10 Best Fighting Games Like Street Fighter 6 (2026)

Street Fighter 6 gives players several reasons to stay: readable one-on-one battles, distinctive characters, and a system with plenty to learn after the basics click. A good alternative depends on which part you want more of. You might want another grounded 2D fighter, a game with faster air movement, or a 3D arena where sidestepping changes the entire matchup.

These ten games offer different routes into competitive fighting. The list includes traditional 2D fighters, tag-team games, and 3D alternatives, with the differences made explicit rather than treating them as identical substitutes. Rankings favor a clear connection to Street Fighter-style decision-making and a distinct reason to branch out. Editions, DLC rosters, and online features vary, so check your platform before choosing a package.

Before choosing a new main, browse our Street Fighter 6 beginner tips and best fighting games on PC guide.

10. Skullgirls 2nd Encore

Best for: Learning how team composition changes a matchup
At a glance: 2D fighter · Configurable team sizes

Skullgirls lets team construction affect the way a match works. You can field different team sizes and use assists to extend pressure or cover a weakness, making character selection part of the strategy before the first exchange begins. Its hand-drawn animation gives attacks a distinctive presentation, while defensive decisions and movement still reward careful attention.

Choose it if you want to move from Street Fighter’s single-character matches into a team-based game without losing the importance of spacing and punish opportunities. Its tutorials provide a useful route into the mechanics. The pace and assist interactions can create more to track than a conventional one-on-one fighter, so start with a small set of characters. Check which fighters are included in your edition; additional character content is not automatically part of every purchase.

Official game details for Skullgirls 2nd Encore

Watch the official Skullgirls 2nd Encore trailer · Skullgirls.

9. Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes

Best for: A deeper resource contest inside a 2D fighter
At a glance: 2D anime fighter · Rollback networking

Under Night In-Birth II adds a resource contest to the familiar work of moving, defending, and looking for an opening. The GRD system makes control of an exchange matter beyond immediate damage, encouraging players to understand how offense and defense affect the next phase of a match. Characters also have very different tools, from close-range pressure to attacks that influence a much larger space.

It is a useful next step if you enjoy Street Fighter’s tactical exchanges and want a system with another layer to study. The movement and combo structure push it closer to anime fighters, so it is not a like-for-like replacement. Rollback networking supports its online matches, but that should not be confused with a promise of crossplay between all platforms. Spend time learning the system’s terminology before trying to memorize every character interaction.

Official game details for Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes

Watch the official Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes trailer · arcsystemworks.

8. Dragon Ball FighterZ

Best for: Fast three-character battles
At a glance: 2D tag fighter · 3-on-3 teams

Dragon Ball FighterZ turns a match into a contest between teams of three. Assists and character switches help create openings, extend attacks, and protect a teammate’s remaining health. Its movement and presentation make the action much more airborne and explosive than a typical Street Fighter exchange, but recognizing an unsafe attack or a predictable approach still matters.

Pick it when you want the energy of a tag fighter and enjoy building a team around complementary tools. Its accessible starting inputs do not eliminate the need to learn defense or team interactions. Rollback support depends on the version: PC and newer console editions differ from older releases. Check that detail if online play is the reason you are buying, and compare the included DLC characters rather than assuming every familiar fighter comes in the base roster.

Official game details for Dragon Ball FighterZ

Watch the official Dragon Ball FighterZ trailer · Bandai Namco Entertainment America.

7. Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage

Best for: A technical 3D alternative
At a glance: 3D fighter · Crossplay and rollback networking

Virtua Fighter changes the question from controlling a flat plane to managing a 3D space. Its small set of core buttons supports a detailed contest of movement, throws, strikes, and defensive choices. Rather than building its identity around projectile exchanges, it asks you to read an opponent’s habits at close range and understand how positioning changes your options.

World Stage is the current edition to look for, with a single-player mode alongside online competition. Crossplay and rollback networking are part of its stated feature set. Choose it when Street Fighter’s matchup learning is the attraction and you want that idea expressed through a different combat structure. The button count makes the basics look compact, but the timing and interactions give you plenty to study after the initial controls feel familiar.

Official game details for Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage

Watch the official Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage trailer · VIRTUA FIGHTER.

6. Mortal Kombat 1

Best for: A story-focused fighter with assist choices
At a glance: 2D fighter · Kameo assists

Mortal Kombat 1 pairs its main fighters with Kameo characters that can assist during a match. That gives team selection a different role from a full tag fighter: you are choosing support tools around the character you control. Its cinematic campaign and recognizable cast also make it a useful option for someone who wants a substantial story presentation alongside competitive matches.

It is a different tone from Street Fighter, with graphic violence central to its presentation. Choose it deliberately rather than treating it as a general recommendation for younger players. Kameo interactions and combo structure give you a new system to learn, while the underlying work of blocking and punishing remains relevant. Editions and expansion bundles include different fighters and story content, so check what is actually included instead of buying on the size of a promotional roster.

Official game details for Mortal Kombat 1

Watch the official Mortal Kombat 1 trailer · Mortal Kombat. YouTube may require age verification.

5. The King of Fighters XV

Best for: Traditional 2D fundamentals across a team
At a glance: 2D fighter · Three-character teams

The King of Fighters XV asks you to learn three characters and decide the order in which they fight. Matches proceed through that team rather than constantly tagging between characters, which gives resource management and lineup decisions a distinctive rhythm. Movement, jumps, and close-range pressure also make its exchanges feel different from Street Fighter, even when the basic goal is still finding an opening without giving one away.

Choose it if you want to stay with traditional 2D combat while expanding the number of matchups and roles you understand. It is a strong fit for players who like developing a small roster rather than dedicating every session to a single main. Its online feature set includes rollback and supported crossplay, but platform and edition details still deserve a check. DLC characters are separate from the base lineup unless your selected package says otherwise.

Official game details for The King of Fighters XV

Watch the official The King of Fighters XV trailer · SNK OFFICIAL.

4. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising

Best for: An approachable route into another 2D fighter
At a glance: 2D fighter · Simplified input options

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising keeps many of its decisions easy to recognize: control space, avoid an unsafe approach, and make an opening count. Simplified skill inputs let a newcomer use important tools sooner, while the wider combat system still gives experienced players timing and resource decisions to refine. Its fantasy cast provides distinct fighting styles without requiring you to follow the wider Granblue series first.

It is a particularly useful alternative if Street Fighter 6’s accessible control options helped you get started. Rollback networking and supported crossplay make online play part of the package’s appeal. A Free Edition offers a limited way to sample the game, but it is not equivalent to buying the full roster. Check its current character restrictions before arranging matches around a particular fighter or assuming all single-player content is included.

Official game details for Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising

Watch the official Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising trailer · Cygames EN.

3. Guilty Gear -Strive-

Best for: A more expressive, faster-moving 2D game
At a glance: 2D anime fighter · Rollback networking

Guilty Gear -Strive- gives each character a strong identity, with unusual tools and movement shaping the matchup. Its Roman Cancel system lets players alter the flow of an action, opening possibilities for pressure, recovery, and combinations that would not otherwise connect. The result is a fighter where the decision to spend a resource can change what happens next in a very visible way.

Choose it if you want to keep learning one-on-one exchanges but add a more expressive system around them. The hybrid 2D and 3D presentation and character designs also give it a different feel from Street Fighter. Rollback networking is supported, while crossplay is organized by supported platform groups rather than one universal pool. Compare editions for DLC fighters, and spend time with one character’s core tools before trying to absorb the entire roster.

Official game details for Guilty Gear -Strive-

Watch the official Guilty Gear -Strive- trailer · arcsystemworks.

2. Tekken 8

Best for: A current 3D fighter with aggressive match flow
At a glance: 3D fighter · Heat system, crossplay, and rollback

Tekken 8 shifts the contest into 3D movement and character-specific strings. Sidesteps, throws, low attacks, and punish opportunities become part of how you read an opponent. The Heat system encourages more aggressive choices, but applying pressure still requires understanding which actions leave you exposed. Its character roster gives players very different ways to build a plan.

It is the clearest choice here for someone who wants a major current 3D alternative to Street Fighter. Story and practice features provide places to begin before online matches become the focus, and crossplay and rollback support are included. Expect a learning curve around move lists and defensive recognition. Returning fighting-game knowledge helps, but a familiar controller does not mean the same habits will work: lateral movement alone can change how you approach a matchup.

Official game details for Tekken 8

Watch the official Tekken 8 trailer · Bandai Namco Entertainment America.

1. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

Best for: The closest current alternative in traditional 2D combat
At a glance: 2D fighter · REV system and two control styles

City of the Wolves brings Fatal Fury back with a combat system built around the REV gauge. Its offensive options can give an exchange momentum, but managing that resource matters if you want to keep your tools available. The game offers Arcade Style and Smart Style controls, giving players different routes into using character abilities while preserving a larger system to learn.

It takes the top spot for someone who wants another current 2D fighter with a recognizable link to Street Fighter’s spacing and character decisions. Crossplay and rollback networking support online competition, while its individual character stories provide an offline route through the cast. Check the current edition’s included season-pass content before comparing prices. Choose it for a fresh set of matchups and resource decisions, rather than expecting Street Fighter’s Drive system under a different name.

Official game details for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

Watch the official Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves trailer · SNK OFFICIAL.

For another approachable 2D game, begin with Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising or Fatal Fury. Try Guilty Gear or Under Night for a different resource and movement system. Tekken and Virtua Fighter are the useful picks when you want to learn 3D combat, while Skullgirls and Dragon Ball FighterZ put team construction at the center of the match.

Our beginner characters in Tekken 8 and King of Fighters XV character guide offer starting points for choosing a roster to learn.