21 Best Nintendo Switch Fighting Games To Play Today

There are a ton of great fighting games released into the market every year. In this list, we’re going to be highlighting the Nintendo Switch console platform. There are plenty of fighting games available but we’re going to highlight a few titles that we think you should be checking out in today. With that said, this is not a list ranked in any particular order. We have instead broken this list up with some great games that you can pick up right now.

#21 SpiderHeck

Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One XSX|S PS5 Switch
Release Date: September 22, 2022

Have you ever wanted to see spiders wield weapons of massive power and destruction and attempt to kill other spiders in space?

If so, you have a wild imagination, and you probably need to get some help. But for those who haven’t had such specific fantasies, that description is the basis of SpiderHeck.

You’ll pick a spider and load them up for bare to take on other players. Guns, laser swords, and more are just some of the items you’ll use in this game. Travel around the field and survive the madness until you are the last spider standing. But be careful! It won’t be an easy task.

#20 JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R

Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S Switch
Release Date: September 01, 2022

Are you ready to take things to a level that is truly “bizarre”? If so, prepare for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R!

If you’re a fan of the beloved manga/anime, you’ll want to partake in this game. Why? Because it has over 50 characters from the franchises’ history, and they’re waiting to do battle for you and against you. This is your chance to relive some of the manga/anime’s best moments. Or to create fan matchups that have never taken place before!

That doesn’t even mention all the modes that the game offers. So what are you waiting for? Jump in and let things go fully bizarre!

#19 SIFU

Platform: Switch
Release Date: November 08, 2022

Who’s ready to get their martial arts on in a big way? SIFU changes the formula of other martial arts titles by genuinely focusing on what it means to be a martial artist taking on hordes of bad guys. It’s not simply about hitting people really hard. It’s about dodging, parrying, and making sure you’re ready for the next fight when it comes.

As you partake in a mission of revenge, you’ll have limited health to help carry you through. When you “die,” you’ll come back older but have access to new moves and abilities.

A new update has added more locations, new moves, and cosmetic items. So there’s never been a better time to play the game.

#18 Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl

Behold, the fighting game that honestly shouldn’t exist…but it does. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a title that honestly speaks for itself. It brings in iconic (and to be honest, not so iconic) characters from Nickelodeon series past in order to create a fighting game experience like no other! For better and for worse.

Play as Spongebob Squarepants, Reptar, Danny Phantom, Aang from Avatar The Last Airbender, and more as you see which Nickelodeon icon reigns supreme!

This game is not meant to be taken seriously, but rather, a showcase of what a simple yet fun fighting game can be. So if you want to see your childhood TV favorites beat each other up…get Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl.

#17 Melty Blood: Type Lumina

Melty Blood: Type Lumina is indeed the name of a fighting game. Do we know why the game is called that? Not at all, but we’ll roll with it for now…

The game is actually a spinoff of sorts of a visual novel romance series…so that makes sense…right? Anyway, you’ll have an all-new story here with the familiar characters. As well as new characters to help bring everything together…somehow.

But you might just be here for the fighting and there is a lot of that here. You’ll have all sorts of moves and combos that you can pull off in order to get the victory. So see what character works for you and have at it!

#16 Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is the latest remaster/remake of a previous Persona title, this time in the fighting-game realm in order to bring in more people to play the franchise. After all, there were plenty of Persona games before Persona 5, just saying.

In this game you’ll play as characters from both Persona 4 & 3 in order to fight off the shadows in an original story. Or, you can just pick the characters you want to play as and go to war against other players and the computer.

You can expect a lot of fast action, fancy moves, and more as you go on your fighting journey. See if you can get to the Ultimax!

#15 Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Super Smash Bros is quite the iconic platform fighter in general and Nintendo has been killing it with this franchise over the years. After getting its start back on the Nintendo 64, the Super Smash Bros franchise continues to thrive years later with new thrilling installments. For the Nintendo Switch, we have the biggest installment to have released so far. Super Smash Bros Ultimate takes all of the characters featured in the previous installments and placed them into this latest video game roster list.

This means that the roster is incredibly stacked with iconic Nintendo characters along with some non-Nintendo licensed characters stepping back into the role as a guest fighter. Furthermore, there is a slew of new fighters being added into the game as well so there are a ton of characters to pick from. Outside of the characters, the game is still very much a platform fighter where players are duking it out across several themed maps and using an assortment of item drops as weapons or buffs.

#14 Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball Z is a massive franchise that’s been around for decades. Fans can’t get enough of this anime series and with it came just a massive slew of video games as well. We’re constantly seeing new fighting titles released for the IP and while there are some better than others, most have taken up with Dragon Ball FighterZ. It’s not the newest installment in terms of being a Dragon Ball Z video game, but it’s a fighting title that has gained some notoriety with fans. Developed by Arc System Works who are known for delivering fighting games, Dragon Ball FighterZ is an incredibly fluid and fast-paced fighting title.

This is also a 3v3 fighting title so you’ll have a team readily to tag in and deliver a barrage of attacks as well. Additionally, as you can expect there is an online presence here so if you’re wanting some more competition then you’re good to go with this title installment. However, those that are wanting to stick to an offline single-player experience will have a unique campaign storyline.

#13 Mortal Kombat 11

Mortal Kombat is an iconic video game franchise and it’s one just about everyone is familiar with. After being around for decades and starting as an arcade fighting game, this franchise has since blown up to become a massively popular with new installments releasing for home console platforms. Whether you’re interested in new fighters, guest fighters, or some of the old iconic veterans from when this IP first got started, there’s always a stacked roster available for each new installment with incredibly brutal gameplay visuals.

You’ll find that this game takes place after the events of Mortal Kombat X and that the narrative is centered around timelines so you’ll find some iconic versions of characters popping up in this game. Meanwhile, the combat is a bit tweaked to make things more strategic for players which may mean spending some time practicing with your favorite characters to use in fights. Being a Mortal Kombat game you’ll find that this is a pretty gruesome title with over-the-top finishing moves.

#12 BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is another game to keep an eye on this year. The BlazBlue franchise is another popular fighting game IP which again is developed by Arc System Works, who you might remember being mentioned in our Dragon Ball FighterZ point. After first getting its start back in 2008, the video game franchise continued to release new installments into the marketplace with BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle being one of the latest installments in the mix.

This is a spin-off title that features the fast-paced and fluid mechanics of the BlazBlue franchise but with the title also focusing on additional IPs for a virtual crossover fighting event. You’ll find that this is a 2v2 fighting game experience where players are getting to battle it out with characters not only from BlazBlue, but Persona 4, Under Night In-Birth, RWBY, Arcana Heart, Senran Kagura, and Akatsuki Blitzkampf.

#11 Brawlhalla

While Nintendo has mainly dominated the platform fighting genre for years that doesn’t mean that there are not some alternatives out there. One that comes to mind and has gained quite a massive following is Brawlhalla and best of all it’s a free-to-play video game title. This is just like Super Smash Bros in terms of gameplay. You have a variety of characters, diverse levels to battle within, and of course item drops to make use of either as a weapon against an opponent or to use as a buff.

Nintendo may have the more recognizable characters from various video game franchises, Brawlhalla does come packed with some of its unique characters along with plenty of crossover guest fighters as well. Franchises that have crossover onto Brawlhalla include Shovel Knight, Rayman, Tomb Raider, to even The Walking Dead. This game has even gained a following in terms of Esports with massive tournaments holding big cash prizes to the winners.

#10 Nidhogg 2

Nidhogg was an interesting indie fencing title that had players battling it out to reach the end of the opposing side’s level. That’s the entire goal, defeat your enemy, reach the end, and sacrifice yourself to a giant worm monster. Nidhogg 2 brings back the same gameplay but with a drastic visual upgrade. It’s just as wacky as ever with players fencing each other throughout the course. When the opponent dies, they are respawned into the next section of the level to once again attempt to stop their opponent and progress forward. Not only do you have fencing swords to duel with but daggers along with bows and arrows as well. It’s a thrilling game and one that is quite addicting to play with very simple-to-understand mechanics.

#9 ARMS

ARMS was one of the first big video game titles that Nintendo brought out for the Nintendo Switch that took on the Joy-Con features. Since Nintendo was pushing the Joy-Cons as a big selling point, ARMS was one of the few titles at launch that had players take the Joy-Cons out and use them throughout the game. It’s a bit like a boxing title where players are taking control of these android-like characters with spring-like arms to use in fights.

As a result, the Joy-Con motion control was used to not only move your arms around as a defensive measure but to also unleash a barrage of attacks. Fans quickly picked up the game and made it a big seller for Nintendo although we haven’t seen any word about a sequel yet. At any rate, if you haven’t picked up this game quite yet then you might want to give it a chance this year.

#8 SNK vs Capcom: The Match of the Millennium

Back in 1999, we received SNK vs Capcom: The Match of the Millennium. This was a typical SNK vs Capcom fighting game where players could go against a variety of characters in either a standard one-on-one to a more team-based fight. While at the time the reception was pretty positive with this game, there was one big issue and that was this game was an exclusive to the Neo Geo Pocket Color.

After its release in 1999, the game console handheld was discontinued a year later in 2000. Now we’re given a chance to enjoy this game either for the first time ever or for veteran players to relive this gameplay experience once again on the Nintendo Switch. Released this year, 2021, you can pick up SNK vs Capcom: The Match of the Millennium right now.

#7 SNK Gals’ Fighters

Keeping on with the same theme here from SNK vs Capcom: The Match of the Millennium, we have SNK Gals’ Fighters another game that released exclusively as a Neo Geo Pocket Color. This was a fighting game that launched in 2000 but again with the fate of the Neo Geo Pocket Color, this title didn’t last very long. Within SNK Gals’ Fighters, players were able to fight against different female characters across several SNK franchises.

Meanwhile, the narrative followed a tournament where the winner receives a K’ Talisman which can provide the power of granting one wish. Fortunately, in 2020 we got this title back into the marketplace once again for the Nintendo Switch platform so again whether you’re just now hearing about this game or remember playing it several years ago, you can once again pick it up but now for the Nintendo Switch platform.

#6 Streets of Rage 4

Streets of Rage 4 is a beat ‘em up fighting game and it comes from a franchise that was mainly featured on the Sega Genesis decades ago. In this title, we’re picking back up with the iconic characters after the events of Streets of Rage 3 where we’re once again having to clean up the city from thugs. There’s a new mastermind behind the terrorism within the city and it’s up to the players to go about the area and clean up the corruption. There’s a ton of fighting off thugs to boss fights as well. You’ll even slowly unlock different characters and collectibles throughout the game. However, while this game was released in 2020, there is DLC planned for this year to add more content into this game including enemies and stages for players to battle through.

Upcoming Games

#5 Mayhem Brawler

Going off of Streets of Rage 4, another game that offers a very similar style of gameplay is an upcoming title called Mayhem Brawler. Developed to offer a similar beat ‘em up gameplay experience from the 1990s, Mayhem Brawler will also put players into the role of officers that are forced into cleaning up the city. You’ll have to face all kinds of hostile enemies along with supernatural creatures as well. Currently, this title is slated to hit the marketplace this August so keep your eyes peeled for this one.

#4 Fisti-Fluffs

There are usually a few physics-based fighting games that pop up and take the marketplace by storm each year. In 2021 we have Fisti-fluffs. This is a game where players are taking the role of cats that must battle it out. You’ll claw your way through victory or at least wobble around and attempt to take out the competition. It’s a bit wacky and during your battles, you’ll end up destroying the level rooms you’re fighting within. This is another title that you might want to keep on your radar for when it launches at some point this year.

#3 Melty Blood: Type Lumina

The Melty Blood franchise has been around for years now and we’re getting ready to receive a new installment with Melty Blood: Type Lumina. If you’re not familiar with this franchise then you might be in luck still because this installment is taking place in a rebooted timeline. While originally the plan was to bring out a remake to Melty Blood, this will be a prequel for the visual novel Tsukihime -A Piece of Blue Glass Moon. We haven’t seen too much about this game quite yet but the small teaser trailer released does have us interested in seeing just how the game will hold up when it launches into the marketplace at some point this year.

#2 Phantom Breaker: Omnia

Phantom Breaker was a fighting game that was released in 2011 and has been a Japanese exclusive for several years. However, the fighting game is finally finding its way out into the marketplace worldwide with Phantom Breaker: Omnia. This title mainly followed a narrative where a big tournament is started up in Tokyo Japan with the winner of the tournament being able to have a single wish granted. This upcoming Omnia edition will be an updated version of Phantom Breaker: Extra, which added some new gameplay and tweaks towards the base game. Unfortunately, we don’t have a specific release date quite yet on just when we can expect this title but it is slated to launch at some point in 2021.

#1 Dawn of the Monsters

Dawn of the Monsters is an upcoming title that has players going through a city as a massive monster where your goal is to take out the other massive monsters that roam the area seeking harm to humanity. The goal is simply to clear the area from these monsters and save the day, a bit like how we portray the various Godzilla movies. This is slated to be a 2.5D title with RPG upgrades along with cooperative gameplay as well. Unfortunately, we don’t know just when we’ll get our hands on a copy of this game as it’s not slated to release until the end of 2021 so there’s a good chance we might see this game get delayed into 2022, but for now we’ll have to wait and see.