Best game to get into Fighting Games?

[Koro249]

Recently I started taking interest in some of the rarer trophies out there and while looking through ultra rare games I very often come across fighting games and I always think some of them look really cool. 
 

I have played some fighting games in my childhood with friends but like it was for many of us probably, I never really understood what I was doing and ended up just button mashing.
 

I don‘t even really get the concept of the games. Like I know there are combos and you can block or dodge moves but how do you know when to use what? Like can‘t you just say spam the same combo over and over?
Anyway, I am looking for a game that is good at teaching me those things, while also providing a decent entry level challenge to prepare for some of the more Ultra Rare ones. What can you recommend?

 

I am also interested in what makes so many of these so hard if someone can provide some insight. 
Any general info or story telling on your learning process with fighting games would also be interesting if you‘d like to share. 
 

Thanks in advance.

[Akrioz]

Try Guilty Gear Strive. It's popular right now, so there shouldn't be a problem someone to play with.

 

16 minutes ago, Koro249 said:

I am also interested in what makes so many of these so hard if someone can provide some insight. 

Mostly it's either to get to some high rank in ranked matches. Or some really hard combo trials. Sometimes there is a hard as nails boss rush mode or something. Persona 4 Arena, for example, has both the trials and boss rush against insane AI.

[ExHaseo]

The simple answer is just to play them and be patient. I'm not joking. Most fighting games have a trophy for completing the tutorial that will teach you the basics. The more you play, the better you'll get. As long as you're trying to get better and being mindful of what you're doing, rather than just mashing random buttons.

 

The longer answer is that it varies and can be very different depending on what game you want to learn and what type of game it is. "Fighting games" is actually a somewhat broad term. Learning the specifics of each type of game has to be learned in said game. Some stuff is universal, but learning and moving to higher level play of Tekken 7 or Dead or Alive isn't going to help much playing a game like Blazblue or Street Fighter. All of which are very different to games like Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm. And of course Smash Bros is kind of it's own beast. It's really best to find one you already like and improve in it, rather than trying to get good at all "fighting games". As you learn one game, some stuff will translate to another. As you learn that one you'll pick up more than you can take with you. It's a slow process.

 

If you're really looking for a specific game that teaches the more in-depth stuff, Skullgirls probably has the best and most in-depth tutorial in any fighting game. It focuses on 2D fighting games though. Some of the concepts will transfer to 3D, but 3D will be a very different experience. Skullgirls is one of the hardest fighting game plats to get though, so keep that in mind. The Blazblue games also have a good tutorial. Games like Blazblue and Skullgirls have a lot more in-depth mechanics though, and it can get confusing and overwhelming at first.

 

There is no quick and easy way to suddenly get good at all fighting games. It takes a lot of time. There are so many UR fighting game plats because they take skill. Not just anyone can pick it up and get everything within a few tries like most other games. You have to slowly learn mechanics and come to understand the game.

 

So seriously, if there's a fighting game you like. Just play it and be patient. You'll get better with time.

[FreshFromThaDeli]

I recommend you play what YOU like the look of and play Training mode in that game of your choice. I'm a 'labber' and spend a lot of time learning mechanics, setups, punishes and of course combo's. Don't get too hung up on learning combo's, they are not that important when starting out.

 

Divekick is 'my first fighting game' level of easy to get into and the core fundamentals of every fighting game is also present: footsies.

 

Examples of games that have great tutorials that teach you the basics and also advanced are Mortal Kombat 11, Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign-/Rev 2, BlazBlue series.

 

 For 3D fighters, Dead or Alive 5/6, have good tutorials.

 

Lastly don't play to win. Play to learn.

Edited September 28, 2021 by FreshFromThaDeli

[JohnCenaSong-]

I find that Mortal Kombat is quite an accessible entry point into fighting games and if you have Xbox/PC then Killer Instinct is actually pretty good at easing you in and teaching you along the way.

 

I'd say Soul Calibur and Tekken are also pretty accessible but they're both 3D fighters so it depends if that's what you're looking for.

 

Most fighting games that have ultra rares are that way because most of them are grindy and require you go usually play dozens of modes and do loads of stuff with every character etc. Usually they are not difficult (there are exceptions to that rule) so you don't need to get particularly good at them if you only want the trophies.

[Vergil]

 

You probably need to learn this first. Also GGXrd Rev has best tutorial. Even teaches you how to punish . Even Max thinks it

 

 

[CelestialRequiem]

Look for the most intense 2D fighter -- and start with that. 

[Koro249]

That‘s some great advice, thank you so much.

I can tell there are many fighting games enthusiasts out there and I really enjoy the feeling of gradually getting better at something. 
 

Skullgirls was actually one of the games that intrigued me the most. I‘m considering maybe playing the PS3 original or Encore version first as the trophies seem a bit easier (according to rarity, and time needed) to see if it‘s something I enjoy and then possibly getting 2nd encore version afterwards.

 

Guilty Gear Strive looked great too, but still a bit expensive at this time. 

Might also jump into Mortal Kombat X first as it was free and it seems most of the rarity comes from grinding which I don’t mind but it might still teach me some basics along the way.

[Deluziion90]

Fighting games are probably the games I struggle the most with. I've actually got pretty decent with Mortal Kombat 11 as the combo's are not that hard and when playing a lot you're getting longer and longer crazy combo's.

Edited September 28, 2021 by Deluziion90

[Copanele]

Sorry if I am late to the party, I wish to also offer my insight with fighting games

 

To get the first subject out of the way, if you are interested into fighting games only for the trophies, it's best to start with the ones with high percentages (BBTAG, Tekken 7, Skullgirls Encore for PS3) and slowly work your way up to the trickier ones. With the amount of info and the eagerness of the fans, you will find help for almost anything, even the nasty combos and trials. That's it, nothing more nothing less. You don't even need to touch the online, just boost if necessary.

 

Now, if you wish to learn and enjoy this often scary subgenre of videogames...things are abit more complicated. Fighting games definitely take a different approach usually.

I can only speak from experience, the other members gave fantastic advices too. I usually have this list for people who want to dip their toes into this genre (FOR BEGINNERS):

1. Pick a game that looks cool to you - there's nothing worse than playing something that you don't like. Doesn't matter if SF4 has a famous UR trophy, if you can't stand Ryu's ugly mug then it's for nothing. See the offers, see what appeals to you and try that out. Maybe it's the soundtrack, maybe it's the mechanics, maybe that crazy character with a giant lighter beats the hell out of the weird vampire who shadowboxes and says poetry and that screams "omg that's so cool" in your head. Speaking of characters...
2. Pick a character that looks cool to you and try his moveset..at first - I legit recommend picking the most badass looking character and try that out in Training mode, see what he can do, what pressing the buttons does. Check the character's move list, some super flashy moves are done by pressing a combination of buttons. WARNING! If the character makes you scratch your head and wonder why you're reading a math book instead of playing a game (see Angel from KoF), switch to the next best looking character. If all of them are weird...just pick the main character,usually he/she has the easiest moveset. Example: Scorpion and Sub-zero
3. (optional)Check the lore - it usually helps to get into the vibe of the game. For instance in the fighting game that I play now Guilty Gear Strive, Sol Badguy is a rough dude who has no finesse due to his background, so of course that motivates me to just go gorilla on people online. Doesn't work all the time but it's fun.
4. Training/Tutorial mode - YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW THE GAME WORKS! Thankfully the newest fighting games have pretty solid tutorials. Normally you learn the stuff in the tutorial, practice it in Training mode , eventually semi-apply it in Arcade mode just to hit something that doesn't sit around. Arcade mode helps abit with lore too. And now for the "final" step.
5. Online mode - expect to lose all the time - Join ranked/free battle/lobby, start a match vs randoms and...expect to lose. A lot. Like a lot lot lot. Online is the ultimate battleground and the place where you determine if you're actually good at the game. There's no shame in losing, treat everything like an experience. Every time you lose go back to training mode and practice some more. Or set up a Versus CPU match against that character on a higher difficulty and see what that character usually does.

 

In terms of beginner friendly games that will teach you the ropes, the best at the moment I feel it's Guilty Gear Strive. Really, not only you have the basics explained to you, each move is described with a small video in the move list. Blazblue Cross Tag Battle and Under Night In-Birth are also decent picks for the beginning. I would normally also advise Granblue Fantasy Versus but that game is mad expensive. Ultimately, if you want the basic of the basics, Samurai Shodown is very simple yet very technical and a great pick overall. Only issue is that the online is subpar.

 

If Anime fighting games are not your fancy, best pick is by far Mortal Kombat 11 closely followed by Street Fighter 5. Both games are at the end of their gaming cycle (no more updates) and they are massively populated + FINALLY good online, so you can't go wrong with any of them. Or you can indeed pick up Mortal Kombat X ,since it's free, and go for it, that game is still played, you'll always find a match in no time.

 

In terms of 3D fighting games, Tekken 7 is probably the best pick at the moment since you have an entire menagerie of characters. Soul Calibur is also a good franchise if you fancy swords and all manners of weapons.

 

Now, to answer 2 topics directly:

1 hour ago, Koro249 said:

I don‘t even really get the concept of the games. Like I know there are combos and you can block or dodge moves but how do you know when to use what? Like can‘t you just say spam the same combo over and over?

Experience will teach you when to use what + a healthy dose of practice and youtube research. To give a weird explanation, a fighting game is like a high speed match of chess, opponent does a move which you will need to know how to anticipate and how to react to it, either block or punish him.

Imagine you are fighting a beginner level Scorpion , who hops and pops and mashes buttons with his face. If:

• he jumps, you uppercut him with an anti-air. Whatever hits him out of his jumping.
• he Teleports, block then kick him in the nuts, or whatever attack you have in MK.
• he spams attack, block, wait for him to finish his long ass stupid combo, then swipe him or kick him in the nuts again.

That's for the beginner level and what you will mostly encounter. When he does X you react with Y. A common mistake people do in the beginning is jumping around like rabbits and pressing all buttons. You have to be patient and punish the opponent when he does a mistake. But practice is the key, you will learn as you play.

You can learn combos once you familiarize yourself with the basic concepts.

 

1 hour ago, Koro249 said:

I am also interested in what makes so many of these so hard if someone can provide some insight.

 

As games, they are very demanding and it's one of the genres where you can't bullshit your way out (unless the game is a broken mess). You need to put in the hours of practice and unlike the other videogames, you won't see the progress immediately. It's basically like playing an instrument, you will see the improvement with time.

As for why are they so rare platinum wise...search KoFXIII Trials by VesperArcade and you will understand. Trophies usually require insane amounts of precision OR tons of grinding.

 

I hope I didn't sidetrack too much

[Koro249]

@Copanele Alright that‘s it. Next game i start will be a fighting game. 

Thank you for all your detailed advice. Very interested in finding out more about the genre. 
 

Now I‘m all hyped up. 

 

[cubiCampla]

My favorites are Persona 4 Arena and Power Rangers Battle for the Grid. These have some of the lowest platinum percentages for fighting games I've seen.

 

I also really like BBxTag because it has RWBY characters and Persona characters. Dragonball FighterZ is also an amazing fighter that still has players today despite being out for years.

 

Edit: OH! One more thing... I notice your profile picture is Isaac from the Binding of Isaac. Did you know he is actually in a traditional 2D fighter game? Check out Blade Strangers!!

Edited September 28, 2021 by FrostyMcNugs

[DeepEyes7]

Mortal Kombat or Injustice are a good point of entry to 2D fighters... BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is another good game if you want to explore the ArcSys line of games...

 

It seems that there is no love here for Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 ?

[Koro249]

On 28.9.2021 at 11:32 PM, FrostyMcNugs said:

My favorites are Persona 4 Arena and Power Rangers Battle for the Grid. These have some of the lowest platinum percentages for fighting games I've seen.

 

I also really like BBxTag because it has RWBY characters and Persona characters. Dragonball FighterZ is also an amazing fighter that still has players today despite being out for years.

 

Edit: OH! One more thing... I notice your profile picture is Isaac from the Binding of Isaac. Did you know he is actually in a traditional 2D fighter game? Check out Blade Strangers!!

Oh that‘s funny. Might have to check the game out for my boy isaac.  

 

Also thank you for your info. Had never heard of that Power Rangers game. Some really rare trophies indeed