The Best PlayStation Fighting Games for PS5 and PS4

The Best PlayStation Fighting Games for PS5 and PS4

Fighting games have long been a cornerstone of the PlayStation library, dating back to the days of Tekken and Street Fighter on the original PS1. Decades later, the genre is thriving on both PS5 and PS4, offering lightning‑fast load times, crisp 4K visuals, and rollback netcode that makes online competition feel nearly lag‑free. Whether you’re looking to master complex combos, enjoy a cinematic story mode or just jump into couch co‑op with friends, there’s never been a better time to explore what the PlayStation ecosystem has to offer. Below is a curated list of the best fighting games you can play on PS5 and PS4 right now, along with upcoming titles that you should keep on your radar. The selection draws from official PlayStation recommendations and industry roundups that highlight names like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Mortal Kombat 1 and more.

Street Fighter 6

Capcom’s Street Fighter 6 rejuvenated the classic series with a mix of accessibility and depth. Built on Capcom’s RE Engine, the game features stunning arenas, expressive character designs and a robust new World Tour mode that lets players create a custom fighter and explore a semi‑open world. For newcomers, the Modern control scheme simplifies inputs, allowing players to perform special moves with single button presses. Veterans, meanwhile, can stick with Classic controls to preserve the full range of combos and cancels. The Drive System introduces a shared resource meter that fuels parries, armored attacks and powerful supers, rewarding creative strategy over button‑mashing. Cross‑play support ensures PS5 and PS4 owners can battle friends on other platforms, and the rollback netcode keeps matches smooth even across continents. Unsurprisingly, Street Fighter 6 appears at the top of many best‑of lists.

Tekken 8 (and Tekken 7)

Bandai Namco’s Tekken 8 is one of the most anticipated fighters of 2025, promising a new Heat System that encourages aggressive play, improved environmental destruction, and a continuation of the Mishima saga. While you wait for its release, Tekken 7 remains an excellent choice on both PS5 and PS4. Its roster includes over 50 characters, from series mainstays like Kazuya and Nina to guest fighters such as Akuma from Street Fighter. The combat is highly technical, emphasizing precise timing and movement, but recent updates have added robust tutorials and Practice Mode tools to help new players. Tekken’s storied plot—full of family betrayals, corporate intrigue and devil genes—plays out in a cinematic story mode. With local tournaments making a comeback and professional esports circuits on the horizon, Tekken continues to be a benchmark for 3D fighting games. PlayStation’s own guide highlights Tekken 8 alongside Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1 as must‑have titles for fighting enthusiasts.

Mortal Kombat 1 and Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate

NetherRealm Studios rebooted its gory franchise yet again with Mortal Kombat 1, resetting the timeline and reintroducing classic characters with fresh designs. This entry swaps the gear system of its predecessor for a simpler Kameo fighter mechanic that lets you call in assist characters during combos. The story mode, a hallmark of NetherRealm games, delivers blockbuster cutscenes that would feel at home in a Hollywood action film. For those who haven’t upgraded to MK1, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate on PS4 and PS5 remains a content‑rich package. It includes all post‑launch characters—Spawn, the Joker, Rambo—and the Aftermath story expansion. Both games support local and online versus modes, ranked ladders, and Towers of Time that offer rotating challenges. The combination of visceral fatalities and surprisingly deep mechanics makes Mortal Kombat essential for any fight‑game collection, and it’s regularly mentioned alongside Tekken and Street Fighter in best‑game roundups.

Guilty Gear – Strive‑ and Under Night In‑Birth II Sys:Celes

Arc System Works has dominated the anime fighter sub‑genre for years, and Guilty Gear ‑ Strive‑ is perhaps its crowning achievement. The game’s cel‑shaded art style looks like a living anime, with characters and special moves bursting off the screen. Each fighter plays uniquely, from the rushdown monster Sol Badguy to the zoning specialist Happy Chaos. A comprehensive tutorial and Mission Mode teach everything from basic movement to advanced mix‑ups, while the online lobby system allows for casual or ranked play with rollback netcode. On PS5, the game benefits from quick loading and a smooth 60 fps presentation.

Arc System Works is also bringing Under Night In‑Birth II Sys:Celes to PS5 and PS4. This sequel to the cult hit Under Night In‑Birth Exe:Late promises new characters, updated mechanics and a more robust story mode. Early previews suggest that Sys:Celes will keep the series’ unique GRD tug‑of‑war meter, which encourages offensive play but rewards smart defense. Lists of top PS5 fighting games include Under Night In‑Birth alongside Mortal Kombat and Tekken, making it a title to watch.

Dragon Ball FighterZ and Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero

Dragon Ball FighterZ, developed by Arc System Works and published by Bandai Namco, brings the kinetic battles of the anime to life with breathtaking 2.5D visuals. Teams of three characters tag in and out, letting you recreate iconic moments like Goku’s beam struggles or Vegeta’s Final Flash. The simplified input system means you don’t need to memorize long combos to feel powerful—autocombo strings ensure even beginners can pull off flashy moves. Yet the game still offers deep mechanics like vanish teleports, dragon rushes and sparking blast, giving competitive players plenty to master. On PS5, the game loads quickly and looks phenomenal in HDR.

Looking ahead, Bandai Namco is working on Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero, a new entry in the Budokai Tenkaichi series that aims to translate the open‑arena battles and destructible environments of the PS2 classics to modern hardware. The announcement has fighting‑game and anime fans buzzing, and though it’s more of an arena fighter than a traditional 2D or 3D brawler, it’s bound to draw in the same crowd. The TrueTrophies ranking of the best PS5 fighting games mentions Dragon Ball titles alongside Brawlhalla and Samurai Shodown.

King of Fighters XV and Samurai Shodown

SNK continues to support its long‑running franchises on PlayStation. King of Fighters XV, released in 2022, refines the series’ 3‑on‑3 team mechanics and introduces the Shatter Strike defensive option. The roster combines returning favorites like Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui with newcomers Isla and Krohnen, while the story mode concludes the Shun’ei Saga. The game features rollback netcode on PS5 and a robust online ranking system. Meanwhile, **Samurai Shodown** (2019) focuses on deliberate, high‑damage weapon duels. Matches can turn on a single slash or the judicious use of a Rage Explosion. A digital collection—the Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection—compiles the classic 2D entries and is an excellent history lesson for fans.

SoulCalibur VI and Dead or Alive 6

If you prefer weapon‑based fighters, SoulCalibur VI remains the go‑to choice on PlayStation. The sixth main entry reboots the series’ timeline and introduces new mechanics like the Reversal Edge, which creates a rock‑paper‑scissors mini‑game when characters clash. Guest characters such as Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher and 2B from Nier: Automata spice up the roster. The story mode retells events from the original game, while the Libra of Soul mode lets players create a custom fighter and embark on a sprawling RPG‑like adventure. Dead or Alive 6, though controversial for its DLC practices, still offers tight gameplay, interactive stages and a cast of ninjas, wrestlers and martial artists. Its stun‑combo system rewards quick reads and reactions, and the DOA series has always excelled at high‑impact strikes and flashy counter holds.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore and Brawlhalla

Indie developers have contributed some fantastic fighting games to PlayStation as well. Skullgirls 2nd Encore blends 1940s cartoon aesthetics with Marvel vs. Capcom‑style tag‑team gameplay. Each character in this all‑female roster possesses distinct tools, from Filia’s rushdown tactics to Peacock’s zoning shenanigans. The game’s tutorial is one of the most thorough in the genre, teaching everything from hit‑confirm timing to mix‑up theory. Meanwhile, Brawlhalla offers a free‑to‑play alternative with a huge roster of original characters and licensed crossovers ranging from Rayman to Ninja Turtles. Its platform‑fighter mechanics make it accessible to newcomers, but there is surprising depth thanks to weapon pickups and signature moves. TrueTrophies lists Brawlhalla among its top PS5 fighters, proving that you don’t need a big budget to make a game fun.

Honorable Mentions

Other titles worth checking out include Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, an updated version of the 2020 RPG‑fighter hybrid that introduces new characters and a Rising Dash mechanic; BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, which mixes characters from multiple franchises like RWBY and Persona; and MultiVersus, a free‑to‑play crossover platform fighter featuring Warner Bros. characters (though its re‑launch is planned for 2025). Retro compilations such as SNK’s NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection, and Capcom’s Fighting Collection are also great for nostalgia.

Conclusion

Whether you prefer traditional 2D fighters, 3D arena brawlers or party‑style platform fighters, the PlayStation ecosystem has you covered. Games like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Mortal Kombat 1 and Guilty Gear ‑ Strive‑ represent the cutting edge of the genre, while titles like Brawlhalla and Skullgirls 2nd Encore show that indie developers can hold their own. With new releases such as Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero on the horizon,the future of fighting games on PS5 and PS4 looks bright. So grab a DualSense controller, fire up your preferred training mode and prepare to test your mettle—there’s no shortage of ways to throw down on PlayStation.

External Links: To explore some of these games further or pick up

a copy, check out the PlayStation Store’s fighting games page and the official Bandai Namco games portal.