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29 Best Fighting Games on Switch in 2023

We've featured the best fighters on Switch, focusing on the battle experience and competitive duels. The Switch's blend of new games, ports from other consoles, and vintage fighters from Hamster's ACA Neo Geo series makes it a great place for head-to-head fighting fans, giving you tons of amazing options that will let you simply eliminate Frustration to someone – anyone.

So, in no particular order, we can present our selection of the best fighters on the Nintendo Switch…

1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros- Ultimate

The ultimate Nintendo fighting game of all time! Ever since Nintendo 64, Super Smash has been very successful. The game features almost all Nintendo and Sega characters!

Like Mario, Luigi, Sonic, Link, Kirby, and many more! You can also play as Snake from Metal Gear! The gameplay is viewed from a 2D perspective, although the characters and the world are beautifully modeled.


2. Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection

Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection

Another popular fighting game is Street Fighter! This collection features all prior Street Fighters series. Celebrate Street Fighter’s historic legacy with the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection.

Look back at the Arcade style of the game, the music and sounds used, and obviously, the characters featured! You can play this Switch exclusive game online to join tournaments. Select a character, practice their moves and win your fight!


3. Mortal Kombat 11

Mortal Kombat 11

Mortal Kombat is favored by many fighting games fans. And MK11 has stepped up its visuals and graphics. However, sacrifices had to be made to make it run on the switch, yet nonetheless, the game runs smoothie on 60FPS. So go ahead and enjoy a brutal side screen combat and choose many different characters either from the base game or from the DLC.


4. Blade Strangers

Blade Strangers

An anime stylish fighting game. Blade Strangers is about a group of different characters brought from various games and franchises to battle each other and duel.

Those who obtain victory in the tournaments will earn the title of Blade Stranger, thus, becoming reliable to save “Motes” and Lina, who are the creators of these tournaments. Pick a fighter of your choice and start discovering their special moves and chain attacks!


5. Nidhogg 2

Nidhogg 2

Nidhogg is an interesting close-call combat game where you play different stages against one enemy at a time. The visuals and the animations are made to make the game stand out.

There are different weapons in the game, like swords, daggers, and sabers, with different attacks and effects. As well as a bow! You can hover between those weapons every time you respawn, making the game dynamic.


6. The King of Fighters '98

The King of Fighters '98

They are bringing back the classic fighting games again! This arcade-style game lets you go through a set of battles in a massive tournament. There are over 30 characters in the game; each character has special attacks and different moves, though the controls for these moves are the same.

When you start, you will have three characters to play against the other three characters; you must defeat all three characters in different rounds to move on to the next battle.


7. Samurai Shodown II

Samurai Shodown II

Follow the story of Samurai Shodown as you fight against many different characters to reach the final boss of the game in the Devil’s world. The game has classic visuals and nice little details.

When your or the enemy’s health goes below a certain percentage, the characters will start to look exhausted. Each character will look unique and different. There are also different sets of moves for each fighter.


8. Pocket Rumble

Pocket Rumble

Pocket Rumble is a fighting game with unique visuals full of pixels. Characters are drawn in an old cartoonish style, making you feel like you’re playing a game back in the 80s. The characters in the game have different styles that attract different players.

However, the most important part is their special combos that must be learned to master the game. The game had potential, but it had fallen off due to the release delay after dropping the trailer.


9. Guilty Gear XX ACCENT CORE PLUS R

Guilty Gear XX ACCENT CORE PLUS R

Guilty Gear is a very competitive fighting game that can be seen by many try-hard players online and in tournaments. However, the story mode is quite pleasing and rich with content.

Each character will have different paths until they complete their story. To finish the game, you will have to fight other characters on different levels, reading through their dialogue before the fight begins.


10. Pokkén Tournament DX

Pokkén Tournament DX

Ever wanted to control your pokemon during duels? Now you can do so with Pokken Tournament DX! Now you can choose your favorite pokemon and hold them against other silly or tough pokemon! Join ranked games! Or 3 on 3 battles.

The game looks great with impressive 3D animations and models. Pokemon have different mechanics and combos to be used against their enemies. The game is no longer RNG! It all depends on your skills.


11. ARMS

ARMS

Grand Prix! Ranked matches! Or just friends! This is what you can do in ARMS, a unique fighting game where all characters have long-zigzag-looking arms used to fight each other. The standard character is called Spring Man; he is the face of the game.

As you start Grand Prix, each character will have different dialogues and biography displayed. Unlike other fighting games, this one is not two-dimensional! The camera is placed above your character, making it almost a first-person view.


12. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl

Spongebob? Patric? Sandy? What about Danny Phantom and other famous and infamous Nickelodeon characters? Yes! They are all playable in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl! This game is very similar to Super Smash Bros in mechanics and worlds.

Players will take damage, and the higher their damage intake becomes, the easier they get knocked out of the map.


13. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy

Naruto Shippuden- Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy

The Naruto fighting games have been one of the most popular anime-related franchise games. Played on all platforms, the games are unique and fun! Using different jutsu and ultimates and having different animations, the game is absolutely fun!

You can also follow the story as you play, making it more entertaining. The camera is pointed behind your character, aiming at your target and the enemy.


14. SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy

SNK Heroines- Tag Team Frenzy

Many fighting games need to have the accessibility for players to participate in online and local matches. SNK does just that with its unique style of gameplay!

They are entering 3D modeled characters in different worlds and maps to fight against each other. One thing to notice about this game is that almost all characters are females, and most of them are dressed in seriously revealing styles.


15. BlazBlue CentralFiction

BlazBlue CentralFiction

BlazBlue has a story mode with different chapters. Each chapter features a different character. Those chapters will also reveal beautiful animations for the characters. As well as professional voice acting.

The game is rich with content! You will enjoy going through the game’s episodes. Once the fight starts, you will encounter various enemies with special abilities, and it will be up to you to memorize and learn their attack patterns.


16. Garou: Mark of the Wolves

Garou- Mark of the Wolves

A 2D classic fighting game that was released in 1999 by SNK. The game is a One on One battle featuring different fighters and characters. Each character has a health bar with a specific highlight at a certain percentage.

When a character's health drops or becomes at the highlighted part, it allows them to start different moves and special combos. For a classic game like Garou, the animations and attacks are smooth, and the sound effects are fantastic.


17. Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball FighterZ

The famous Dragon Ball franchise has finally arrived on Nintendo Switch with their brand new fighting game! Follow the story of Goku and his allies. In each stage, there will be a boss and an enemy. Occasionally you will have characters on your team, as well as the enemy team.

Each round is viewed from the side. Characters can use their special abilities and energy blasts to attack the enemy. Play online through various Dragon Ball characters and scream alongside them as they channel their ultimate moves.


18. Fantasy Strike

Fantasy Strike

Fantasy Strike has visuals similar to Borderlands and The Walking Dead series. They are making it quite the fun game to try! Alongside the cartoonish style, Fantasy Strike has plenty of characters to pick from. There are defensive characters that are more about waiting for the opponent to strike.

And there are offensive characters that will mash their buttons at you. However, Fantasy Strike is a strategic fighting game! Use your knowledge of martial arts to win your battles.


19. Under Night In-Birth

Under Night In-Birth

Another anime-style fighting game with lots of flashy particles and colorful waves of attacks. Under Night brings anime battles to life while maintaining the fighting games style.

Characters with projectiles, engagements, strong normal attacks that can reach the end of the screen, puppets, and strong grabs. Which character will you like the most? You can only find out by playing the game!


20. Kirby Fighters 2

Kirby Fighters 2

Kirby has sneaked from Super Smash and founded a game for itself! Nintendo has released Kirby Fighters 2 out of the blue, and it went pretty well!. Choose from the different Kirbies that are based on other Nintendo characters.

The worlds are very colorful, and unlike Super Smash, there is no way you drop outside the map. Following that, players will have their health reduced to zero to finish the match.


21. SNK Gals' Fighters

SNK Gals' Fighters

In this game, only the most refined women are allowed to compete in these matches and become the winner! The “K Talisman” Will grant the winner any wish they desire! And that is enough for each to drive them forward.

This game contains 11 women to choose from. Each time you defeat a character, their backstory will flash as images in the background before you claim victory. You are making an interesting story behind this simple and classic fighting game.


22. Rivals of Aether

Rivals of Aether

With Rivals of Aether, play as many different mutated animals with special abilities and strong weapons. Up to 4 players can play online!

Fight and prove yourself to be worthy as a Rival. Join the competitive scene where many players share the experience of watching veterans in action. The powers of the four elements, fire, water, earth, and wind, are inherited by the various characters in the game.


23. Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection

Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection

The ultimate Samurai Shodown game is finally here, collecting all prior series since ‘93. Six NEOGEO titles are featured as well as seven Samurai Shodown titles. Discover the online aspect of each title, where you play against your friends of other randoms.

The arts and images in the game are very well done! Bringing life to it and definitely music! Over 200 music tracks are available in this collection.


24. SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium

SNK vs. Capcom- The Match of the Millennium

SNK and CAPCOM have started collaborating to create an exciting fighting game! Characters from games like Street Fighter and Samurai Shodown will be included for 26 different fighters. Different modes have also been implemented, like Single Versus or Tag team.

Hidden characters will be on the wait until you unlock them through different mini-games. So Flex on your fighting game skills that you learned from SNK or Capcom, and destroy all who dare to stand in your way.


25. Melty Blood: Type Lumina

Melty Blood- Type Lumina

If there is something Melty Blood should be proud of, then it is the gorgeous animation that is brought with the lore, but also the Rollback Netcode feature that allows for a fair and immediate action by each player. Melty Blood is a highschool themed fighting game with lots of fantasy and unnatural abilities.

Characters with their power move ready will have a momentarily pause with their faces in the background to alert the player, making it also an intense fighting game.


26. Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid

Power Rangers- Battle For The Grid

The Power Rangers fighting game has arrived on Switch! This time it is about the Battle for The Grid. Many colorful power rangers are presented in almost realistic graphics in 3D style.

Both Rangers and Villains are available to select. Enjoy the 3 vs. 3 tag battles and show off your mechanics online. Remember, the game might be easy to learn, but it is hard to master.


27. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

BlazBlue- Cross Tag Battle

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle Special Edition includes the main game and all previous DLCs, making it a must-buy bundle! There are over 5 additional characters included as well as additional color sets.

BlazBlue universe has been crossover with new characters from RWBY, Senran, Akatsuki, and Under Night. Discover the special interactions between characters and enjoy the rich content collab!


28. Guilty Gear XX: Accent Core Plus R

Guilty Gear XX- Accent Core Plus R

“Good fights never age”, that is what is commonly said in Guilty Gear; this time, Accent Core Plus R has arrived at Nintendo Switch. The duel returns in a world full of competition, and it has been expanded online to allow fights no matter where you’re in the world.

Walkthrough the unique characters and experience their power through their different sets of weapons. Expect many flashy particles and effects to appear on your screen.


29. Skullgirls 2nd Encore

Skullgirls 2nd Encore

Skullgirls 2nd is finally available on Nintendo Switch! This fighting game has been trending recently with its extraordinary visuals and beautiful style. Unique with its characters like no other game, SkullGirls have lots of personalities for the player to witness.

While the title might suggest there are only Girls in this game, there are other male characters to select. However, it doesn’t matter who you play as long as you can guarantee victory in every match!