Line #125 DuelingWorks/FightingGame


1	[[header:[[center:[-'''DuelingWorks -- [[DuelingWorks/{{Games}} Video Games]]'''\
2	[[DuelingWorks/FirstPersonAndThirdPersonShooters Shooters]] \| '''Fighting''' \| DuelingWorks/{{Pinball}} \| DuelingWorks/{{Platform\|Game}} \| DuelingWorks/{{Racing\|Game}} \| [[DuelingWorks/RolePlayingGameEastern Eastern RPG]] \| DuelingWorks/{{Sandbox\|Simulation}} \| [[DuelingWorks/GamesCrossGenre Cross-Genre]]-]]]]]
3
4	* Initiators / Followers
5	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Description
6	** '''Implementation:''' Implementation
7	----
8	* ''International Karate'' (November 1985) / ''The Way of the Exploding Fist'' (May 1985)
9	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' SerialNumbersFiledOff ports of ''VideoGame/KarateChamp'' released for the Platform/Commodore64 in 1985.
10	** '''Implementation:''' They're pretty much indistinguishable gameplay-wise, but ''International Karate'' is notable for featuring one of the most popular SID tunes ever written, courtesy of Rob Hubbard.
11	----
12	* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' (February 1991) / ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' (November 1991) & ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'' (1992) & ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'' (1994)
13	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' 2D {{Fighting Game}}s developed as [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual sequels]] to the first ''VideoGame/StreetFighterI'', with many former developers of the original game moving from Creator/{{Capcom}} to Creator/{{SNK}}.
14	** '''Implementation:''' ''Street Fighter II'', created by Capcom developers Akira Nishitani and Akiman (of ''VideoGame/ForgottenWorlds'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFight'' fame), was a direct sequel to the original game, with the new feature to play as eight characters instead of the original two, thus emphasizing co-op play. ''Fatal Fury'', directed by Creator/TakashiNishiyama of ''SFI'', developed at the same time as ''SFII'', focused on interactive stages and gimmicky enemies, at the cost of having only three playable characters. ''Art of Fighting'', directed by Creator/HiroshiMatsumoto of ''SFI'', emphasized a cinematic story / presentation and stamina bars -- unlike ''FF'', it came out when ''SFII'' was already a success and it was accused of being a much more direct copy. The latter two had sequels which were much more similar to ''SFII'', and eventually had a crossover in ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters94'', which would end up overshadowing both franchises.
15	----
16	* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' (1991) / ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1992'' (1992)
17	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' The Samurai vs. Knight of fighting games. ''Mortal Kombat'' brought a BloodierAndGorier style, [[FinishingMove Fatalities]], and a much more brutal combat system. During their heyday in the early 90s, "''SF'' vs. ''MK''" was the equivalent of "WRPG vs JRPG" nowadays, with the same amount of prevalent (and annoying) topics devoted to it.
18	** '''Implementation:''' ''Mortal Kombat'' had more unique games churned out for it than ''Street Fighter''.
19	----
20	* ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'' (1993) / ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'' (1994) & ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' (1996)
21	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' 3D {{Fighting Game}}s with an emphasis on realistic martial arts styles.
22	** '''Implementation:''' ''Virtua Fighter'' is considered the UrExample of 3D fighters, like ''Street Fighter'' was for 2D fighters, and most games made after it deliberately ape it. ''Tekken'' combined ''VF''[='s=] realistic gameplay with a ''Street Fighter''-like cast of misfits. ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' took ''VF''[='s=] gameplay, added a strange exploding arena gimmick called the "Danger Zone" in addition to traditional {{Ring Out}}s (which would be replaced by [[FreeFloorFighting more freeform stages]] in subsequent titles), and utilized [[PantyFighter some]] [[JigglePhysics very fascinating]] [[{{Stripperiffic}} character]] [[{{Fanservice}} concepts]].
23	----
24	* ''VideoGame/EternalChampions'' (1993) / ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'' (1994)
25	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' [[DarkerAndEdgier Dark]], [[BloodierAndGorier violent]] fighting games made by the leading console manufacturers at the time as a FollowTheLeader answer to ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1992'', with outlandish character designs and gallons of RuleOfCool.
26	** '''Implementation:''' Though spearheaded by Creator/{{Sega}} and Creator/{{Nintendo}}, respectively, each game was actually made by a western developer (''Eternal Champions'' was developed by Sega's America-based Interactive Development Division, whereas ''Killer Instinct'' was made by Nintendo's newly-acquired second-party developer Rare.) ''Eternal Champions'' was developed specifically for the [[Platform/SegaGenesis Mega Drive/Genesis]], while ''Killer Instinct'' was released in arcades first, and later ported to the [[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]] (rather ironic, since Sega's primary market have always been arcades, whereas Nintendo had otherwise stopped making arcade games by that point). Gameplay-wise, ''Killer Instinct'' relied heavily on {{combo}}s, while ''Eternal Champions'' played more similarly to ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' with the addition of a "special attack meter" to prevent players from abusing special attacks. In lieu of ''Mortal Kombat'', both games also had violent {{Finishing Move}}s, though the ones in ''Killer Instinct'', while featuring large amounts of blood, had relatively little gore compared to both ''Mortal Kombat'' and ''Eternal Champions''.
27	----
28	* ''VideoGame/TheOutfoxies'' (1994) / ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' (1999)
29	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Arena fighting games with weapon pickups.
30	** '''Implementation:''' The former is an arcade game with original characters, while the latter is a console game featuring characters from Nintendo's franchises, released 5 years apart from each other.
31	----
32	* ''VideoGame/BattleArenaToshinden'' (January 1995) / ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soul Edge]]'' (December 1995)
33	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Early 3D weapons-based fighting games.
34	** '''Implementation:''' Both were released in 1995; ''Toshinden'' for the Platform/PlayStation, ''Soul'' for arcades (and ported to [=PlayStation=] the following year, [[MarketBasedTitle rebranded as]] ''Soul Blade'' for the North American and European markets due to trademark issues). Although not obvious at first, ''Toshinden'' actually takes place in the (then-)present, while ''Soul'' takes place in the 16th century. ''Toshinden'' also has a clear anime-based style while ''Soul'' went with more stylized realism (similar to its sibling series ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'').
35	----
36	* ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'' (October 1995) / ''Avengers in Galactic Storm'' (February 1995)
37	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Arcade fighting games based on Creator/MarvelComics.
38	** '''Implementation:''' Something so unusual as dueling titles made by rivaling companies (Creator/{{Capcom}} and Creator/DataEast, respectively) based around the same license. Both games featured ComicBook/CaptainAmerica and ComicBook/IronMan as playable characters, but otherwise had very little in common. ''Marvel Super Heroes'' was a sequel to ''VideoGame/XMenChildrenOfTheAtom'', was loosely based on the ''[[ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet Infinity Gauntlet]]'' storyline from the comics, had traditional sprite-based 2D graphics, and a special "Gem" system that gave your character temporary perks by fulfilling certain criteria during the match. ''Avengers in Galactic Storm'' was based on the ''[[ComicBook/OperationGalacticStorm Operation: Galactic Storm]]'' storyline, had pre-rendered CG characters and backgrounds on a two-dimensional playing field and was the first fighting game to feature {{Assist Character}}s.
39	----
40	* ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soul Edge]]'' (1995) / ''VideoGame/MaceTheDarkAge'' (1997)
41	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Arcade weapons-based fighting games in a HistoricalFantasy setting revolving around a titular ArtifactOfDoom weapon.
42	** '''Implementation:''' East vs. West, ''[[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco]]'' vs. ''[[Creator/MidwayGames Midway]]'', Samurai vs. Knight (literally, in this case). To oversimplify: ''Soul Edge'' is ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'' with swords, ''Mace'' is ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' with swords. It's also worth noting that the home port of each game was released exclusively on the Platform/PlayStation and Platform/{{Nintendo 64}} respectively.
43	----
44	* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom'' (1996) / ''VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse'' (2008)
45	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Established fighting franchise [[IntercontinuityCrossover crossing over]] with established comic universe. Capcom achieved such success with this formula back in TheNineties.
46	** '''Implementation:''' While Capcom lost the rights to make more games a few years back, they were finally able to convince Marvel to let them make ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3''. Midway's ''Mortal Kombat'' staff, on the other hand was bought by Creator/WarnerBros, DC's parent company, shortly after ''[=MKvsDCU=]'' came out.
47	----
48	* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIII'' (February 1997) / ''VideoGame/Tekken3'' (March 1997) & ''VideoGame/MortalKombat4'' (September 1997) & ''VideoGame/GarouMarkOfTheWolves'' (1999)
49	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' After playing it safe for several years, in the brave new year of 1997 the premier fighting game series were ready to take their next installment in bold new directions. Two years later, SNK followed suit with the final game (at the time) in their earliest fighting game franchise.
50	** '''Implementation:''' ''Mortal Kombat 4'' took the step into the third dimension, while ''Street Fighter III'' stayed in and perfected 2D (it was one of the best-looking 2D games ever at the time of its release). Both games did away with a substantial part of their established cast in favor of new faces, but ''Street Fighter III'' especially so (only Ryu and Ken returned, although later updates reintroduced Akuma and Chun-Li). While ''Mortal Kombat 4'' was now 3D, [[TwoAndAHalfD the gameplay still largely took place on a two-dimensional playing field]] and, with the exception of a sidestep maneuver and the introduction of a weapon system, the gameplay was largely unchanged. ''Street Fighter III'', on the other hand, had substantially altered gameplay with the introduction of dashing, "Super Arts" (players were given a choice of one of three Super Combos pre-match, with their selection also affecting how large their super gauge was and how many supers they could stock), and the new [[PunchParry parry]] system. ''Tekken 3'' added more three dimensional movement by allowing characters to step in and out of the background. It also made reversals available to all characters and introduced the "Tekken Force" beat-em-up mini game. Meanwhile, ''Garou: Mark of the Wolves'' followed in ''Street Fighter III''[='s=] footsteps, replacing the roster with a new generation of fighters (with Terry being the only returning character) and featuring some beautifully animated 2D artwork. The game also forsook ''VideoGame/FatalFury''[='s=] iconic plane-shifting mechanic in favor of traditional 2D movement, and also features a "Just Defense" mechanic similar to ''Street Fighter III''[='s=] [[PunchParry parrying]].
51	----
52	* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' (1999) / ''VideoGame/PlayStationAllStarsBattleRoyale'' (2012)
53	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' [[MediaNotes/ConsoleWars Console-specific]] {{Mascot Fighter}}s, each with a roster of characters associated with the console it is on.
54	** '''Implementation:''' You defeat opponents in ''Smash'' with {{Ring Out}}s. In ''PSASBR'', however, you defeat opponents with {{Limit Break}}s instead. The deeper mechanics of the two are very different as well. Sony acknowledges their game's inspiration from ''Smash'', though they also note that many other fighting games served as inspiration as well.
55	----
56	* ''VideoGame/CapcomFightingEvolution'' (2004) / ''VideoGame/NeoGeoBattleColiseum'' (2005)
57	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' 2D fighting games that were made by their respective companies, Capcom and SNK, as their own respective {{Spiritual Successor}}s to the ''[[VideoGame/SNKVsCapcom Capcom vs. SNK]]'' crossovers (and in the the case of the former, ''VideoGame/CapcomVs'' series more generally) in which the respective companies crossover their own respective franchises.
58	** '''Implementation:''' While both games involve choosing a team of two fighters, ''CFE'' features one-on-one fights (with each side deciding which character from the team will fight before each round), while ''NGBC'' features TagTeam fights done in a manner similar to SNK's own ''[[VideoGame/FuunSeries Kizuna Encounter]]'' in single play (that is, with the match ending when either member of the opposing team is knocked out), while two-player matches follow the ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom'' style (with battles only being decided when ''both'' members of a team are defeated). ''CFE'' focuses exclusively on certain fighting games (''Street Fighter II'', ''Street Fighter Alpha'', ''Street Fighter III'', ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'', and ''VideoGame/RedEarth''), while ''NGBC'' features characters from a broad part of SNK's catalogue including those not of the fighting game genre such as ''VideoGame/MetalSlug''. In addition, each game also features some OriginalGeneration characters on their respective rosters, those being Ingrid for the former and Yuki and Ai in the latter.
59	----
60	* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashFlash 2'' (Began 2007) / ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosCrusade'' (Began 2014)
61	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Fan-made ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' games.
62	** '''Implementation:''' ''VideoGame/SuperSmashFlash 2'' is a sequel to ''VideoGame/SuperSmashFlash'', which hasn't aged well and [[CanonDiscontinuity is best forgotten]].
63	----
64	* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'' (2008) / ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesSmashUp'' (2009)
65	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' {{Mascot Fighter}}s with similar combat systems.
66	** '''Implementation:''' ''TMNT Smash Up'' was developed by one of the teams who worked on ''Smash Bros. Brawl''.
67	----
68	* ''[[VideoGame/BrawlMinus Brawl-]]'' (Verison 1.0, 2010) / ''VideoGame/ProjectM'' (Version 1.0, 2011)
69	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' {{Game Mod}}s of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'' that seek to [[CompetitiveBalance create more dynamic gameplay and better balance the roster]].
70	** '''Implementation:''' Both Mods rose from the failed ''Brawl+'', the first attempt at a major ''Brawl'' Mod. ''Brawl-'', created by a standalone team, seeks to balance the game by making '''everything''' a GameBreaker. ''VideoGame/ProjectM'', made by former ''Brawl+'' modders, more or less embraced the "''Melee'' 2.0" criticisms aimed at ''Brawl+'' by replicating the more {{Metagame}}-oriented physics of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'', and re-balancing the cast to match. ''VideoGame/ProjectM'' also goes even further by restoring removed stages, creating new alt-costumes, and even bringing back two characters cut from ''Brawl'', Roy and Mewtwo. ''Brawl-'' followed suit by restoring Roy and Pichu.
71	----
72	* ''[[UpdatedRerelease (Ultimate)]] VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' (2011) / ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'' (2013)
73	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' TwoAndAHalfD fighting games with rosters featuring comic book superheroes and supervillains.
74	** '''Implementation:''' Another Marvel vs. DC squabble, akin to ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' and ''Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe'' above. While ''[=MvC3=]'' crosses the Marvel universe with a cast of Capcom characters, ''Injustice'' has a roster composed entirely of DC characters [[note]]with the exception of ''Franchise/MortalKombat''[='s=] mascot character, Scorpion, as a downloadable character[[/note]], despite being made by the studio behind ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''. ''[=MvC3=]'' is more of a traditional ''VideoGame/CapcomVs'' fighting game, while ''Injustice'' experiments with a number of gimmicks that are either uncommon in fighting games or new to the genre as a whole.
75	----
76	* ''VideoGame/Injustice2'' (May 2017) / ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomInfinite'' (September 2017)
77	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Sequels to TwoAndAHalfD fighting games with rosters featuring comic book superheroes and supervillains for MediaNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames.
78	** '''Implementation:''' The sequel (no pun intended) to the squabble between these two same franchises from last generation. This time, both games came out within 12 months of each other. Additionally both made an attempt to be more casual-friendly compared to other games in their developers' stable. ''Injustice 2'' introduced the gear system that allows casual players to customize their characters, though it is banned in TournamentPlay, whereas ''[=MvC=]: Infinite'' goes back to the 2-on-2 format of earlier games, while ditching a lot of old mechanics in favor of a new freeform tag system while bringing back the Infinity Gems from ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes''.
79	----
80	* ''VideoGame/PokkenTournament DX'' (September 22, 2017) / ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomInfinite'' (September 19, 2017)
81	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Fighting games released on the week of September 22nd, 2017, featuring popular characters from outside the regular fighting genre ([[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Marvel heroes]] and Franchise/{{Pokemon}}) fighting on mutually exclusive hardware.
82	** '''Implementation:''' ''Pokkén DX'' was not significantly hyped but maintained a steady amount of attention, while ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' suffered significant controversies in a number of areas including animations, roster choices, and developer commentaries
83	----
84	* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomInfinite'' (2017) / ''VideoGame/{{Dragon Ball FighterZ}}'' (2018)
85	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' TagTeam tournament-viable fighting games featuring super-powered combatants from immensely popular long-running franchises.
86	** '''Implementation:''' After ''Infinite'' suffered from several controversies, PR mess-ups, and severe issues regarding presentation, ''[=FighterZ=]'' got the attention of many who were soured on the latest ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' by boasting 3v3 gameplay (''Infinite'' dropped down to 2v2 in contrast with the two previous ''[=MvC=]'' games) and phenomenal presentation, as expected from Creator/ArcSystemWorks. However, ''[=FighterZ=]'' did eventually suffer from controversy of its own regarding its DLC practices.
87	----
88	* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomInfinite'' (2017) / ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle'' (2018)
89	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' 2v2 tag-team tournament-competitive fighting games featuring ensemble casts of super-powered characters from multiple different properties
90	** '''Implementation:''' Coming onto the scene a month before EVO 2018 was due and with ''[=FighterZ=]'' still hugely popular at the time, ''BBTAG'' was the second Creator/ArcSystemWorks game to be competing with ''[=MvCI=]''. ''BBTAG'' is also a 2v2 crossover fighter featuring an ensemble cast from four of their popular fighting game franchises: ''Franchise/BlazBlue'', ''VideoGame/Persona4'', ''VideoGame/UnderNightInBirth'' and the highly popular Creator/RoosterTeeth anime-styled web animation series ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}''. [[note]]''RWBY's'' [[Creator/MontyOum sadly now late creator]] and ''[=BlazBlue=]'''s creator Toshimichi Mori were big fans of each others' work and the two planned for an eventual crossover, and here the four heroines of ''RWBY'' made their fighting game debut.[[/note]]
91	----
92	* ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle'' (May 2018) / ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' (December 2018)
93	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' MassiveMultiplayerCrossover fighting games released six months from each other that are easy to pick up and play.
94	** '''Implementation:''' ''BBTAG'' is a 2v2 tag-team fighter featuring characters from seven different franchises: ''Franchise/BlazBlue'', ''VideoGame/Persona4'', ''VideoGame/UnderNightInBirth'', ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', ''VideoGame/ArcanaHeart'', ''VideoGame/SenranKagura'', and ''VideoGame/AkatsukiBlitzkampf''. ''Ultimate'' is more or less a PlatformFighter [[DreamMatchGame reuniting all the first- and third-party franchises represented]] in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series with third-party characters from seven more universes added later on: ''VideoGame/Persona5'' (ironically enough), ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'', ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'', ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'', and ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''. On a more somber note, both games were influenced by two different creators that died the same year in 2015, as ''BBTAG'' had ''RWBY'' creator Creator/MontyOum, who was a fan of ''[=BlazBlue=]'', passed away on February that year (Team RWBY and later representatives of the series were added as tribute) while ''Ultimate'' was the final request given to Creator/MasahiroSakurai by former Nintendo president Creator/SatoruIwata, though Iwata had a much longer impact on people worldwide than Oum.
95	----
96	* ''VideoGame/SlapCity'' (2020) / ''Icons: Combat Arena'' (2018)
97	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' PlatformFighter games developed by independent teams, intended to become a PC alternative for the Nintendo-exclusive ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, while also appealing to its competitive scene. Both were also first released as Early Access.
98	** '''Implementation:''' ''VideoGame/SlapCity'', much like ''Super Smash Bros.'', is a MascotFighter featuring many of the developer's characters. ''Icons'', on the other hand, has its roster entirely composed of original characters. Notably, the latter's development team had people that previously worked on the famous GameMod ''VideoGame/ProjectM''.
99	----
100	* ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburVI'' (2018) / ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive6'' (2019)
101	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' 3D fighting games from series that are ''very'' well-known for {{fanservice}}, coming off a SequelGap with both having their last mainline installment in 2012, and set to be the big comeback for both franchises.
102	** '''Implementation:''' Both games feature new graphics, new gameplay mechanics, and are the sixth numbered sequel of their respective series[[note]]if one only counts ''SCVI'' as part of the "''[[SequelDisplacement Soulcalibur]]'' [[SequelDisplacement series]]", that is; it's actually the [[SequelNumberSnarl seventh]] installment of the ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'' that began with ''Soul Edge''[[/note]], but a major difference in terms of execution is how they go about their trademark fanservice -- whereas ''Dead or Alive 6'' chose to [[TamerAndChaster severely cut back on the sex appeal in hopes of being taken more seriously]], ''Soulcalibur VI'' decided to [[HotterAndSexier fully embrace it as a core part of its identity]].
103	----
104	* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' (2018) / ''VideoGame/JumpForce'' (2019)
105	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Crossover fighting games in which characters from Nintendo's history (''Smash Bros.'') or multiple ''Magazine/ShonenJump'' franchises (''Jump Force'') come together to fight against each other.
106	** '''Implementation:'''
107	----
108	* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' (2018) / ''VideoGame/NickelodeonAllStarBrawl'' (2021)
109	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' The two biggest {{Platform Fighter}}s of MediaNotes/TheNinthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames, both of them also being {{Massive Multiplayer Crossover}}s.
110	** '''Implementation:''' The two games take different approaches to their design, with ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' designed for as wide an audience as possible while ''Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl'' is aimed primarily at hardcore players, namely those who prefer the combo-based, high-execution style of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee''. Ludosity, creator of ''Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl'', deliberately cultivated this rivalry with its fans. By coincidence, the release of ''Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl'' was also the day of the reveal of the final character for ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', [[Franchise/KingdomHearts Sora]], making that day a PassingTheTorch moment of sorts.
111	----
112	* ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' (2019) / ''VideoGame/GranblueFantasyVersus'' (2020)
113	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' 2D fighting games that return to a more classically grounded style with high damage, stricter movement and shorter combos compared to the "anime" fighting games that have dominated the genre since the late 2000s.
114	** '''Implementation:'''
115	----
116	* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGearStrive'' (June 2021) / ''VideoGame/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaibaTheHinokamiChronicles'' (October 2021)
117	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Cel-shaded fighting games both released in 2021 that have gained massive popularity worldwide and include colorful casts of characters.
118	** '''Implementation:''' ''Guilty Gear -STRIVE-'' is a traditional 2D fighting game and a sequel to its predecessor, ''Guilty Gear Xrd'', that improves upon its 2.5D graphics and brings back fan-favorite characters while also introducing new members to the cast. ''Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles'' is a 3D arena fighting game and the first entry of its game series that also implements 2.5D graphics and has most heroes and villains from its anime's first season as playable characters in the roster. Both series are massively popular in Japan and have gained much-needed attention worldwide.
119	----
120	* ''VideoGame/NickelodeonAllStarBrawl'' (2021) / ''VideoGame/{{Multiversus}}'' (2022)
121	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' New {{Platform Fighter}}s of MediaNotes/TheNinthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames, both of them also being {{Massive Multiplayer Crossover}}s consisting of a non-video game studio's various series (Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} for ''VideoGame/NickelodeonAllStarBrawl'', Creator/WarnerBros for ''VideoGame/{{Multiversus}}'').
122	** '''Implementation:''' Both {{Platform Fighter}}s were revealed after all DLC was showcased by ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', with ''Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl'' being mainly designed around that of a game similar to a standard ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' game (in particular ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee''), with a high focus on a static moveset close to that of its inspiration, is a game that one has to buy for money, and while at first lacking in some areas of content (namely voice acting and story), the developers, Ludosity, have done their part to add more as the game develops. Meanwhile, ''[=MultiVersus=]'' is designed to do several things differently and with a noticeably higher budget than its rival, with a [=2v2=] focus on fighting, the game being a [=F2P=] game with various perks existing to swap moveset elements around, and having voice acting and story elements right off the bat. While ''Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl'' has the advantage of being the older game, its waning viewerbase of actively playing fans could leave the game vulnerable to ''[=MultiVersus=]''.
123	----
124	* ''VideoGame/StreetFighter6'' (June 2023) / ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'' (September 2023) / ''VideoGame/Tekken8'' (January 2024)
125	** '''Capsule Pitch Description:''' Next-generation iterations of classic FightingGame franchises from the 1990[=s=], made for MediaNotes/TheNinthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames
126	** '''Implementation:''' All three games break new ground for the narratives of their respective stories: ''SF[=6=]'' explicitly takes place after ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIII'', a notable divergence from the [[VideoGame/StreetFighterIV previous]] [[VideoGame/StreetFighterV games]] being {{Interquel}}s set between ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' and ''III''. ''[=MK1=]'', meanwhile, is a ContinuityReboot taking place after the CosmicRetcon at the end of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11: Aftermath''. ''Tekken 8'', itself, bills its story as the GrandFinale in the greater ongoing tale of the world-altering family feud amongst the Mishima bloodline. All three games also introduce new mechanics that help them stand out from previous titles; ''[=SF6=]'' has the Drive System, a set of universal skills that add a more strategic flair to fights; ''[=MK1=]'' has "Kameo Fighters", AssistCharacter[=s=] based on series characters from past titles; and ''Tekken 8'' has the "Heat System", which allows players to activate a SuperMode once per round that opens new strategies and combo potential while encouraging offensive, aggressive play. Of note is the platforms on which these games are released: ''[=SF6=]'' does not have a Platform/NintendoSwitch version, but will be available on the previous-gen Platform/PlayStation4; while ''[=MK1=]'' is next-gen exclusive, and its platform releases include the Switch. ''Tekken 8'' is also next-gen exclusive, but does not have a Switch version.

Context DuelingWorks / FightingGame