Many of the world's most famous game series feel prime for the spinoff treatment, and fighting games are usually high on the list of requests. They offer an opportunity to play as a large cast of your favorite characters from the series, and when the right developer is behind the wheel, they can potentially expand on the move sets and fighting styles established in the original games.
While some games listed here may have made appearances in fighting games in the past, none of them have had full battles-based spinoffs that focus on their series exclusively. Whether it's due to their varied characters or their intense combat mechanics, here are a few series that we hope to see get a fighting game spinoff someday.
10 Devil May Cry
The Devil May Cry series is an obvious candidate for the fighting game treatment. For one, the characters that you meet throughout the game are full of personality, both intimidating and stylish. You're able to control Dante, Virgil, Nero, and a few others throughout the series, but being able to unleash hell with some of the other badass heroes and demons in the series would be amazing.
Not only do the characters make for a compelling cast, but the combat in the games is begging to be translated into a fighting game. Full of potential for fast-paced combos, the game's mechanics would likely seamlessly transition into some highly stylized 1-v-1 gameplay.
9 Dark Souls
Dark Souls games - and titles by FromSoftware in general - may not immediately seem like contenders to be turned into a fighting game, but they hold a lot of potential in that avenue. The combat, while seemingly slower and more methodical than most games, actually hides a lot of its variety in its weapons, with different attack patterns and special moves being attributed to the different arms you can wield.
This is to say nothing of the various enemies, rivals, and boss characters seen throughout the series. Although the scale of some of these ghastly beings could make for a challenge, there's still a great deal of potential in the haunting cast of these titles.
8 Metroid
Not many series have had their potential squandered in the particular way that Metroid has. The sci-fi space platforming series is brimming with life, from Samus and her fellow bounty hunters to the various aliens, space pirates, and soldiers that have been present throughout the years. Many of these characters have become fan favorites while remaining fairly enigmatic, and we'd love to see them appear in a game that builds upon their concepts with a full move set.
Although Metroid games can lean pretty heavily on gunplay, look no further than the Super Smash Bros series as a proof of concept of Samus' potential to step into a battlefield. Samus was built into a viable fighter in an era where her latest game was Super Metroid, and her series' penchant for varied abilities and high-flying antics has increased dramatically since then.
7 God Of War
Since the God of War series began on the PS2, it's been full of character and flash. The pantheon of Greek gods who grace the original games featured some heavy hitters, and the addition of Norse mythology into the mix with 2018's God of War only adds to the host of potential fighters featured in the series.
On top of its diverse cast, the God of War series has always been one that's focused heavily on combat. Slicing your way through droves of enemies as you push Kratos toward his goal is always an exhilarating and entertaining experience, and the moves presented would translate well into the fighting game genre.
6 Metal Gear
While the games across the Metal Gear series are fairly gunplay-driven, one cannot deny the heavy presence of close-quarters combat. Snake and his foes are forced to take one another down with a sense of finesse and style that could rival most fighting game characters, especially during the lengthy cutscenes of the Metal Gear Solid series.
On top of its penchant for high-stakes combat encounters, Metal Gear also has some of the most fascinating characters and bosses you'll find in any set of video games. From your core group of collaborators to the many enemies Solid Snake faces down, there's a lot of potential here for an interesting roster.
5 Kingdom Hearts
The Kingdom Hearts games are some of the most flashy in gaming history. Sora and company spin, flip, and blast their way through Heartless, Nobodies, and other creepy creatures with so much flair that it can be hard to keep track of everything happening - which fits right in with the wild pace of some fighting games.
On top of the pomp and fanfare present in the games, few series can match the variety and mystery present among Kingdom Hearts' cast. From series allies like Riku, Roxas, and Aqua to Organization XIII, there is no shortage of characters to add to this hypothetical fighter's roster. And although Disney characters could complicate things a bit, we'd pay good money to see Mulan going head to head in a traditional fighting game.
4 Hades
Hades is a game that's largely built on the strength of its characters. From Zagreus and Nyx to Megara and Hades himself, every individual present in the game is oozing with character and style. As intimidating as they are intriguing, it would be a blast to get our hands on some of these incredible gods and heroes.
Hades also has the benefit of having a rich and varied set of moves attached to each of its characters, whether it's Zagreus' wide range of abilities or each boss' potential for destruction. There are aspects of the combat system that would need to be fleshed out and built upon, but the potential is undoubtedly there.
3 Assassin's Creed
The Assassin's Creed games are so focused on traversal and stealth, it may be difficult to picture them in a fighting game context at first. Look back across the series' many entries, however, and you'll quickly discover a variety of combat maneuvers and clever gameplay that would make the games prime candidates for a fighting title spinoff. The wide range of weapons and fighting styles would fit well into the genre.
Assassin's Creed entries also not only feature a host of interesting assassins but a wide range of historic figures as well. Imagining the likes of Jack the Ripper, Leonardo da Vinci, and Cleopatra doing battle against famous series stars like Ezio and Altair makes for an enticing prospect.
2 Fire Emblem
Fire Emblem may be infamously well-represented in the Super Smash Bros franchise, but the sheer number of Fire Emblem characters present in Nintendo's popular brawler should show that the strategy series deserves a dedicated fighting game of its own. A fighter that's based entirely around weapon-based combat would be extremely fitting for the beloved titles.
While critics of Fire Emblem's extensive inclusion in Smash Bros may point out the series' numerous sword-based combatants, there is a wide range of classes and weapons at play across the history of the games. Hammers, bows, axes, and more could receive the representation that they deserve in a strictly Fire Emblem-based fighting game.
1 The Legend Of Zelda
Like Metroid and Fire Emblem, The Legend of Zelda series has seen representation in fighting games before, most notably within the Super Smash Bros games. Link, the silent protagonist of the Zelda series, has also made a cameo appearance in fighting game classic Soul Calibur 2, further solidifying his potential to have his entire gameplay style translated into a fighting game.
Aside from Link, there are tons of characters from Zelda's storied history who could flourish in a fighting game setting. From obvious inclusions like Breath of the Wild's four champions to more obscure options like Tingle himself, the range of possibilities for a Zelda fighting game roster is astounding to consider.