The holidays are here, and if you celebrate Thanksgiving, you know that some good family tension is on the way. If you need to let loose a little this holiday season, here are some great games for you to get your frustrations out.
7 games like Street Fighter 6
Of course, when I talk about games “like Street Fighter 6,” I really just mean any fighting game that might suit your fancy. That being said, certain fighting games may be more effective at letting loose any grievances you may have if you have a particularly dark sense of humor. (Fighting game heads, you already know.) Here are some great games like Street Fighter 6 if you need to let loose a little.
Mortal Kombat 1
Maybe it’s my messed-up sense of self that enjoys watching all the guts and glory that Mortal Kombat loves to present. But there’s a sense of comfort imagining someone I feel particularly dark about get Fatalitied in a gloriously ghoulish manner. I’m just kidding, of course…kind of. But yes, if you are feeling some pent-up anger, Mortal Kombat 1 might be a good source of emotional therapy.
That being said, your mileage may vary. By which I mean, if all you need is a little violence to run your life, you might be just as satisfied by watching a few clips on YouTube. But Mortal Kombat is fun! And to really mix things up, Mortal Kombat 1 is actually a tag fighter, a major difference from previous Mortal Kombat games. That means you can Fatality your enemies with two characters instead of one. Now that’s nice.
Guilty Gear: Strive
Guilty Gear: Strive is the kind of game that might make you want to punch someone even more, but my goodness, it is a fun fighting game. It’s a great introduction to the “anime fighter” genre. While Street Fighter 6 is a bit slower-paced, Guilty Gear: Strive manages to bridge the gap between anime insanity like Blazblue and your more traditional footsie-based fighting game.
With a new Season Pass on the way, with four newly announced DLC characters, it’s the perfect time to get into Guilty Gear: Strive and pick up a new character. This stylish game is filled with a cast of both lovable characters, and characters you’ll want to destroy like Happy Chaos or Leo Whitefang.
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is not actually out yet, but it is out in less than a month, with an official release date of December 14, 2023. If I were to describe this anime fighter, the most succinct way to do so would be to give it a simple “anime Street Fighter” moniker. This game is a slower-paced, footsie-based fighting game with anime graphics.
If Street Fighter 6 isn’t suiting your fancy anymore, then try out Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising when it releases in less than a month. Like Guilty Gear: Strive, this is a great introduction to the “anime fighter” subgenre, and you might find it a bit more comfy to play if you’re used to fighting games like Street Fighter.
God of Rock
Fighting games admittedly aren’t accessible to everyone. The learning curve is huge and intimidating, which means lots of things on this list might not appeal to you. God of Rock is different, however, and blends the fighting game and rhythm game genres seamlessly. As a fan of both, this unique title was instantly appealing to me.
It’s a little underbaked as a concept, with stability issues and a lack of depth, but the game has a dedicated community and a competitive scene, which is fun to dive into if you have the time. Regardless, this is a great fighting game that’s more accessible for casual players.
Melty Blood: Type Lumina
If you’re browsing this list, you might have seen the term “anime fighter” thrown out a couple of times. For those who are unaware, the “anime fighter” is a subgenre of fighting games where a larger emphasis is placed on aerial movement, combos, and normal cancels. In other words, anime fighters tend to be a bit more chaotic and aggressive, while a more traditional fighter is a little more calm and collected.
Melty Blood is a popular anime fighter and an important game in the genre with lots of history. But what makes this game so special over other anime fighters you can pick up right now, like Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Under Night in Birth, and Blazblue Central Fiction? Well, you can enjoy the presence of Neco Arc, a wonderful joke character where you can throw out projectiles determined by RNG, turn into a V-tuber while pummeling your foes, and become the greatest and strongest cat in the world.
That was partially a joke, but Melty Blood: Type Lumina is a solid anime fighter for you to get your hands on.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2
This platform fighter received high marks during its release. While its community might not be as dedicated as other platform fighters, I do think there’s a high level of amusement in beating up your enemies as Spongebob or Garfield.
By all accounts, it’s a huge improvement over the first Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, and there’s a great memetic factor to this game with inspired additions like Squidward and Plankton. Hopefully, this is the second step in getting a dedicated Spongebob fighting game. Fight me over it, but I want to play as Bubble Buddy in the middle of Bikini Bottom.
Whack Your Boss
Okay. This isn’t a fighting game, but if you need something to punch? Please enjoy the legendary flash game of your childhood, Whack Your Boss. Except now, you are probably old enough and have a boss you may or may not dislike. This holiday season, when your boss is expecting a whole new level of crunch just before Thanksgiving, I cordially invite you to…well, whack your boss.
A mainstay of sketchy flash game websites that I’d look up while at school, Whack Your Boss is an experience where you can find unique items and use them to creatively…ahem, incapacitate a certain authority figure in your life. The acts of violence in this little game amount to more than punching, but it’s still immensely satisfying to witness.
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