Fighting game

Lore & Background

The fighting game genre originated with Heavyweight Champ (1976), the first video game to feature fist fighting, but Karate Champ (1984) established the one-on-one fighting game format in arcades and also introduced health meters. Later that year, Yie Ar Kung-Fu introduced various fighting styles and character-specific special moves, and The Way of the Exploding Fist (1985) popularized the genre on home systems. Capcom's Street Fighter (1987) further refined special attacks, but its sequel Street Fighter II (1991) refined and popularized many genre conventions, including combos, leading to a boom in the early to mid-1990s.

Definition

Fighting games are a type of action game in which two or more on-screen characters fight each other, typically using special moves activated by precise sequences of button presses and joystick movements. The genre traditionally presents fighters from a side view, and while it has evolved from 2D to 3D graphics, many 3D games still operate within a 2D plane of motion. Street Fighter II is credited with standardizing the genre, leading to earlier similar games being reclassified as fighting games. Combat usually involves hand-to-hand techniques, though some characters wield melee weapons.

Characters are often human, but mecha-based games like the Gundam: Battle Assault series also exist. Fighting games are related to beat 'em ups, which involve fighting multiple enemies simultaneously and share health bar displays, but beat 'em ups lack separate rounds. Historically, the terms were used interchangeably until the late 1990s, though they are now considered distinct. Sports-based combat games such as boxing or wrestling simulations are generally classified under sports games rather than fighting games.

Special attacks and combos

Special attacks, also called secret moves, are a core feature of fighting games. They require specific directional inputs and button combinations to perform moves beyond basic punches and kicks. Some special moves, known as taunts, play animations that reflect a character's personality; these were introduced by SNK in Art of Fighting (1992). Taunts add humor and can affect gameplay, such as boosting other attacks.

Characters like Dan Hibiki from Street Fighter Alpha have unusual taunts. Combos, which chain multiple attacks together, have been fundamental since Street Fighter II (1991). Most fighting games include a combo meter to track progress. The effectiveness of combos often depends on how difficult they are to execute and the risk involved, demanding excellent memory and timing from players.