Fighting Video Games

Tecmo Koei's long-running 3D fighting series, known for its fast-paced action and occasionally titillating visuals, returns to gamers with destructible stages, perilous new danger zones, and new critical attacks in Dead or Alive 5. Combat takes a rock-paper-scissors form, with players executing throw-beating strikes, hold-beating throws, and strike-beating holds, with properly deflected attacks resulting in high-damage counters. Landing specific moves leaves opponents in a Critical Stun state, which prevents blocking and can lead to devastating Critical Combos and Power Blows.

There are more than a dozen characters from which to choose, with fights occurring in places like a downtown construction area, a war-torn desert city, and a circus, among other locations. PS3 gamers battle as the world crumbles around them, flinging foes into Danger Zones to inflict massive damage and cause buildings to collapse, helicopters to crash, and oil tanks to explode. Some of the stages include upper and lower levels, allowing for new "Cliffhanger" action sequences in which one combatant dangles from the edge of the upper level. Multiplayer fans can take on friends in local or online action. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Coming more than a decade after Tekken Tag Tournament, gamers can once again engage in team-based 3D Fighting with nearly every character in the history of the franchise in Tekken Tag Tournament 2 for PS3. There are more than 50 available fighters, each with new arsenals including tag-throws and tag-combos, and the new "Fight Lab" mode allows players to customize their character's appearance and moves. Up to four people can compete in tag-team fights or the "Ultimate Team Battle" mode, while solo gamers can hone their skills in "Practice" mode or the classic "Arcade" mode. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Atlus' long-running series about demon-battling high-school teenagers abandons the realm of role-playing in favor of classic 2D fighting in Persona 4 Arena. Set two months after the events of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, players find themselves entering the "P-1 Grand Prix" fighting tournament in order to learn why the character Teddie is suddenly hosting a TV show. There are more than a dozen fighters culled from Persona 3 and Persona 4 (not including their persona alter egos), each offering unique heavy, light, and persona attacks, as well as persona rushes.

Combat places a special emphasis on fast-paced combo attacks and defense, and gamers are encouraged to liberally switch back and forth between their character and his or her persona, though personae that take too much damage become temporarily unavailable. A number of gauges frame the cel-shaded, anime-inspired action, including: the "Life Gauge"; the "SP Gauge," which allows player to perform special attacks and even one-hit kills; and the "Burst Gauge," which can be used to send opponents sprawling backward. Persona 4 Arena also includes an online mode, as well as a unique story mode for each character. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Two of gaming's best-established fighting franchises match up for the first time, in Street Fighter X Tekken. Building on the Street Fighter series' archetypical arcade action, the game pits fan-favorite characters from the Capcom and Namco series in head-to-head, 2D-style combat. Borrowing from the seminal Tekken 3D fighting franchise, players can team-up two combatants for a Tag battle. As in the recent high-def editions of Street Fighter, characters are rendered in virtual 3D, and fighting arenas are alive with background animations.

The roster includes central characters from both game series, including Ryu, Ken, Guile, and Chun-Li from Street Fighter, and Tekken's Kazuya, Nina, King, and Marduk. Characters can perform their signature special moves, and individual controls are designed to feel familiar to fans of either franchise. Before a match, the game's "Gem" system allows players to customize any character for a certain fighting style. As in the high-def editions of Street Fighter IV, internet-connected gamers can compete in a number of online multiplayer modes. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Soul Calibur V sticks to the series' signature "8 Way Run" style of 3D fighting, bringing subtle refinements to control mechanics and a drastic expansion of customization options. The game's "Just Guard" defensive move requires less accuracy, but rewards perfectly timed blocks with a nearly instantaneous opportunity to counter attack. The game also adds a sidestep move, accessed with a quick double tap. The Character Creation mode allows players to choose height, facial expressions, colors, voices, weapons, and special effects, as well as fighting style.

In the series' tradition of guest stars, Assassin's Creed II's Ezio is available for play. The game's 30-character roster includes Siegfried, Ivy, Yoshimitsu, and other Soul Calibur legends, as well as new characters, such as Patroklos and Pyrrha, the son and daughter of Sophitia. Set 17 years after the events of the previous game, the main story follows Patroklos' quest for the Soul Swords through Renaissance Europe. In addition to the solo modes, players can battle against a friend on the same system, or find a fight online. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Spidey swings at Ryu, Chun-Li kicks up a Storm, and Hawkeye takes a shot at Phoenix Wright, through a button-punching fury of special attacks and combo moves. In the style of its high-def predecessors, and in the tradition of its 1990s arcade inspiration, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 pits an expansive selection of Marvel Comics characters and Capcom veterans in heated, 2D-style fighting. The addition of 12 characters, new to the series or returning from a long absence, brings the game's roster to 50 playable fighters, including two downloadable heroes.

From the pages of Marvel, Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Nova, and Rocket Racoon are introduced to the long-running rivalry. Hailing from Capcom's side of the aisle are newcomers Firebrand, Dead Rising's Frank West, Nemesis from Resident Evil, Phoenix Wright, Strider Hiryu, and Devil May Cry's Vergil. In standard modes, players choose a team of three characters to fight in successive one-on-one battles. Successful button-mashing attacks quickly fill the "Hyper Combo" gauge, and as in the original Marvel vs. Capcom 3, the X-Factor can be used to temporarily speed up attacks and increase damage. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The definitively violent Mortal Kombat fighting game series is re-invented on high-definition consoles in its ninth full production, a plainly titled release that both moves the supernatural combat action forward and returns it to its roots. Rendered in full 3D, the hand-to-hand battles play out strictly on a 2D plane, as in the original Mortal Kombat games for 16-bit consoles, emphasizing keenly timed blocks, counter-moves, and ranged attacks. More so than in any recent Mortal Kombat game, the fighting action is designed for true hardcore players, with each character presenting a deep system of special attacks to master and relative weaknesses to overcome. Each character can also execute a full-fledged fatality move, in classic MK form.

Leaving aside the inter-dimensional diversions of the most recent Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, the game's unusually involving single-player story begins after the events of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, but then returns to the events of the first three games to revisit the series' original lore. Gaining a trans-temporal awareness, the enigmatic thunder-god Raiden is central to the plot, but gamers take the roles of several different combatants as they progress through the campaign. In all, over two-dozen characters are playable in this edition of Mortal Kombat, each uniquely modeled and individually animated. Multiplayer fighting is thoroughly supported, in both same-console and online options, with a selection of competitive and cooperative modes. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Heroes from two disparate publishers come together for three-on-three brawls in this continuation of the Marvel vs. Capcom tag-team fighting series. Projectile attacks, slams, jump kicks, punches, and over-the-top "hyper" combos are all possible with your choice of 32 characters. Representing Marvel are Iron Man, Deadpool, Storm, Magneto, Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, She-Hulk, Doctor Doom, Wolverine, Super-Skrull, X-23, Phoenix, M.O.D.O.K., and Dormammu.

Characters lifted from Capcom's vaults include Mike Haggar, Viewtiful Joe, Dante, Ryu, Morrigan, Chris Redfield, Felicia, Chun-Li, Trish, Amaterasu, Tron Bonne, Wesker, Nathan Spencer, Zero, Crimson Viper, and Arthur. A simple mode lets those new to the series perform combos with a single button press, while other difficulty settings require more intricate controls but rewards players with more attacks to choose from. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 also includes online support in a number of tournament-style play modes.

Sony's The Fight: Lights Out is a fictional boxing game with realistic controls. It is one of the first retail releases for PlayStation 3 to use the PlayStation Move motion control add-on system. Players throw jabs, uppercuts, and roundhouses by swinging their arms while holding PlayStation Move Navigation Controllers. Real-world movements are translated to in-game punches and grabs. With a theme reminiscent of the film Fight Club, the game's narrative has the player guiding a custom character through a series of underground, bare-knuckles boxing matches, in a dozen different venues. Boss fights and other special challenges present themselves along the way. Some opponents have styles and techniques that the player's character can gain by defeating them. With loose rules and no referees, players may need to throw a few dirty punches to stay in the fight -- their competitors certainly will. For gamers with compatible televisions and viewing glasses, The Fight: Lights Out can be played with full stereoscopic "Blu-ray 3D" effects. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Released just a year after the original, the 2010 follow-up to developer Spike Co.'s high-def Dragon Ball brawler offers refined controls, an improved camera, and more characters. The game's story is told in a new action-adventure mode that takes place between the fighting-game styled battles. Over 90 characters can be unlocked for play, including more than 20 that are new to the Raging Blast series. Under the game's "Raging Soul" battle system, players can master combos and attack sequences that raise their characters' powers to the highest level. Characters speak in their original Japanese voices. Battle stages have been enhanced since the first game, for more interactivity and destructive effects, with four new battlefields in addition to the original ten. There are seven main modes of play, including offline and online battles against other players. Character items and accessories can be unlocked by conquering challenges in various game modes. The retail disc editions of Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 also include a complete Dragon Ball episode, titled "Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans," which was re-written and re-edited from an episode of the Japanese anime series. Players who watch the entire episode will unlock an additional in-game character. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide