (or kunoichi), pro-wrestler Tina Armstrong, and even guests characters, from Sega’s Virtua Fighter series, such as Pai Chan.

This game is a fast-paced and fun 3D fighting game. One interesting mechanic is the “Power Blow”. When a player’s health drops to below 50%, the player can then pull off an attack that can knock the opponent away from them. This is good if a player needs some breathing room and time to figure out their next course of action.

You should choose this game if…

You like 3D fighting games
You are interested in playing lovely female characters
You want a fighting game with a good story and an amazing soundtrack.

6. Guilty Gear Strive- 2021 (PS4, PS5, PC, Arcade, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

Anji striking Chipp with his fans

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVd6vhFhYiM

Guilty Gear Strive is made by the same company that made Blazblue. The story focuses on the conclusion of the main character’s story whose name is Sol Badguy.

In terms of female characters, there is the swordswoman Baiken. You can play as a character named Milla who fights with her hair and there is a character named Bridget who can fight with a large teddy bear.

It plays as a traditional 2D fighter, but with a fun gimmick. It has the “Wall Break” mechanic which causes the stage to transition when a player does a combo in the corner of the stage.

Choose this game if…

You want an anime styled fighting game
You want an amazing soundtrack in a fighting game
You are a fan of the Guilty Gear franchise and want to see Sol Badguy conclude his story

5. Ultra Street Fighter 4- 2014 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Arcade, PS4)

Ibuki kicking Rolento

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d__QncYv3VU

Ultra Street Fighter 4 is the last update of Street Fighter 4. It features a massive roster of new and older characters. This game is a must-have for any fan of fighting games and for those who are into competitive fighting game communities.

With a massive roster, there is a variety of female characters to choose from. You have the fan favorites such as the cop Chun-Li, special agent Cammy, and newer characters such as Juri who is a spy working with the SIN organization.

It plays like a traditional 2D fighter. However throughout the fight, there is a bar that fills up and once it fills up enough, it can enhance your attacks or let you do a very powerful move. Ultra Street Fighter 4 introduces Red Focus Attack which allows you to absorb attacks from the opponent and counter them. There is the Ultra Combo Double which allows you to use two ultra combos in a single round.

You should choose this game if…

You want a fighting game where you do insane combos
You want a large variety of fighters to choose from
You want a game that you can with friends or start tournaments with

4. Street Fighter 5: Champion Edition- 2020 (PS4, PC, Arcade)

Ryu doing his popular spinning kick

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX8DBQGWBAc

Just like Ultra Street Fighter 4, Street Fighter 5: Champion Edition is a must-have as well for any fighting fans and those part of the competitive communities. This game takes place after the events of Street Fighter 4 and concludes Ryu’s conflict with M. Bison.

There are a total of 40 characters and 15 of them are female characters. You have Chun-Li, Cammy, Juri Han, and some newcomers such as Laura and Kolin.

It mostly plays like a typical Street Fighter game with a new addition which is the V-gauge. This gauge fills up which then allows you to do amazing abilities or moves such as parrying an opponent or reflecting projectiles. In this game, when the EX gauge fills up all the way, the player can do a “Critical Art” which is a super combo attack that does a lot of damage.

You should choose this game if…

You liked Street Fighter 4 since this game is a continuation of it
You want a large roster and stage selection
You want to see the conclusion to the story where M.Bison is a villain

3. Mortal Kombat XL- 2016 (PS4, PC, Xbox One)

Raiden trying to get the upper hand against Scorpion

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHGwhPyxnTI

This is the sequel to the amazing 2011 Mortal Kombat where you fight to the death and do gruesome fatalities. This game continues for 5-25 years where 2011 Mortal Kombat’s story left off. The villain of this game is Shinnok.

The games feature the usual iconic characters such as Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Raiden, and newcomers such as Takeda and Kung Jin. For female characters, the game has Sonya Blade, Kitana, and newcomers such as Cassie Cage who is the daughter of both Sonya and Johnny Cage.

The gameplay focuses on you engaging in a bloody fight with your opponent. During the match, a gauge fills up which allows you to do a powerful X-ray move that has you breaking your opponent’s bones. Once your opponent loses, you can do a fatality which involves you killing your opponent in a gruesome way. One thing that Mortal Kombat X/XL introduces is you being able to choose special move styles for your character which changes their special move set depending on what style you choose.

You should choose this game if…

You want a fighting game that is gory as hell
You like Mortal Kombat games in general since this is an incredible entry
You want a cast of diverse characters. From ninjas to actors to cyborgs to cowboys.
You want a fighting game with a rich world and lore

2. Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3- 2011 (PS3, Xbox 360, PS Vita, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Frank West fighting with a bat

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmle8D-L9Tc

This game features a crossover between Capcom characters (from franchises such as Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Devil May Cry, etc.) and superheroes from Marvel. You choose 3 characters, to form a team, and battle your way to fight Galactus.

The roster is very diverse for both the Capcom and Marvel roster. For Capcom, there are characters from Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Darkstalkers, Street Fighter, and more. Marvel has Spider-Man, Captain America, Hulk, and other superheroes including X-Men characters. There are a variety of female characters in this as well. For Capcom, there is Chun-Li (from Street Fighter), Trish (from Devil May Cry), Jill Valentine (from Resident Evil), and more. Marvel has She-Hulk, and X-Men characters such as Phoenix and Storm.

The game is a 3-on-3 tag team fighting game where you fight until you defeat all three characters of your opponent’s team. You can swap characters in the fight or just have them do assist attacks. There is a gauge that can fill up multiple times and allow you to do a super attack.

You should choose this game if…

You like Capcom games or Marvel
You like tag team based fighting games
You want a fighting game with a comic book aesthetic
You want a fighting game that encourages you to experiment with different characters and teams.

1. Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate- 2020 (PS4, PC, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia, PS5, Xbox Series X/S)

Sub-Zero using his signature freezing powers

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEQsQqkEKMA

If you liked Mortal Kombat XL, then you are going to like Mortal Kombat 11. This game takes place after Mortal Kombat X and concludes the story that began with 2011 Mortal Kombat. The final boss of the game is Kronika (the mother of Shinnok).

The roster consists of the usual Sub-Zero and Scorpion while bringing in newcomers such as the Kollector. As for female characters, Sonya Blade, Kitana, and Cassie Cage come back along with Mileena and Skarlet who uses blood as her powers.

The gameplay is similar to the two previous Mortal Kombat entries where you fight and fatalities, but this game does bring in new features. The “Fatal Blow” mechanic is a powerful move that the player can do if their health is below 30%; it acts as a comeback move. Speaking of a comeback move, another feature is the “Flawless Block” which, if a block is timed correctly, the player can do a counterattack to their opponent.

This game also lets you customize the characters. You can change their costumes or just parts of their costumes, and you can even change some of their moves as well. There are a lot of options for character customization in this game. Lastly, this game features movie guest characters such as Rambo and The Terminator.

You should choose this game if…