10 Best Fighting Games That Don't Take Ages to Master

Fighting games have always drawn me in one way or another. Sometimes it’s the characters, other times it’s an intuitive combat system or flashy combos. Whatever the reason, I tend to at least sample every fighting game I can. Sometimes I find myself overwhelmed right off the bat, especially when it comes to the more technical titles out there.

I prefer a game that doesn’t feel like I’m going to have to slog through hours and hours of practice and training to play properly. I like games that understand I’m a modern guy on the go and don’t have as much free time as I did when I was a kid.

With that in mind, I’ve put together this comprehensive list of fighting games that you can jump into with little to no time invested and still have a great time.

10 Divekick

Just Kickin' It

Probably the most tongue-in-cheek fighting game ever, Divekick is not only the game’s title, but an apt description of the overall gameplay. Divekick trades complex combos and tricky special moves for the simple, pure pleasure of jumping and kicking. That’s actually all you can do in the game.

Depending on which character you pick, you’ll jump at a different speed and kick at a different angle. While you could take the time to learn all the nuances, you and your friends could always jump in headfirst and hope luck is on your side. The two-button nature of this fighting game means no time spent memorizing fancy combos either.

9 Gang Beasts

Chaos Reigns Supreme

If I’m being entirely honest, I’ve never exactly known what was going on in any round of Gang Beasts I’ve ever played. It’s mostly just gummi-like, adorable creatures trying to punch, kick, and throw each other off of a Ferris wheel or a moving truck. There are a few different modes, but the game’s physics make it the kind of game where you don’t need to worry about tactical combat.

It usually ends up being more of a laugh riot than a serious test of anyone's skills, making it a perfect equalizer amongst friends. And since there’s not much skill to it at all, if any, there’s nothing stopping you from jumping floppily into a match or two.

8 Brawlhalla

It's Time to Ragnarock and Roll

This F2P Smash clone actually seems to have more solid net code than Smash, which makes it an easy pick for those looking for a casual, online-friendly fighting game. The fighting mechanics are straightforward to pick up, and there’s an ever-growing roster of characters that includes the Ninja Turtles and characters from Street Fighter.

Taking the low cost of entry and the fact that Brawlhalla is still being updated on the regular into consideration makes it an easy recommendation. It’s another title that you don’t need to spend a lot of time with to play like a pro.

7 Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid

It's Morphin Time!

I honestly never thought I’d be as into Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid as I am. It’s the kind of fighting game that has a lot more depth than you’d think it would. I have seen some serious brawls go down, especially when the Pink Ranger and her bow were involved. It's got a great selection of characters from across the franchise's long history for fans as well.

It takes some of its cues from the Marvel vs Capcom series as players face off in 3-v-3 battles with the ability to tag in and out, and adds in the ability to summon the Megazord or other giant monsters to lend a hand. It’s a fighting game that flew under a lot of people’s radar, and you can jump into it without having to spend a lot of time learning the ropes.

6 Injustice 2

More Power

I think one thing that the Injustice series nails more than any other fighting games out there is the power fantasy. If you’re going to make Superman and Batman throw down in a video game, it should feel epic. Injustice 2 improved upon its predecessor in a number of ways by polishing a lot of its mechanics. Environmental interactions were expanded, the rock, paper, scissors Clash system could be used as a great equalizer, and super moves were made more super.

While you’d probably be hard-pressed to get online and kick someone’s butt out of the gate, the single-player story mode and multiverse mode are easy to dive into without spending a lot of time learning the game. Especially since the story mode lets you sort of sample most of the game’s roster.

5 Tekken 8

King of the Iron Fist

The Tekken series is the only fighting series I’ve personally ever spent an extended amount of time memorizing and mastering combos for. I feel like Tekken games, and in particular Tekken 8, are all about getting a rhythm or flow state going in order to become a true master. While the game does have a plethora of combos and super moves for its ever-expanding roster, new tweaks like the heat meter have been implemented to give novices more of a fighting chance against more veteran opponents.

And have you ever heard of Eddy Gordo? This capoeira fighter is known for being iconically “cheap” and was designed to be pick up and play. Tekken 8 is not only one of the best fighting games out there, but it’s also fun to play, no matter how much you want to invest in it. Now if we can just get another Tekken Tag Tournament entry…

Gonna Take You For a Ride

If you can get good with one character in Marvel vs Capcom 2, you can get good with all of them. Beyond having one of the most amazing rosters of characters ever assembled in a fighting game, the core mechanics of MvC2 are as smooth as they get. The game’s meta was set up so that you could pull off the same air combo with every character, and you could pull off all the super moves and team super moves using the same button commands.

Is MvC2 a game that respects the time of its players? Yes. Will you respect your own time and put down the controller? Probably not, since this is one of the most addictive fighting games to ever exist.

3 Dragon Ball FighterZ

Over 9000!

Not only is Dragon Ball FighterZ one of the most visually captivating, frantic fighting experiences out there, it’s also remarkably easy to wrap your head around. Each attack button has a built-in combo if you’re a masher, and every super attack uses the same command for execution. Yes, there’s a lot of nuance beyond that, but it’s really not as hard as you’d think it would be to get good.

Whether you want to play exclusively as Goku variants or show Yamcha what it’s like to win a fight, Dragon Ball FighterZ won’t take you forever to get good at. It really is one of the most approachable fighting games out there that’s not a major time suck.

2 Street Fighter 6

Focusing on Accessibility

The Street Fighter series has long been seen as one of the reigning kings of the fighting game scene. Its characters and their special moves, especially Ryu’s hadoken, have become synonymous with the genre. But there’s always been a learning curve, especially when it comes to moves like Zangief’s screw piledriver. Street Fighter 6 has changed all that, though, by introducing the modern control system that's a modern revolution in fighting games.

The modern system allows newer, inexperienced players to take on veterans by using a simplified button configuration that makes special moves much easier to pull off. That’s not to say you won’t need some skill to take on tougher opponents, it just won’t be nearly as tough.

1 Super Smash Bros.

Pikachu Can Punch Mario

While I do think that Smash Bros is one of the more entertaining fighters to watch on a professional esports level, it’s also just as much fun to throw down with at a party. The roster is a veritable who’s who of iconic video game characters. And while they each have their own set of moves, the core concept behind their executions is essentially the same, making it easy to try out different characters until you can find your perfect main.

Super Smash Bros is probably the ultimate party fighting game, and Nintendo has done a good job of making it as accessible as all their other titles. You can have a lot of casual fun with it, or you can dive deep and, who knows, maybe you could even go pro.