Fighting games have been part of video game history almost from the beginning, starting in arcades before moving to home consoles like the original PlayStation. The PS1 saw a lot of fighting games that revolutionized the genre at the time, whose influence can be felt even now.
But which of the many fighting games for the PS1 released were the cream of the crop? Of course, everyone has their favorites but for this list, we'll be ranking them by how they're scored on Metacritic. Let's take a look!
Updated January 4th, 2021 by Patrick Mocella: The PS1 generation was the beginning of when home consoles were approaching the quality of fighting games typically reserved for the arcades. Whether it was 2D sprite-based fighters or early era 3d brawlers or even sports games which can also be classified as fighting games, the PS1 had a fighter for every gamer. Keep in mind though that this list is based on games that actually are on Metacritic so it's entirely possible that some good titles are left out for that reason. Also, while some awesome fighters on other consoles made their way to Sony's first gaming system, it's possible that they were butchered in the porting process.
15 Gundam: Battle Assault (61)
2D fighting is an easy genre for many franchises to plop a game into because of the inherent tropes and familiar mechanics of the genre. However, it's a little harder to pull off when your characters are giant mechs.
Due to the giant sprites and the fact that you're playing as heavy mechs, Gundam: Battle Assault isn't the most balanced fighting game on the PS1 but it does have its charm for fans of the anime.
14 Digimon: Rumble Arena (64)
Although the PS1 vastly outsold its closest competitor the N64, Sony's console lacked some amazing first-party Nintendo titles gamers love to this day. Near the top of the list would have to be Super Smash Bros. What may not be known however is that the PS1 would receive a clone of that game in the form of Digimon: Rumble Arena.
Although it plays similar to Nintendo's brawler, the game is simplified in terms of controls and the amount of moves per character is reduced. However, the "Digivolve" mechanic from the anime is incorporated into the gameplay and it had final smashes before Smash Bros. ever did! If the game had more depth and could handle four players like Smash Bros did, it might have found its way higher up the list.
13 Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 (68)
In the days of the PS1, it was much more common for sports games to take an "arcade" style route rather than try to simulate realism. While some failed with this style, Midway's Ready 2 Rumble: Round 2 succeeded quite well.
Its gameplay is fast and easy to pick up by a gamer of any skill level and the game never takes itself too seriously like Nintendo's Punch Out! series. Notable to this game however is the insane secret characters. If ever you wanted a Hilary Clinton homage to box Michael Jackson, you can do it in this game.
12 Battle Arena Toshinden (69)
As part of the original North American Playstation launch library, Battle Arena Toshinden is a highly influential fighting game. As the first 3D fighter to use weapons, it would later be blown away by games like Soul Calibur but in its time, it was a solid title.
For a PS1 title released in 1995, the graphics are great and the fighting although simple, remains entirely playable and responsive. Further sequels were released on the PS1 but the series would not continue past a third game.
11 Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale (69)
Just like several other anime series in this era of gaming, Inuyasha took to the fighting game genre to appeal itself to gamers. Released near the end of the PS1's life cycle in 2003, this game is a 2D fighter filled with super flashy attacks and great sprites.
It's no Street Fighter in terms of balance or depth, but it's a serviceable fighting system for fans of the manga and TV show. Considering that there are few gaming options for fans of the franchise, this is a perfectly fine title.
10 X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 (72)
X-Men: Mutant Academy 2, like its predecessor, allowed players to choose some of their favorite X-Men characters to duke it out one on one. The gameplay itself wasn't anything revolutionary, but playing as our favorite characters was certainly a treat.
Fans loved the inclusion of more characters than its predecessor, as well as the improved graphics, but it's difficult to pull off combos and slim pickings of modes hurt the game and made it lose points in its rating.
9 Capcom vs. SNK Pro (74)
Before Marvel Vs. Capcom, there was Capcom vs. SNK Pro, which pitted Capcom's roster of fighters against SNK's roster of mostly King of Fighters characters. For fans of arcade fighting games, it was a blast to see all these fighters come together.
Capcom vs. SNK Pro used a "ratio" system where each fighter was rated from 1 to 4 based on strength and players could build a team of fighters totaling a rating of 4. It led to some interesting team combinations and was overall enjoyed by players.
8 X-Men: Mutant Academy (75)
X-Men: Mutant Academy just edged out its sequel by only a few points, though some fans actually preferred the sequel to this one. X-Men: Mutant Academy and its sequel are in almost all respects the same game, only this first game had a smaller roster of fighters.
It was a strong fighting game on the PlayStation, praised for its gameplay, graphics, and the enemy AI, but it ended up being criticized for being too strikingly similar to Street Fighter in terms of controls.
7 Gundam Battle Assault 2 (80)
Giant robots facing off one on one in an arcade-style fighting game sounds like a dream come true, and Gundam Battle Assault 2 very much was. It wasn't the most hardcore fighting game but it was an absolute blast to play, especially for fans of Gundam.
Gundam Battle Assault 2 improved on its predecessor in every way, from gameplay to animation. It was particularly praised for bright colors, stunning hand-drawn backgrounds and improved gameplay and animation of the Gundams.
6 Bushido Blade (83)
Bushido Blade was unique not only among the other fighting games for the PS1 but also among the fighting games of today. Almost all the other entries on this list are played with 2D sprites and levels but Bushido Blade had full 3D environments that players can run through.
Bushido Blade also did away with the health bars and time limits in traditional fighting games and instead implemented a "Body Damage System." Most hits would result in an instant death during a match, but it was also possible to wound enemies and cause them to slow or even crawl.
5 Dead or Alive (84)
It may be known now more for its infamous jiggle physics and scantily clad beach romps, but the first Dead or Alive was one of the best fighting games the PS1 had to offer. While it may not have been the most technically complex fighting game, it certainly was one of the sleekest.
The game boasted smooth gameplay and crisp 3D graphics for that time, as well as a tough AI that forced players to strategize their moves. Dead or Alive stood out among the rest because it had a wide variety of fighters with their own unique fighting styles, and because the levels had interactive danger zones for extra damage.
4 Tekken 2 (89)
The Tekken series has been one of the most popular and long-running series in the fighting game genre, though it's not as popular as it once was. Its complex combo list and the convoluted story make it difficult to jump into, but back in the 90s, it was much more accessible.
Tekken 2 made waves with how much of an improvement it was over its predecessor. Tekken 2 offered many more fighters to choose from and a great story, as it was really the start of the Mishima Clan saga.
3 WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role (90)
While the wrestling games of today have become great sources of meme material, the wrestling games of yesteryear were very memorable. One of the best fighting games to grace the PS1 was WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role.
There was so much detail put into this game and so many moves and options to choose from that there was a near limitless amount of replay value. Know Your Role was also the first entry in the SmackDown! games to allow players to fully customize their own characters.
2 Street Fighter Alpha 3 (93)
There's hardly a gamer around today that doesn't have at least a passing familiarity with the Street Fighter series. It's one of, if not, the most popular fighting game series and Street Fighter Alpha 3 likely played a huge part in its popularity.
While the graphics were quite simplistic, even compared to other fighting games of that time, Street Fighter Alpha 3 still offered the speed and combat depth the Street Fighter franchise is known for and is widely considered one of the best entries in the series.
1 Tekken 3 (96)
Finally, the best fighting game for the PS1 according to Metacritic is Tekken 3. It's not only considered by many as the best entry in the Tekken franchise, but it's also considered one of the best fighting games ever made, with several critics calling it perfect.
Where Tekken 2 made vast improvements on the first game and polished it to perfection, Tekken 3 somehow managed to make even more improvements with graphics that aren't bad even by today's standards and fighters with unique and balanced fighting styles.