Top 10 Epic Fighting Games Not Created by Namco or Capcom

Namco Bandai and Capcom are two giants in the video game industry. These two developers are best known for their expertise in creating exciting, action-packed and addictive fighting games, such as Soul Calibur (Namco) and Street Fighter (Capcom). However, there are many great fighting games out there that are forced to hide in the shadows of these two companies, never being fully recognized for the energy they contribute to the genre.

So without further ado, here is our list of the top 10 epic fighting games NOT created by Namco or Capcom:

10: Def Jam Fight for NY: Developed by Aki, EA Canada, Def Jam: Fight for NY puts you in the shoes of a brutal street fighter, fighting for control of the New York hip-hop underground. The game features over 40 well-known artists in the hip-hop community including Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Redman, Method Man and Snoop Dogg, with over 20 venues to choose from as you battle it out all over New York City.

9: Injustice: Gods Among Us: Developed by Netherland Studios, Injustice: Gods Among Us is an epic fighting game featuring a number of heroes and villains from the DC Universe, with a fresh new story to complement the exciting matchups.

8: Mortal Kombat: Deception: Developed by Midway Games, Mortal Kombat: Deception was the first entry in the series to feature online capabilities. Deception also introduced some new characters: Darrius, Dairou and Kobra, who join returning characters like Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Mileena for massive battles with destructible environments and vicious death traps.

7: The King of Fighters ‘94: Developed by SNK, The King of Fighters ‘94 is the first fighting game to feature team-based matches, combining characters from both SNK’s Fatal Fury and Arts of Fighting series mixed with SOF originals for some epic three-on-three battles.

6: PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale: Developed by SuperBot Entertainment, PlayStation All-Stars is a free-for-all brawler showcasing PlayStation’s large library of  characters such as Nathan Drake, Sly Cooper, Jak and Daxter and many more.

5: Killer Instinct: It’s old, but that won’t stop it from making the top five. Developed by Rareware in 1994, the game was a critical success along with Killer Instinct 2, released two years later. Fast forward to present day- Microsoft has finally announced Killer Instinct 3 for Xbox One.

4: Dead or Alive 2: Developed by Tecmo, Dead or Alive 2 takes place after the death of Fame Douglas, sponsor of the original Dead or Alive 1 Combat Championship. The world has gone astray and it is up to you to win the championship and save the world. There are also boobs.

3: BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger: Developed by ARC System Works, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is the best anime fighting game on the market. Packed with fast-paced action and stunning visuals, this game takes the 2D fighting style and mixes the genre with a bit of strategy.

2: Mortal Kombat II: Developed by Williams Entertainment Inc., is one of the best fighting games ever made. It’s brutal, it is dark, it is gory and it is just downright fun.

1: Super Smash Bros. Melee: Developed by HAL Laboratory, Melee is the successor to the original Super Smash Bros., and is by far the best non-Namco-or-Capcom-created fighting game out there. The game features more characters, themed arenas and multiplayer modes than its predecessor. To sum things up… it’s a blast.