Fighting games’ flashy animations, colorful characters, and varied premises make them alluring to outsiders, but the genre is notoriously difficult for beginners to get into. But in 2020, several fighting games – both popular series like Street Fighter and smaller indie projects – have made efforts to increase accessibility for new players, meaning there are many good options for where to start.

Since it’s easy to be impressed by fighting games’ pretty visuals and huge communities, it’s no wonder lots of gaming fans consider picking them up as a hobby at one point or another. Complex mechanics and dexterity-demanding move executions make it incredibly intimidating, however, so many of those interested simply bounce off before giving fighting games a real effort. That’s where the five games below come in, as each has tools to help newbies over the initial wall.

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The five games below incorporate mechanics that make them easier to grasp than fighters like Tekken or Guilty Gear, be they thorough tutorials, simplified inputs, or engaging story modes. Entries are ordered from most to least accessible, but any one of them is a solid option for beginners. First, though: a list of honorable mentions, in no particular order.

Most Accessible Fighting Games In 2020 – Honorable Mentions

Garou: Mark of the Wolves

Why it’s good for beginners: Mark of the Wolves features a small but diverse roster, beautiful sprite art, and a straightforward, four-button fighting system. Each of its characters’ basic super moves are performed with the same motions, and execution windows on special moves are fairly lenient. Additionally, while its single-player mode is difficult, a “Continue Service” system allows players to adjust the difficulty in a number of ways when attempting a failed duel again.

Why it’s not on the list: While Mark of the Wolves is one of the more revered non-current-gen fighting games, few old fighters – besides Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike – maintain consistent followings from large groups of fans. That means fewer people to play with and get advice from, as well as a higher percentage of players at intimidatingly high skill levels.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Why it’s good for beginners: Originally designed as party games, the titles in the Super Smash Bros. series are initially easy to understand. Simple movesets and recognizable characters mean most players will find something to enjoy, and items and customization options allow new players to use randomness to overcome superior skill.

Why it’s not on the list: While the Smash series is probably the easiest of any fighting game to enjoy casually, getting to a competitive level requires a significant amount of work. Complicated techniques like wavedashing make high-level Super Smash Bros. Melee practically unreachable for newcomers.

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Killer Instinct (2013)

Why it’s good for beginners: The 2013 Killer Instinct reboot has an extensive set of tutorials to help ease new players into its systems, plus a roster of strange and interesting characters. There’s also a Combo Assist option and a (microtransaction-filled) Roguelike mode for solo players to try.

Why it’s not on the list: As a relatively old title for the current console generation, Killer Instinct suffers from the same issue as Mark of the Wolves, and its lengthy combos mean new players will likely find themselves trapped in hitstun by more experienced opponents.

Rising Thunder: Community Edition

Why it’s good for beginners: Rising Thunder was specifically designed to be beginner-friendly, sporting simplified inputs that still allow for depth and strategy.

Why it’s not on the list: After an alpha release, the game was canceled in early 2016. A fan-developed rerelease titled Community Edition allowed it to live on. The project has a small-yet-active community, but its PC exclusivity and lack of developer support make it less accessible than other, larger games on the list.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

Why it’s good for beginners: Dragon Ball FighterZ‘s auto combos and simplified inputs make it more approachable than most combo-heavy, “airdasher” fighting games, and its wide popularity means there are plenty of fans to teach newcomers.

Why it’s not on the list: Tag teams mean more pre-match choices than a one-on-one fighter, and its combo- and juggle-focused gameplay may be tougher to grasp than more grounded fighting systems. New players looking to try an Arc System Works title with a similarly gorgeous anime aesthetic might enjoy Granblue Fantasy: Versus, which offers simpler, ground-based gameplay.

Other Honorable Mentions

Injustice 2, Granblue Fantasy: Versus, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Samurai Shodown 5Special, Rivals of Aether, Real Bout Fatal Fury, Pocket Fighter

Most Accessible Fighting Games In 2020 – Fantasy Strike

Developer/Publisher: Sirlin Games

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Release Year: 2017 initial, 2020 free-to-play edition

Platforms: Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4

Aside from the two-button Divekick, there’s no simpler fighting game than Fantasy Strike. Like Rising Thunder, playing Fantasy Strike well is more about knowledge and decision-making than dexterity. When making Fantasy Strike, developer Sirlin Games emphasized accessibility above all else, but it also aimed to make sure the game’s simplified control scheme wouldn’t sacrifice potential for depth and competition. Between the easy-to-understand mechanics, in-depth tutorial, and in-game character strategy videos, Fantasy Strike is an excellent way to learn the thought processes needed to enjoy other fighting games. Plus, it’s now free-to-play, with a microtransaction system that avoids most of the usual predatory psychological tricks.

Most Accessible Fighting Games In 2020 – Mortal Kombat 11

Developer/Publisher: NetherRealm Studios/Warner Bros. Interactive

Release Year: 2019 initial, 2020 Aftermath edition

Platforms: Google Stadia, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Breaking into Mortal Kombat 11‘s online multiplayer can be difficult, but there’s so much to do offline that new players will find plenty of ways to get their feet wet. Mortal Kombat 11‘s multi-hour story mode, challenge-imbued Towers of Time, and Krypt – an RPG-like, third-person, explorable dungeon with one-on-one fights scattered throughout – make it perhaps the most fully-featured fighting game for solo players. A good tutorial system and slow-paced gameplay also make MK11‘s fights themselves easier to understand than its peers’, as does its lack of emphasis on combos and juggling. (Note: Players interested in MK‘s mechanics but turned off by the gore may find NeatherRealm’s DC Comics-themed Injustice 2, which also features lots of single-player content, more appealing.)

Most Accessible Fighting Games In 2020 – Samurai Shodown (2019)

Developer/Publisher: SNK

Release Year: 2019

Platforms: Arcade, Google Stadia, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

The Samurai Shodown games aren’t deliberately designed to be approachable, but because they’re weapons-based fighters, getting good is all about spacing and decision-making – not intricate combos. Most attacks do significant damage in a single hit, so it’s possible to win matches simply with well-timed basic attacks. Of all the SamSho games, 2019’s reboot is the best place to start. It added some layers of intricacy on top of the series’ usual mechanics, which can be intimidating, but a thorough tutorial can help make sense of it all, and knowing just the fundamentals gets players far.

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Most Accessible Fighting Games In 2020 – Fighting EX Layer

Developer/Publisher: Arika

Release Year: 2018

Platforms: Android, Arcade, iOS, PC, PlayStation 4

Fighting EX Layer takes characters from the relatively obscure Street Fighter EX series and gives them their own competent fighting game. The roster is varied and colorful, and the unique Gougi system gives players mid-match power-ups for fulfilling certain prerequisites. Beyond Gougi, though, Fighting EX Layer is fairly simple, and its Progressive mode – which the game’s creator actually recommends over Classic mode (via Resetera) – simplifies special move inputs to make execution easier for beginners, as do the game’s auto-combo and chain combo systems.

Most Accessible Fighting Games In 2020 – Street Fighter 5

Developer/Publisher: Capcom

Release Year: 2016 initial, 2018 Arcade edition, 2020 Champion edition

Platforms: Arcade, PC, PlayStation 4

Somewhat to the dismay of competitive Street Fighter players, Street Fighter 5 shrunk the skill gap found in previous entries by easing combo and special move timing windows and adding unpredictability via the V-trigger system. These elements make it easy for new players to pick up, however. Unfortunately, SF5 falls in last place on this list because it still assumes a level of familiarity with the genre, has a massive roster of characters that makes it hard to know where to start, and does a bad job of onboarding new players with single-player content (only having a nonsensical and far-too-easy story mode and some simple Arcade and Challenge modes). Still, SF5 is the best way to get into fighting games’ most storied franchise.

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Camden Jones
(430 Articles Published)

Camden Jones is one of Screen Rant’s gaming features editors. He loves video games, but he’s even more interested in the people who make and play them.

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