1
Super Smash Bros. Melee
NGL94
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloMultiplayerCo-opRanged2D
Year 2001Dev HAL Laboratory · Nintendo
Super Smash Bros. Melee has little in the way of ratings and a great deal of standing. Hence the first place.
The 20 Best 2D Fighting Games (2026)
Updated September 2026
This is the ranking of the best 2D Fighting Games, sorted by NextGameLike Score: a 0-100 metric blending Steam reviews, IGDB ratings (community and critic), Metacritic, OpenCritic and the NextGameLike community votes into a single number. Unlike opinion-based editorial lists, this order is computed from real data and applies a Bayesian shrinkage adjustment so games with few reviews can't inflate the top of the chart. Super Smash Bros. Melee, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate lead the chart — the highest-rated titles in the genre according to our data. The top-25 average NextGameLike Score is 88/100, out of 68 games catalogued. The ranking updates continuously as new reviews and votes come in.
Top 3
Top of “The 20 Best 2D Fighting Games (2026)”: Super Smash Bros. Melee (94.4/100). Close behind: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
The 2D Fighting Games rated highest by critics and players that you should play
Ranked by NextGameLike Score · 68 games catalogued
2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
NGL89
Fighting2D Fighter
MultiplayerCo-opOfflineSoloMelee
Year 2022Dev Tribute Games · DotEmuPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is one of the few 2D Fighting Games where players and critics say the same thing. Enough for the podium: number 2.
3
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
NGL88
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloMultiplayerCo-opDarkFantasy
Year 2018Dev Sora · NintendoOn Switch
With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the press was ahead of the public. It holds the best critic score on the whole list, 92/100. Enough for the podium: number 3.
4
Lethal League Blaze
NGL88
Fighting2D Fighter
MultiplayerCo-opSoloOfflinePvP
Year 2018Dev Team ReptilePlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox
Lethal League Blaze is one of the few 2D Fighting Games where players and critics say the same thing. No other entry of the 20 has a higher share of positive reviews: 97%. That gets it into the top 10, at number 4.
5
Domiverse
NGL96
Fighting2D Fighter
MultiplayerOfflinePvPSoloMelee
Year 2019Dev Haunted TiePlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux
Domiverse has little in the way of ratings and a great deal of standing. Number 5, inside the top 10.
6
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
NGL90
Fighting2D Fighter
OfflineSoloMultiplayerCo-opRanged
Year 2014Dev Sora · Nintendo
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is more loved by critics than by the average player. That gets it into the top 10, at number 6.
7
Blade and Sorcery
NGL88
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloMagicMeleeDarkSandbox World
Year 2024Dev WarpFrogPlaytime ~2hOn PC
Blade and Sorcery is here because of its players — they are who it won over. It is the most reviewed of the 20: 61,151 Steam reviews. Number 7, inside the top 10.
8
Snow Resort Simulator
NGL93
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkProcedural
Year 2022Dev BadMudStudio · bilibiliPlaytime ~6hOn PC
Critics were lukewarm on Snow Resort Simulator; players were not. Number 8, inside the top 10.
9
Idol Showdown
NGL94
Fighting2D Fighter
PvPMultiplayerSoloMeleeAnime
Year 2023Dev Besto Game Team · Besto GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC
No argument here: Idol Showdown wins over players and critics alike. It is the newest on the list (2023), and has already earned its place. Number 9, inside the top 10.
10
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
NGL87
Fighting2D Fighter
OfflineSoloMultiplayerCo-opMelee
Year 2008Dev Sora · Nintendo
Super Smash Bros. Brawl has little in the way of ratings and a great deal of standing. Number 10, inside the top 10.
11
TimeTekker
NGL91
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloPvPMeleeRangedHardcore
Year 2018Dev Artii GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux
TimeTekker earns its place on presence rather than on a score. It sits at 11 of 20.
12
Slap City
NGL88
Fighting2D Fighter
MultiplayerSoloCo-opOfflineMelee
Year 2018Dev LudosityPlaytime ~3hOn PC
Critics were lukewarm on Slap City; players were not. It lands at 12 of 20.
13
Street Fighter II' Turbo
NGL92
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloMultiplayer2D
Year 1993Dev Capcom · Playtronic
Street Fighter II' Turbo earns its place on presence rather than on a score. It is the oldest game in the ranking (1993) and still here. It sits at 13 of 20.
14
SoulCalibur II
NGL89
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedFantasy
Year 2002Dev Project Soul · Namco
SoulCalibur II has little in the way of ratings and a great deal of standing. It lands at 14 of 20.
15
Rivals of Aether
NGL85
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflinePvP
Year 2017Dev Dan FornacePlaytime ~4hOn PC · Xbox · Nintendo
Rivals of Aether is carried by its players more than by its reviews. It sits at 15 of 20.
16
Roof Rage
NGL89
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloMultiplayerOfflineMeleeCasual
Year 2018Dev Early Melon · Plug In DigitalPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Nintendo
Roof Rage is here because of its players — they are who it won over. It lands at 16 of 20.
17
Nidhogg
NGL84
Fighting2D Fighter
OfflineMultiplayerSoloPvPMelee
Year 2014Dev MesshofPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Apple Macintosh
No argument here: Nidhogg wins over players and critics alike. It lands at 17 of 20.
18
Street Fighter IV
NGL84
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloMultiplayerMelee2D
Year 2010Dev CapcomOn PS · Xbox
Street Fighter IV earns its place on presence rather than on a score. It sits at 18 of 20.
19
Tekken 3
NGL85
Fighting2D Fighter
SoloMultiplayerMelee2D
Year 1997Dev Namco
Tekken 3 has little in the way of ratings and a great deal of standing. It lands at 19 of 20.
20
Streets of Rage 4
NGL86
Fighting2D Fighter
OfflineMultiplayerCo-opSoloPvP
Year 2020Dev DotEmuOn PS4 · Linux · Android
No argument here: Streets of Rage 4 wins over players and critics alike. It sits at 20 of 20.