Top 10 Best Anime Fighting Games [Ranked]

Dragon Ball Fighter Z

When it comes to anime fighting games, I'm pretty sure no other game can top Dragon Ball Fighter Z. It simply is the best anime fighting game of all time, and probably the best Dragon Ball game too.

The thing that makes Dragon Ball Fighter Z one of the best anime fighting games ever is that it lets you experience the world of Dragon Ball Z as you've never had before. Immersing you into its lore, characters, and unique way of conducting combat. The last part in particular being the most important part, as the fighting in Dragon Ball Z is nothing short of revolutionary. No seriously!

I remember as a kid I'd always run home after school just to catch the anime as it was airing on TV. I'd never seen a show with so many captivating characters before, and especially none like Goku. Back to the game. The thing that Fighter Z does right that other fighting games get wrong is how crisp everything is. Every fight is smooth, controls are responsive, and there's enough variety to keep things interesting at all times. That's why I consider Fighter Z a must-have game for fighting game fans.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm

Wanna know what the best part of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm is? The fact that you get to experience the world of Naruto without having to sit through the insufferable fillers.

Similarly to Fighter Z, the thing that makes Ultimate Ninja Storm one of the best anime fighting games is the fact that it perfectly portrays the combat of the anime. In that regard, Ultimate Ninja Storm might be one of the best anime games. In other regards, it's fairly standard. You have multiple game modes, a story mode, and, the people's favorite - multiplayer mode.

In my opinion, the beauty of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm in comparison to other anime fighting games is the freedom it allows you. You're not limited to a 2D screen as with most fighting games, instead, you're free to traverse the arena at your own leisure. Not only does this allow you to play more tactically, but the extra dimension really helps bring the characters and abilities to life.

Guilty Gear Strive

Growing up I was never really a fan of the Guilty Gear series. It was one of those anime fighting games that I just didn't care about. But, when Guilty Gear Strive came out, It quickly became the best fighting game for me.

The thing that set Guilty Gear Strive on the map for me was the inclusion of new never-before-seen mechanics into the game (at least in the Guilty Gear franchise). The thing I'm referring to is the wall-breaking and level evolution. Another thing that surprised me was how easy the game was to get into. The developers really focused on making the experience beginner-friendly and it shows.

Oh, and I absolutely have to talk about the visuals. I swear, the visuals alone are enough to make Guilty Gear Strive one of the best anime fighting games. At times I even found myself dropping my controller just so that I could experience what was going on the screen. The story also surprised me. Fighting games aren't known for their stories. Guilty Gear Strive's story mode, on the other hand, is a masterclass in video game writing.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is my favorite anime series of all time. There's literally nothing like it. So when I heard that All Star Battle was coming out, I was ecstatic.

Honestly, the JoJo franchise has always produced great anime fighting games, albeit a bit underrated. The thing that I like about All Star Battle is its unique art style. Anime fans would be delighted to know that it perfectly conveys the feeling of the manga.

Other than that, it's just a decent all-around anime fighting game. The combat feels nice and crisp. Controls are responsive. The characters and their move sets are unique while remaining faithful to the show. All in all, it's a great fighting game.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

The Persona series is one of the most beloved anime game series of all time. With that in mind, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax had some big shoes to fill. And fill them it did.

There are two things that are synonymous with the Persona series. Iconic characters and a captivating story. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, although not part of the mainline series, knocks it out of the park in both regards.

The game is filled with a memorable cast of characters that most anime fighting games can only dream of having. Additionally, the story is quite captivating for a fighting game. The only thing I didn't like about the game was the combat. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't as crisp as some of the other entries on this list.

Kill la Kill: If

Now here's an anime I never expected would receive a fighting game. Kill la Kill.

It's not that I didn't believe it was plausible. It's that the anime itself is so wild that I didn't think any developers would be crazy enough to bring it to life. But bring it to life they did. And, honestly. As far as anime games are concerned, it isn't half bad.

The movement is three-dimensional, and the character's move sets are unique and memorable. It does however suffer from one problem. The distinct lack of characters is definitely a detriment to the game. And with only a handful of characters to choose from, it quickly becomes stale.

Pokken Tournament

The regular Pokemon games are some of the best adventure games of all time. However, If you thought that the regular Pokemon games weren't violent enough, try Pokken Tournament instead.

The premise of the game is simple. What if we removed the turn order and let the Pokemon battle it out in an arena? What follows is one of the best anime fighting games of all time. Especially if you're a Pokemon fan.

With dozens upon dozens of characters to choose from, it definitely takes a while to explore everything that the game has to offer. The reason it isn't higher on this list is because it's relatively unoriginal as far as fighting games are concerned. But hey, at least it's fun.

Jump Force

Do you know how much you have to mess up for Goku, Naruto, and Luffy to unite against you?

Jump Force is a weird one. It should have been the best anime fighting game of all time, but in reality, it disappointed almost every regard. Jump Force intended to combine the best elements of every anime fighting game all into one. And in trying to do so, fell short on almost every account.

It's a decent fighting game. Not the best, not the worst. Personally, I got a couple of hours of fun out of it. Will I be coming back to it in the future? Probably not. But it was a cool experience the first time around.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4

One Piece: Pirate Warriors is a great game series. Bandai Namco's business practices aren't.

In my opinion, the One Piece Pirate Warriors games are some of the best anime fighting games on the planet, and definitely some of Bandai Namco's best games. However, greedy business practices have really hampered its latest entry. The game itself is great. What isn't great is the fact that a majority of the content is hidden behind a paywall.

Characters packs aren't a new thing in fighting games. The problem here lies in the fact that One Piece as an anime has hundreds of unique characters, that the developers are more than happy to milk for a few extra bucks. If you don't mind that sort of thing, then you'll definitely find some enjoyment in One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles

Demon Slayer is one of the best shonen anime in recent years. However, it's game leaves something to be desired.

Kimetsu no Yaiba is an okay game. It portrays the scenes from the show fairly well, and the characters are fun to play with. However, the problem with the game lies in the fact that it's exceedingly mediocre. At least compared to the other anime fighting games on this list.

Don't get me wrong. It's a cool fighting game. Fans of the anime might even consider it one of the best anime fighting games of all time, it just isn't for me. That being said. If you want to experience the world of Demon Slayer in an interactive way, then there's probably no better way than this game.