5 best fighting games on Nintendo Switch, ranked

The biggest fighting games like Street Fighter V, Guilty Gear Strive, and Tekken 7 usually skip out on the Nintendo Switch, but there are at least five that you should play on the hybrid system. From Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to Pokkén Tournament DX, here are the best fighting games that the Nintendo Switch has to offer.

Worst of the best: Arms

Arms is one of those games that deserves more praise than what it gets. It has an impressive cast of characters, each with their own dynamics and style they add to every competition. Most importantly, the gameplay is a unique 3D fighter that has you using your elastic arms to defeat your foe. You can stretch it around corners and other obstacles to create a unique setup that most fighting game fans would appreciate. If it was a bit more complex and had an engaging story mode to match the charismatic world, Arms would have been more of a success. We still would recommend it, however.

Pokkén Tournament DX

The world of Pokémon and the fighting mechanics of the Tekken series came together in the ultimate clash Pokkén Tournament DX. It has a fun 3D fighting game system that has you switching between two plains on the battlefield. You can combo attacks together and use special abilities to take out the opponent. Pikachu is a fast attacker that swings its tail back and forth and uses its electrical abilities, while the more unpredictable choice Chandelure has weak HP but acts as a keep-away character with ranged moves like Will-O-Wisp and the counterattack Smog. There’s an eclectic roster of pocket monsters that you’ll have fun discovering.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

With one simple mention of this series’ name, you can imagine men in yellow flaming hair beating up each other throughout the sky. Dragon Ball FighterZ takes that same energy and runs with it in an exciting battle system that many fans have come to love. The 3v3 fighting game has a thrilling combo system that masters of the genre would find compelling, and it looks just like the anime as Arc System Works does a great job of translating that look into game form. It’s honestly compelling to watch players battle it out for supremacy. With characters all over the series’ history like Goku, Gotenks, Frieza, Beerus, and even Broly, you’ll be in for an exciting time, especially if you’re a fan of the anime.

Mortal Kombat 11

You wouldn’t expect the vicious nature of Mortal Kombat 11 on a Nintendo system these days, but the blood and gore of this game is certainly present. What also is present is the solid fighting game systems that fans have known and loved over the past few decades from the Mortal Kombat series. It also has a compelling story mode, online multiplayer, and many characters to choose from like Scorpion, Liu Kang, and even The Terminator. Some of the best fighters in Mortal Kombat history are in this game. Surprisingly, Mortal Kombat 11 runs decently on the little Nintendo Switch as well, despite the graphical downgrading from its more impressive console iterations.

Best of the best: Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Colors weave into a spire of flames, and distant sparks call to a game that will be remembered for a very long time. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is simply a love letter to gaming history, not just Nintendo themselves. It has so many characters, items, stages, spirits, and music that it’s hard to compete against in terms of value. Sora, Snake, Sonic, Mario, Kirby, Pac-Man, Mega Man, Donkey Kong, Link, Zelda, and many other cultural touchstones from the video game industry are here. Despite its quantity, it also comes with a battle system that no one has been able to replicate perfectly and is beloved by millions of people around the world.

Knocking out your fellow opponents is always satisfying to pull off, and racking up the damage with the precision of your A and B attacks is unmatched. It’s deceptively simple but like many say, hard to master. There is a preciseness to the combos you can perform or tactics that have you edge guarding other characters from returning to the stage. It’s frenetic, exciting, and so feature-packed that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a must-buy for anyone who has a Nintendo Switch. Search your soul and reawaken the undying light by playing this incredible fighting game.