Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo LifeLast year, we were kindly sent a sample of 'The Most Relaxing Video Games' from Ryan Janes, a lovely book that delved into a collection of games handpicked to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Now, Janes is back with another book, this time looking at some of the best PvP games ever made – in fact, it's straight up called 'The Best Competitive Multiplayer Games', how about that! Much like the first book, this one doesn't merely list out a bunch of games and have done with it, but instead incorporates a lot of Janes' own personal history and anecdotes, making for a pleasant read from start to finish.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube814kWatch on YouTube It also happens to be chock-full of Nintendo titles; obvious choices like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo Land, and Splatoon 3, but also games that might fly under the radar in the modern age: Pikmin 3, Warioware, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!, and Kirby's Dream Course, to name but a few. Other platforms are represented too, mind you, with classics like Tekken 3, The Typing of the Dead, and Marvel Snap all featured. If you picked up Janes' first book and enjoyed it, then this is more of the delightful same. It's got lots of interesting facts that you might not have known before, plenty of cool choices that we perhaps won't have considered ourselves, and the product itself remains high quality and pleasantly big; a lovely coffee table book, then. Images: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life Images: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life The Best Competitive Multiplayer Games is available now via Pen and Sword. Huge thanks to Ryan Janes for sending a sample for our perusement. Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information. Have you nabbed this book already? What do you make of it? Let us know your thoughts with a comment in the usual place.

Sometimes you want to play alone, whether your game of choice is a relaxing solitaire session or an engrossing, cinematic campaign. We get that. Still, some of the best gaming-related experiences come from moments shared with other people. After all, an excellent multiplayer mode makes a video game endlessly replayable and enables good times with local friends or strangers across the country—as long as the servers stay up. Our list of the best multiplayer games casts a wide net that includes console and PC games, competitive and cooperative titles, casual board games and serious esports fare, and, of course, battle royales, shooters, and fighters. If you're interested in playing a game with at least one other person, you'll find something that catches your eye here. These are the best multiplayer video games that you and your friends should play right now. Apex Legends From the ashes of Titanfall rose the best battle royale game. Respawn’s Apex Legends combines unbelievably fluid movement with impeccable gunplay and innovative team communication features. Each character’s unique abilities open strategic options on the expansive battlefield. Among Us Among Us (for iOS) 4.0 Excellent Among Us is more of a social experiment than a game. You and your friends play as crewmates attempting to repair a spaceship, but some players are deadly impostors who are picking off others. Constant lying and manipulation turn even the friendliest relationships into pure paranoia.  Clubhouse Games Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics (for Nintendo Switch) 4.0 Excellent This compilation contains more than 50 classic games that have stood the test of time, including bowling, backgammon, and billiards. You can have fun with friends or family, but beware getting so heated that you'll never want to speak with them again. Online play ensures the good (and frustrating) times aren't limited to your immediate vicinity. Counter-Strike 2 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive 4.0 Excellent Counter-Strike is a founding father of multiplayer online shooters, and Counter-Strike 2 continues the legacy. In this long-awaited update to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you’ll find a massive community always ready to hop into Terrorist versus Counter-Terrorist tactical team action. Plus, it’s free! Death Stranding Death Stranding: Director's Cut (for PlayStation 5) 4.0 Excellent Hideo Kojima’s freaky odyssey about time rain and babies in jars is also one of the most fascinating and unconventional multiplayer games in recent memory. As you traverse the harsh wasteland, you can leave behind useful items, such as ladders and reports, that other players can use in their sessions. Destiny 2 Destiny 2 (for PlayStation 4) Destiny 2 is the looter-shooter that gives other looter-shooters envy. You gather the shiniest guns, the sickest armor, and show off your gear in front of fellow Guardians. Party-up and shoot your way through alien enemies and strongholds with Bungie’s perfect first-person shooter controls. The first taste is free, and regular, new content releases give you many reasons to keep gunning. Destiny 2 (for PlayStation 4) review Diablo IV 4.0 Excellent No action-RPG out-Diablos Diablo IV, a title that expands the familiar loot-grinding mechanics with massive, demon-filled zones. In terms of character builds, Diablo IV review Dota 2 Dota 2 (for PC) 4.5 Excellent What began as a mere mod has since become one of the most popular esports in the world. Dota 2 sets the standard for the MOBA genre, that strange hybrid between real-time strategy and team sports. New heroes give players constantly changing choices to consider. If you put in the effort to get really good at this game, the sky's the limit.  Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (for PC) 4.0 Excellent The King of Fighters series is great, but Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves resurrects the SNK fighter that started it all. Familiar faces like Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui battle real-life guest characters like DJ Salavatore Gannaci and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo in this excellent take on fundamental, 2D fisticuffs. Rich mechanics add depth to both offensive and defensive play, while comic book-inspired graphics give brawls a distinct visual identity. Crossplay multiplayer shines with rollback netcode. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (for PC) review Fortnite Fortnite (for PC) 3.5 Good Do you really need someone else to tell you about Fortnite? Originally a free battle royale mode for a failed multiplayer game, Fortnite became an absolute phenomenon. Every day, millions of children leap from the in-game battle bus to shoot each other and build elaborate structures, while dressed as their favorite brands. You can also hang out and watch concerts or (for some reason) documentaries on social issues.   Forza Horizon 5 Forza Horizon 5 (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Forza Horizon 5 appeals equally to serious automobile racing enthusiasts and anyone who just wants to drive aimlessly through beautifully rendered Mexican landscapes. Although largely similar to past entries, the new EventLab lets you create clever, custom courses to enjoy with friends. Halo Infinite Halo Infinite (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Halo single-handedly saved the Xbox, and proved that multiplayer shooters could thrive on home consoles. Halo Infinite doesn’t just reinvent the single-player campaign, it continues Halo’s history of excellent multiplayer modes, from capture the flag to random weapon fiestas. Plus, you can play for free, so finish the fight. Halo Infinite (for PC) review Jackbox Party Pack The Jackbox Party Pack 8 (for PC) The annual Jackbox Party Pack games consistently deliver the most hilarious social multiplayer experiences you’ll ever play. Design wacky t-shirts, come up with witty quips, and try to figure out which friend is faking it. Anyone can play, as long as they have a phone. With unique streaming features, even your audience can join the party. League of Legends League of Legends (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Free from any previous mod baggage, League of Legends is arguably the more accessible game when it comes to the MOBA heavy hitters. Still, it takes skill to master every champion and lead your team to victory. The League of Legends universe is expanding into other game genres and Netflix shows, so now’s the time to get caught up.  League of Legends (for PC) review It Takes Two In many ways, marriage is the ultimate multiplayer game. It Takes Two is a cooperative adventure that tasks two people with controlling a couple as they complete wacky challenges to repair their strained relationship. You’ll never know true love until you and your partner escape a giant cuckoo clock together. The King of Fighters XV The King of Fighters XV (for PC) 4.0 Excellent For finely tuned 2D fighting, look no further than The King of Fighters XV. Building off intriguing ideas introduced in previous entries, KOF XV gives you a massive character roster and an expressive, creative fighting system. Tournament features, multiplayer party modes, and rollback netcode make this one of the series' best entries. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (for Nintendo Switch) 4.5 Excellent Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is absolutely everything you could want from Nintendo’s hugely popular kart racing series. It features gorgeous visuals, inventive tracks, and a revamped battle mode. In fact, Nintendo is still selling new courses, years after the game's 2017 debut. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is so spectacular not even the blue shell can stop it.  Minecraft Minecraft (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Minecraft gives young people an unparalleled sense of freedom as they explore and build worlds, brick by brick. In fact, multiple builders can join the same game world for cooperative mining and crafting. Take it a step further by setting up your own Minecraft server, so you and friends can construct a private paradise.  Monster Hunter Rise Monster Hunter Rise (for Nintendo Switch) 4.5 Excellent Monster Hunter Rise finally makes hardened haters see the glory of Capcom’s monster-slaying series. You can craft new weapons and armors by defeating a monster menagerie inspired by Japanese mythology or swing through the air with new wirebug techniques. No beasts will stand in your way as you go beast hunting with friends. Mortal Kombat 1 Mortal Kombat 1 (For PC) 4.5 Excellent With Mortal Kombat 1, the famously bloody fighting game finally breaks free of its infamously stiff gameplay mechanics. Finishing foes has never been more fun thanks to high-flying air combos and custom tag-team Kameo fighter attacks. This reboot is as entertaining to play with friends as it is to watch with horrified onlookers. Mortal Kombat 1 (For PC) review Rocket League Rocket League (for PC) 4.5 Excellent “Cars playing soccer” is such a beautiful premise for an arcade sports game, and Rocket League perfectly pulls it off. Sure, you can just put the pedal to the metal and bash into the ball, hoping it goes into the goal. But the high-flying physics system creates enough depth for sensational tests of skill. The free-to-play season structure means you’ll always have a reason to return.  Rocket League (for PC) review Splatoon 3 Splatoon 3 (for Nintendo Switch) 4.0 Excellent Only Nintendo could take the well-worn shooter genre and turn it into a game about punky squid kids squirting ink at each other. By making battles more about covering turf than blasting opponents, Splatoon 3 is a friendlier and more accessible shooter. However, you’ll need to stay on your toes with so many unique weapons and traversal options. Splatoon 3 (for Nintendo Switch) review StarCraft II StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void (for PC) 5.0 Outstanding StarCraft II is the best strategy game since chess. Whether you play as Terran, Zerg, or Protoss armies, you have access to perfectly balanced units for overcoming any opponent during real-time clashes. The StarCraft II trilogy even introduces free, cooperate multiplayer modes, so veterans can introduce newcomers to the fight. Street Fighter 6 Street Fighter 6 (for PC) 5.0 Outstanding Street Fighter 6 is worthy of its iconic name. With its bold new style (graffiti in motion!), expansive new modes (worldwide online Battle Hub!), exciting new roster (Kimberly!), and competitive new gameplay systems (Drive Gauge!), Street Fighter battles are more hype than ever. It's a multiplayer gaming masterpiece. Street Fighter 6 (for PC) review Streets of Rage 4 Streets of Rage 4 (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Streets of Rage 4 breathes new life into the aging beat ‘em up genre thanks to complex combat and stunning illustrated graphics. If smacking goons in solo fashion gets boring, team up with a friend for chaotic co-op action. You can even unlock retro versions of classic characters. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (for Nintendo Switch) 4.5 Excellent Super Smash Bros. Ultimate combines countless characters, stages, modes, and music tracks to create the most incredible video game crossover of all time. It’s also a phenomenal platform-fighting game, speeding up the addictive combat and rebalancing advanced techniques. No matter how seriously you take it, no video game can scratch that satisfying multiplayer itch like Super Smash Bros.  Tekken 8 Tekken 8 (for PC) Tekken 8 is the latest and greatest entry in the venerable 3D fighting game franchise. Prove your worth at the King of Iron Fist Tournament by nimbly sidestepping, laying down painful combos, and activating new Heat Smash attacks. For the true Tekken multiplayer experience, fight your dad and throw him down a volcano. Tetris Effect: Connected Tetris Effect: Connected (for Xbox Series S) 4.5 Excellent Tetris Effect: Connected makes the perfect puzzle game even better. Alongside traditional competitive Tetris multiplayer modes, Effect lets you team up for cooperative “Connected” journeys where you and your partners clear lines on the same massive board. Combine that with trance-inducing audiovisual stimuli, and you’ll never look at blocks the same way again. 

Tekken 8 is not sitting well with its community, and the latest gameplay trailer for Fahkumram didn’t do them any favors.Bandai Namco released the trailer on May 26, showing off the character’s move set, motivations for fighting, and subtle changes to the fighter’s design. The returning character will arrive as paid DLC on July 8 in early access and July 11 in general access, a part of Tekken 8’s Version 2.03 update.And if that wasn’t enough, Bandai Namco included a teaser for Armor King — another returning character — toward the end of the trailer. A specific release date wasn’t provided for the fan-favorite fighter, but is currently planned for a fall release.Neither reveal completely won over an already agitated Tekken community. Armor King appeared to garner mixed views from players, with some excited about getting King’s rival back in the fray, but others weren’t impressed with his inclusion.“Honestly, I had low hope that he would come back. But I’m so glad he’s coming back now,” a player commented on X (formerly known as Twitter).“THE GREATAST MOTHERFUCKIN CHARACTER IN TEKKEN HISTORY IS BACK!” one passionate fan typed, misspelling “greatest” out of sheer excitement.“LMAO, you know what’s funny,” someone else quipped. “They had to reveal this dude cuz they’re trying so hard to return the player base after [messing] up the start of this season & revealing Fahkumram a dlc character from the previous title that nobody liked.”And speaking of Fahkumram, the community’s ill feelings toward him did not waver — gameplay or not, they’re still unimpressed. Players threw out a slew of comments calling the reveal “the most boring DLC trailer” and insisting they would “never like him.”Other commentary called out Bandai Namco for choosing to recycle Tekken 7 DLC and repurposing those characters for Tekken 8.“Man said we are paying for the same characters from T7 DLC all over again,” said one fan.“Why almost all of the DLC is DLC from Tekken 7?” questioned another account.“Real talk...No,” one player posted. “Could have added these people into the regular roster and bought back some we have not seen in a while like Bruce, Christie or made new characters for Tekken 8 DLC. used to have imagination in the industry.”Along with the mixed reviews of Tekken 8’s DLC, the game’s gameplay and mechanics have been a touchy subject, with the community irked by the devs making input changes to legacy characters. Gameplay changes were also made to a huge part of the character roster, adding forced 50/50 options with no defensive answers to respond.Tekken 8’s Version 2.02 and 2.03 are arriving in June and July so, these issues may be addressed. But as of right now, things are not looking too great for the Tekken 8 community.See More:

The Days of Play celebration comes to PlayStation Store, featuring numerous games all available at discount for a limited time*, starting May 28! You can get a preview of just some of the titles** that’ll be included ahead of the promotion’s go-live time right here. The full list will include the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle (45% off), WWE 2K25 Standard Edition (30% off), Astro Bot (15% off), The Last of Us Part II Remastered (20% off) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (75% off).  The full list will include the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle (45% off), WWE 2K25 Standard Edition (30% off), Astro Bot (17% off) and The Last of Us Part II Remastered (20% off).  The full list will include the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle (45% off), WWE 2K25 Standard Edition (30% off), Astro Bot (17% off) and The Last of Us Part II Remastered (20% off).  And there are many more games beyond the titles listed below. When the dedicated promotion page goes live on PlayStation Store on May 28, head there to see the full list and find out your regional discount pricing.  And there’s plenty more Days of Play related-celebrations to enjoy! Check out the full range of activities, offers and more in the Days of Play announcement post.  A Plague Tale: Innocence A Plague Tale: Requiem After the Fall® – Complete Edition Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express Age of Mythology: Retold Standard Edition Age of Wonders 4 AI LIMIT AI LIMIT Deluxe Edition AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – nirvanA Initiative Airport Police Contraband Simulator – Border Patrol Akimbot Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition Alan Wake Remastered Alien: Isolation – THE COLLECTION Alien: Rogue Incursion VR Deluxe Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy ANIMAL WELL Another Crab’s Treasure Arcade Paradise Arizona Sunshine® 2 Deluxe Edition Arizona Sunshine® Remake Arma Reforger Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Deluxe Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Ragnarök Edition Assassin’s Creed® IV Black Flag™ Assassin’s Creed® Mirage Deluxe Edition Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Deluxe Edition Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Gold Edition Assetto Corsa ASTRO BOT ASTRO BOT Digital Deluxe Edition ASTRONEER: Glitchwalkers Edition Atomfall Atomic Heart Atomic Heart – Premium Edition Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Deluxe Edition Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora™ Gold Edition Back 4 Blood: Standard Edition Back 4 Blood: Ultimate Edition Balatro Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Bassmaster® Fishing: 2022 Bassmaster Classic® Batman: Arkham Collection Battlefield™ 2042 Ben 10: Power Trip Bendy and the Dark Revival Bendy and the Ink Machine Bendy: Studio Collection Beyond Galaxyland Bionic Bay BioShock: The Collection Blasphemous Blasphemous + Blasphemous 2 Bundle Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Bluey: The Videogame Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Borderlands 3 Borderlands 3 Super Deluxe Edition Bratz™: Flaunt Your Fashion Bugsnax Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition Bus Simulator Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop – Gold Edition Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle Call of the Wild: The Angler™ – Ultimate Fishing Bundle Capes CARRION Cat Quest 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Ex: Mankind Divided – Digital Deluxe Edition Devil May Cry 5 Deluxe + Vergil Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition Devil May Cry HD Collection & 4SE Bundle Dishonored 2 Dishonored® Definitive Edition Dishonored®: Death of the Outsider™ – Deluxe Bundle Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed DISSIDIA® FINAL FANTASY® NT DOOM DOOM Eternal Standard Edition Dragon Age™: The Veilguard DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition DREDGE DREDGE: Expansion Bundle Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour Dungeons 4 Dying Light Dying Light 2 Stay Human EA SPORTS FC™ 25 Standard Edition EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL 25 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 6 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: WORLD BROTHERS 2 Deluxe Edition Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Empire of the Ants ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist Endling – Extinction is Forever Eternights Expeditions: A MudRunner Game Expeditions: A 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Untitled Goose Game V Rising Legacy of Castlevania Edition Viewfinder Visions of Mana Way of the Hunter Welcome to ParadiZe – Zombot Edition What Remains of Edith Finch Wolfenstein: The Two-Pack Wolfenstein® II: The New Colossus™ World War Z World War Z: Aftermath Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition Worms W.M.D Wreckfest – Complete Edition WrestleQuest WWE 2K25 Standard Edition WWE 2K25 The Bloodline Edition Ys Origin Zero Escape: The Nonary Games *The Days of Play 2025 promotion on PlayStation Store starts May 28 at 00.00AM PDT/BST/JST and ends June 11 at 23:59 PDT/BST/JST.**Games and discounts may differ by region. Please check your local PlayStation Store page at go-live. 

The reception to Fahkumram as the second DLC character for Bandai Namco’s Tekken 8 hasn’t been the best. While he’s about two weeks off from release, the developer has announced the next DLC fighter – Armor King. As a fan favorite, Armor King debuted in the first Tekken and has appeared in numerous entries, with Tekken 7 being the last. He’s an accomplished luchadore who entered a rivalry with King, though they would eventually become friends. After his death at the hands of Craig Marduk, his younger brother took up the mantle, becoming Armor King 2. Given everything that’s happened in the world of Tekken since the previous game, it should be interesting to see how he’ll factor into the story and whether Marduk is still an issue. Armor King is out this Fall for Season 2 Character Pass holders. Stay tuned for a concrete release date in the coming months, and check out our review for Tekken 8 here.

News US FTC Officially Drops Antitrust Complaints Against Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Microsoft president Brad Smith took to social media to celebrate the fact that the FTC has dropped its appeals against Microsoft. Posted By Joelle Daniels | On 26th, May. 2025 The US Federal Trade Commission has officially dropped its appeals for an antitrust case against Microsoft for its acquisition of Activision Blizzard entirely. The FTC released a statement, saying that at this point, public interest is “best served by dismissing the administrative litigation in this case.” “Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that the complaint in this matter be, and it hereby is, dismissed,” said the FTC in an order announcing the dismissal of the governing body’s complaint. Microsoft president Brad Smith took to social media platform X to praise the decision. “Today’s decision is a victory for players across the country and for common sense in Washington, D.C.,” wrote Smith. “We are grateful to the FTC for today’s announcement.” The FTC complaint being dropped comes a few weeks after its appeal for a denied injunction from 2023 also getting denied by the 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals. The court stated that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard was not violating US antitrust laws, with Judge Daniel P. Collins writing that the FTC hadn’t shown the “likelihood of success on the merits as to any of its theories,” with regards to the case. Back when the FTC had first set out to fight Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, one of its core arguments was that the company would use its position in the industry to dominate the console market by releasing games exclusively on its own platforms. This led to Microsoft inking deals with both Sony and Nintendo to ensure that major franchises like Call of Duty wouldn’t be withheld from other consoles. Collins also pointed out that, despite being industry practice to have exclusive games in order to push console hardware sales, Microsoft is currently in the weakest spot behind Sony and Nintendo when it comes to having exclusives of its own. “All major manufacturers have engaged in this practice,” Collins wrote, continuing that competitors like Sony and Nintendo have “both have significantly higher number of exclusive games on their platform than [Microsoft] does.” Back in 2023, the original injunction was denied at the time because the Judge at the time noted that Microsoft’s push into cloud gaming on various platforms dispelled the idea that Activision Blizzard games being “exclusive” to Xbox in some way would harm competitors in the gaming market. This now-dropped case by the FTC was the last thing plaguing Microsoft when it came to potential antitrust issues with regards to its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The deal has otherwise been considered complete since October 2023, however, with Microsoft Gaming boss Phil Spencer welcoming the new studios under the Xbox Game Studios banner. Tagged With: Elden Ring: Nightreign Publisher:Bandai Namco Developer:FromSoftware Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PCView More Borderlands 4 Publisher:2K Developer:Gearbox Entertainment Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PCView More Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Publisher:Sony Developer:Kojima Productions Platforms:PS5View More Amazing Articles You Might Want To Check Out! US FTC Officially Drops Antitrust Complaints Against Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Microsoft president Brad Smith took to social media to celebrate the fact that the FTC has dropped its appeals... PS5 Pro’s PSSR Was So Good, F1 25 Used Double Resolution Ray-Traced Reflections F1 25 producer Si Lumb has revealed the studio's love for Sony's PSSR, and how it allowed the studio to push t... F1 25 PS5 Pro Enhancements Include Quality, Performance, and 8K Resolution Modes Resolution Mode runs in 8K and 60 Hz while offering ray traced dynamic diffuse global illumination while racin... Tekken 8 Adds Armor King in Season 2 This Fall As a series regular, debuting in 1994, the legendary luchadore returns for another round as the third DLC char... F1 25 Interview – Path Tracing, LiDAR Scanning, My Team Mode, and More Leading up to the upcoming launch of F1 racing game F1 25, Codemasters was kind enough to answer a few of our ... JDM: Japanese Drift Master Review – Toothless Roads The thrill of drifting to a faux-Initial D soundtrack is ultimately let down by iffy mission design and a bori... View More

While the developer alleviates many of Season 2’s balance complaints, Tekken 8’s next DLC character, Fahkumram, is surging ahead. Out on June 7th for Season 2 Character Pass holders and June 10th for everyone else, the Muay Thai fighter brings his signature dose of destruction. As a relatively new combatant to the series, having debuted in Tekken 7: Fated Retribution, Fahkumram is battling for the Thai military for the sake of his wife and daughter. His style mixes hard-hitting elbow and knee strikes, faints, and channeling lighting to enhance his attacks. His Rage Art is especially breathtaking since it’s a powerful kick that sends his opponent flying (and destroys a chunk of the environment). How he’ll fare in the current meta remains to be seen, so stay tuned for more details. Tekken 8 is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC and has sold over three million copies. It faced controversy recently due to Season 2’s changes, for which the developer promised extensive fixes.

If you're eager to die, then that's fine by me!With Nintendo Switch 2 bringing a selection of GameCube classics to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers very soon, we looked into our back catalogue of retro reviews and found we didn't have one for one of the best fighting games ever created...until now. Enjoy!Soulcalibur II, of all the games in this mighty series, was the one that really cemented it in our minds as a franchise to have sat alongside the likes of Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Tekken and the very best fighters of its era. And any other era, let's face it.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Don't Feel Like Fighting? Check Out These Other Terrific PC Games Brawlhalla Brawlhalla (for PC) 3.5 Good The Blue Mammoth Games-developed Brawlhalla is a free-to-play fighting game—available on PC, console, and mobile—that builds upon Smash's wild, character-focused gameplay by introducing unlimited wall-jumps and various other movement options that facilitate fun combat.The expanding character roster also features the likes of G.I. Joe's Snake Eyes, WWE's Randy "Macho Man" Savage, Tomb Raider's Lara Croft, and Street Fighter’s Chun-Li. Many of these licensed fighters require spending cash, but that's fine; it's worth spending $20 for all current and future characters, because this platform-fighter is just that exciting. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Capcom continues resurrecting its classic titles for modern audiences with Capcom Fighting Collection 2. This compilation features cool deep cuts not found in previous entries, including Power Stone and Project Justice. Along with the nostalgia, you'll enjoy new upgrades like online multiplayer (but no crossplay) and revamped display options. If you've had your fill of Street Fighter, this is a great way to broaden your fighting game horizons. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (for PC) review Dead or Alive 6 Dead or Alive 6 (for PC) 3.5 Good Dead or Alive 6, much like its immediate predecessor, is one part fighting game, one part fashion show, and one part schlocky action movie. Individually, each of the game's widely differing elements might not stand up to scrutiny. After all, DOA 6 isn't the best fighter, doesn't offer the deepest character customization, and doesn't quite reach the Tekken series' level of story insanity.Still, Dead or Alive 6 is a fun and surprisingly strategic PC game that offers enough freshness to warrant playing with its new Break Blow and Break Hold tools. Plus, the game's familiar Triangle System and Danger Zones are highly entertaining, too. Divekick Divekick (for PC) 3.5 Good Iron Galaxy Studios' Divekick is the most hipster fighting game ever created. It's the product of the indie scene that mercilessly parodies fighting games and their die-hard community, yet demands that you be part of the underground circle to fully get all of the references and in-jokes.It's an odd game, but an interesting one if you open your mind to the insane concept of a two-button fighter based entirely on the idea of jumping and kicking. And 20-second rounds. And one-hit kills. And a line of scrimmage. Yes, Divekick is a fighting game freak show, but one worth checking out. Dragon Ball FighterZ Dragon Ball FighterZ (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Beside Fist of the Northstar and Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventure, there are few anime properties that are as intrinsically suited to the fighting-game treatment as the Dragon Ball series. Spanning multiple series, movies, and generations of characters, Akira Toriyama's manga-turned-anime-turned-game series is all about buff monkey men, humans, aliens, and androids trading blows in actual earth-shattering battles.The series' latest video game adaptation, Dragon Ball FighterZ, ditches the Xenoverse games' arena-brawling model in favor of 3-vs.-3, tag-team fighting on a 2D plane. The gameplay shift is just one of the many reasons Dragon Ball FighterZ is being held aloft as one of 2018's notable titles. Its beautiful design, intense combat, and accessible control scheme add up to a game that anyone can jump into for Super Saiyan thrills.Plus, you can kick Cell through a mountain. Dragon Ball FighterZ (for PC) review Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (for PC) 4.0 Excellent The King of Fighters series is great, but Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves resurrects the SNK fighter that started it all. Familiar faces like Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui battle real-life guest characters like DJ Salavatore Gannaci and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo gather for this excellent take on fundamental, 2D fisticuffs. Rich mechanics add depth to both offensive and defensive play, while comic book-inspired graphics give brawls a distinct visual identity. Crossplay multiplayer shines with rollback netcode. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (for PC) review Garou: Mark of the Wolves Garou: Mark of the Wolves (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Upon its 1999 release, Garou: Mark of the Wolves—a surprisingly deep and visually stunning entry in the long-running Fatal Fury series—was hailed as SNK's wondrous response to Capcom's Street Fighter III. Nearly 20 years later, SNK has finally given the fighting game the proper PC treatment by releasing it with numerous additional graphics options, leaderboards, and rollback, online versus play.Despite removing and downplaying some series-specific elements, Garou doesn't feel any less of a Fatal Fury game, however. It's set in the Southtown, and it features multiple fighters with classic Fatal Fury lineages, whether it's blood relationships to, or martial-arts tutelage from, older characters. Kim Kaphwan isn't in the game, for example, but his sons continue his legacy of swift, combo-heavy tae kwon do kicks.The result is an excellent game that boasts beautiful animation, Just Defend parries, and the strategic T.O.P. system that delivers increased attack damage, limited health regeneration, faster super-meter build up, and an exclusive special attack when your activate the mode. Guilty Gear Strive Guilty Gear Strive (for PC) 4.0 Excellent The Guilty Gear series reigns as the king of anime-style fighting games due to its gorgeous art style, and a rich, demanding, and lighting-quick combat system. Unfortunately, its oceanic depth and mountainous skill ceiling proved inaccessible to the causal player—until now. With Strive, developer Arc System Works streamlines the series’ unique combat mechanics to make them more newcomer-friendly, while retaining the older games' creative richness. Strive comes with fewer extra modes than its predecessors, but there is a lot to love in this PC game, including astounding visuals, impressive character play styles, and snappy, lag-free online play courtesy of top-tier, rollback netcode. Strive is an approachable series entry that shakes up the Guilty Gear formula in the best ways possible. Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- (for PC) 3.5 Good Guilty Gear is a niche series within a niche genre, one that's enjoyed a cult following since its first appearance in 1998. With Xrd -SIGN-, developer Arc System Works ditches the series' 2D sprites in favor of 3D cel-shaded graphics in an attempt to expand its audience. Likewise, series creator Daisuke Ishiwatari sought a more approachable play style that maintains the depth and high skill ceiling that long-time Guilty Gear fans love.Still, Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- keeps the series familiar fighting action (Roman Cancels, Bursts, and Dusts) that enables creative offensive and defensive play. Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- (for PC) review Killer Instinct Killer Instinct (for PC) 4.0 Excellent When Killer Instinct debuted for Windows 10 in March 2016, it represented the latest chapter in the continued PC fighting game renaissance. With its arrival, Microsoft's one-on-one game of fisticuffs joined the likes of Guilty Gear, The King of Fighters, Street Fighter, and other high-profile series that now grace the personal computer.Killer Instinct has a combo-heavy engine that caters to both novices and pros, incredibly detailed graphics that boast ridiculous particle effects (everything explodes!), and an over-the-top, NBA Jam-like announcer who screams your accomplishments ("C-c-c-combo Breaker!") at the top of his lungs.Killer Instinct is part of Microsoft's Play Anywhere initiative. So, if you buy Killer Instinct from the Microsoft Store, you'll also be able to play it on Xbox One at no additional cost. It has cross-platform play with Xbox One, too, thus expanding the online player base. There's a Steam version, too. Even better, the game's ridiculously good netcode ensures smooth play across the globe. Killer Instinct (for PC) review The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match Final Edition The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition (for PC) 5.0 Outstanding The King of Fighters '98—with its hops, rolls, blowback attacks, and meter-filling Advance and Extra modes—is one of the best fighting games ever made, so it's no surprise that developer SNK has returned to the title many times since the game's original release.In 2008, SNK celebrated the game's tenth anniversary by porting the team-based fighter to the PlayStation 2 as The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match, a game loaded with extra characters (including the almighty '96 Boss Team!), stages, moves, and gameplay modes. Now, a tweaked Ultimate Match is available for purchase under the title The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition.This version adds numerous graphics options and good, but not great, online connectivity that lets you battle other KOF fans around the globe in 3-vs.-3 action. The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition (for PC) review The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Like The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition, The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match is a dream match that eschews a storyline so that developer SNK could include as many characters as possible—even some that are canonically dead, like crime boss Geese Howard. As a result, Unlimited Match boasts one of the largest fighting game rosters of all time, with a 66-character strong lineup.King of Fighters 2002 Ultimate Match continues the series tradition of excellent combat. Although it lacks KOF '98 UMFE's three radically different fight mechanics (Advanced, Extra, and Ultimate), Unlimited Match has a lone system that resembles Advanced Mode. This fighting style gives you plenty of offensive (Dash, Run, Hops, Super Jumps) and defensive (Guard Cancel Strike, Guard Cancel Roll Throw) options for setting up or evading traps. Excellent rollback netcode lets you play people around the world without hiccup. The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition (for PC) 4.0 Excellent The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition brings SNK's incredibly dense, 3-vs.-3, team-based fighter to the PC via Valve's video game marketplace. It's an all-around excellent fighting game, and one of the best in SNK's rich catalog.If you've rumbled with friends and foes in the version that appeared on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, you'll feel right at home here: The intricate combat mechanics, meter management, and the best sprite-based graphics ever seen in a fighting game are brought over successfully in this Steam port.Even better, The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition contains all the console DLC and the King of Fighters XIII: Climax arcade features. Similar to The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match Final Edition, The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition has decent online play, but you can expect some hiccups. The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition (for PC) review The Last Blade The Last Blade (for PC) 4.0 Excellent SNK put weapons-based, 2D fighting on the map with 1993's delightful Samurai Shodown, but the developer went on to refine the idea of sword-based combat four years later in a somewhat lesser-known Neo Geo title: The Last Blade.Released to the Steam platform with several contemporary bells and whistles, The Last Blade boasts excellent swordplay, a dozen exquisitely designed characters, and a gorgeous anime- and manga-style presentation that make its 19th-century Japanese setting one of the most beautiful in fighting-game history. Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite (for PC) 3.5 Good Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite has taken its fair share of flack since its reveal, and the venom is not at all unwarranted. The initial trailer for the tag-team fighting game featured dull, washed-out graphics, and Capcom highlighted the new novice-friendly, auto-combo options that are designed to help casuals bust out cool-looking moves in an otherwise hardcore genre. As a result, fight fans were highly skeptical of the game, as was I.Fortunately, my Infinite sentiments changed upon logging several hours with the game. The Infinity Stone hook and the move to 2-vs.-2, tag team action make Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite an incredibly fun PC game to play in both casual and hardcore sessions.Still, Infinite has presentation and MCU-focused roster issues that prevent it from rising to the very top of the fighting game elite. Mortal Kombat XL Mortal Kombat XL (for PC) 4.0 Excellent When NetherRealm Studios released the blood-drenched Mortal Kombat X to consoles in 2015, the one-on-one fighting game continued to evolve via free and paid updates that added characters, balanced the roster, and improved online play. However, the High Voltage Studios-ported PC version of the game received zero post-launch support, much to the dismay of hardcore Mortal Kombat fans.Thankfully, that changed with the Mortal Kombat XL update, a version of MKX that finally gives PC gamers all the extras that console-based fight fans have enjoyed for some time now. I dislike the idea of paying more money for PC content released long after the console version, but it's hard not to love the additions, which include even more fighters, stages, costumes, and gore.Paid DLC added plenty of guest fighters, which has becoming commonplace in the fighting game circle. They include the Predator and Friday the 13th's Jason Vorhees. The King of Fighters XV The King of Fighters XV (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Developer SNK took KOF XIV's core, revamped the MAX meter, added the Shatterstrike counter system, and gave the character models an eye-catching redesign to create one of the best fighting games in recent history. KOF XV features an updated fighting engine that facilitates fast-paced, creative combat, and near-flawless rollback netcode that will keep you knuckling up with online rivals for hours on end.The game's dense with options. You can play the narrative-driven Story mode, use DJ Station to listen to more that 300 music tracks culled from SNK's rich, decades-long game library (many compositions unlock as you play Arcade mode), engage in casual and ranked online battles, view leaderboards, and check out match replays. In a community-fostering move, SNK included an esports-friendly tournament mode tailor-made for locals and majors like Evo. You can save 15 custom teams, set up brackets and rulesets, and register up to 32 entrants. It's a great touch. In addition, KOF XV lets you join online lobbies to play against others or simply spectate. Mortal Kombat 11 Mortal Kombat 11 (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Mortal Kombat 11 is far more than the guts and gore titles on which the series built its fame. The narrative sequel to Mortal Kombat X, Mortal Kombat 11 uses time travel to pit characters against their rivals in the past in order to alter the present. Whatever.Mortal Kombat 11 continues the series tradition of chop-socky action and otherworldly mysticism to lay the foundation for military operatives, ninjas, gods, and monsters to punch each other squarely in the face. With its character customization, HDR10 support, smooth animations, and new offensive and defensive meters, MK11 is the best Mortal Kombat game to date. Mortal Kombat 11 (for PC) review Samurai Shodown Samurai Shodown (for PC) 3.5 Good Clashing swords, blood spurts, and tense, measured play define Samurai Shodown, SNK's beloved weapons-based fighting game series. This series refresh, the simply named Samurai Shodown, carries those elements to PC after the game first appeared on console. If you've waited this long in hopes that Samurai Shodown would add many PC-exclusive extras, you may be disappointed; this is largely the same game that appeared elsewhere. Still, Samurai Shodown's unique, defense-orientated gameplay makes it a fighting game to check out for sword-swinging, blood-letting action. Prep for lengthy load times, though. Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection, SNK and Digital Eclipse's follow up to the delightful SNK 40th Anniversary Collection, contains all the SamSho games that appeared on the original Neo Geo, plus production art, SNK staff interviews, and a true surprise—an unreleased title that only briefly saw a location test. Overall, Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection is a wonderful piece of playable history, with the only blight against the PC game being its mediocre online components. Skullgirls 2nd Encore Skullgirls 2nd Encore (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Skullgirls 2nd Encore, the update to Reverge Labs's critically acclaimed original game, takes cues from many highly regarded fighting titles and blends it with the series' unique, cartoony, art deco-influenced visual style.However, Skullgirls 2nd Encore's graphics aren't all that separate it from the competition. The indie fighter boasts a Capcom vs. SNK-style ratio system that lets you select up to three characters to battle up to three rival characters, as well as a Marvel vs. Capcom-style assist system. The fighter also has a built-in system that automatically stops infinites, those annoying and abusive combos that never end. SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium (for PC) 4.5 Excellent With Match of the Millennium's rerelease, the secret best fighting game in the SNK vs. Capcom crossover series finds a new audience. Featuring an 18-character default roster (Athena, Chun-Li, Dan, Felicia, Guile, Haohmaru, Iori, Ken, Kyo, Leona, Mai, Morrigan, Nakoruru, Ryo, Ryu, Sakura, Terry, and Zangief), and three deep groove systems that replicate beloved the companies' beloved fighting game engines, SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium sees two fighting game universes collide in marvelous fashion.That would be more than enough variety, but Match of the Millennium offers additional goodies. It features standard Sparring, Survival, and Time Attack fighting modes. Olympics, however, is the most intriguing mode, as it lets you indulge in several non-fighting game minigames. For example, you can blast Metal Slug's Mars People in a first-person shooting mode or guide Ghost 'N Goblins' Arthur across pits to snatch up treasure. The Versus points that you earn here unlock extra super moves for the default and secret characters. These contests have the depth of early mobile phone games, but they're a nice diversion from the standard fighting game action.Match of the Millennium is a genuinely entertaining and rich fighting game that combines challenge and strategy with a hefty helping of lighthearted humor. SoulCalibur VI SoulCalibur VI (for PC) 4.0 Excellent The weapons-based combat series has seen its ups and downs over the years, but with SoulCalibur VI, developer Bandai Namco has taken what's worked in the past—swift, strategic combat and robust character customization—and paired it with the new Reversal Edge and Soul Charge battle mechanics to create an engaging PC fighting game that'll shine in all sorts of battles, whether they're between buddies or on big esports stages like Evo.Combat is crisp and rewarding, with a universal control scheme that makes it a breeze to pick up a new character. Each fighter has a horizontal attack, vertical attack, kick, block, parry, sidestep, guard-crushing Break Attack, and Critical Edge super attack. This control scheme will feel familiar to anyone who's played recent SoulCalibur titles, and it leads to some tense combat moments as you attack and defend. Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Film aficionados rely on The Criterion Collection to take vital classic and contemporary movies and present them in thoughtful, information-filled packages for modern audiences. Until very recently, the 40-year old video game industry lacked its own Criterion Collection, letting important pop culture contributions slip into oblivion due to incompatible hardware and software formats, expired licenses, and plain neglect. Thankfully, the games preservation experts at Digital Eclipse have taken up the task, blessing gamers with titles that celebrate classic titles via accurate emulation and a bounty of production-related extras and modern touches. The company's first foray into the fighting game genre is Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection.This collection doesn't include Street Fighter: The Movie, the Street Fighter EX titles, or X-Men vs. Street Fighter, but you will find all the core arcade releases. The lineup includes Street Fighter (1987), Street Fighter II (1991), Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (1992), Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting (1992), Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (1993) Super Street Fighter II Turbo (1994), Street Fighter Alpha (1995), Street Fighter Alpha 2 (1996), Street Fighter III: New Generation (1997), Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact Giant Attack (1997), Street Fighter Alpha 3 (1998), and Street Fighter III 3rd Strike: Fight For The Future (1999).Even better, you don't just get the games. This collection includes a sprite/animation view, design documents, a historical timeline, and a jukebox. In short, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is a love letter to one of the most important video game franchises of all time. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition Street Fighter V: Champion Edition (for PC) 3.5 Good In February 2016, Street Fighter V arrived on PC with many flaws that detracted from the stellar gameplay, including awful server instability, no true single-player mode, and a surprisingly limited multiplayer Battle Lounge. However, over the course of the last few years, developer Capcom released several updates that addressed (most of) those issues while also adding new stages and playable characters.Street Fighter V: Champion Edition, with its fresh and returning characters, new fight systems (like the cool V-Skills and V-Triggers mechanics), interactive stages, Cinematic Story Mode, and cross-platform play with PlayStation 4 owners, finally makes the one-on-one fighting game a title to pick up even for gamers who don't have Evo dreams. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition (for PC) review Street Fighter 6 Street Fighter 6 (for PC) 5.0 Outstanding Following Street Fighter V's lukewarm reception, Capcom had much to prove with Street Fighter 6. Thankfully, the developer not only righted the previous title's wrongs, but exceeded expectations by including nearly everything that fans would want in a contemporary fighting game.The title's powered by the new Drive Gauge, a meter that's full and ready for action at the beginning of each round. With the Drive Gauge, you can unleash the Drive Impact, Drive Parry, Drive Reversal, Drive Rush, and Overdrive moves (read our review for a breakdown of each one). It, along with the Dynamic and Modern control schemes, gives you more combat flexibility than any previous Street Fighter game. The result is one of the best fighters ever crafted, one that enables hype-fueled moments in casual and competitive play. Street Fighter 6 (for PC) review Tekken 7 Tekken 7 (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Tekken 7, like the main-line Tekken games that came before it, is a tale of fathers and sons attempting to murder each other to purge the Mishima clan of the Devil Gene, a magical bit of DNA that transforms certain people into hell spawn.The excellent combat accentuates the narrative ridiculousness. Like its predecessors, Tekken 7 is a fighting game that features simple, limb-mapped controls, massive character move sets, and numerous juggles that let you keep a combo flowing, if you're skilled enough to input the correct move at the right moment. With Tekken 7, the series receives super moves (Rage Arts) and enhanced, special attacks that can blow through an opponent's attack (Power Crush).Tekken 7 is an incredibly tense game of jabs, feints, and sidesteps, because any hit may lead to a long combo sting. Factor in characters with move sets that emulate real martial arts, interactive stages that let you knock people through floors and walls, and terrific slowdown effects that happen when both fighters' health bars are in the red and they perform close-quarter melee attacks, and you have a fighting game that's essentially an interactive martial arts flick. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (for PC) 3.5 Good Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 pits Marvel's superheroes against Capcom's video game characters in a frantic 3-vs.-3, tag team brawl. The 48-character headcount is impressive, but it's the individual characters and visual aesthetic that truly make the game shine (unlike its Infinite sequel).Marvel's side has several popular and obscure characters, including Captain America, Iron Man, Iron Fist, and She-Hulk, and Spider-Man. Capcom's side mainly comprises characters from the company's fighting and action games, including Final Fight's Mike Haggar and Street Fighter's Ryu. The comic book-style graphics, with their bright colors and heavy black lines, gives Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 an eye-popping look.In terms of gameplay, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 builds upon its Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds predecessor by including a three-button control scheme, the momentum-changing X-Factor mechanic, and retooled aerial combat. Ultra Street Fighter IV Ultra Street Fighter IV (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Ultra Street Fighter IV marks Capcom's fourth version of Street Fighter IV and the third version available on the Steam platform. Like vanilla Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV, Ultra's combat is centered on Focus Attacks, a move that lets your character tank a blow and unleash a counterattack.This final iteration adds five new characters (Decapre, Elena, Hugo, Poison, and Rolento), six new stages, a YouTube upload option, Edition Select (which lets you pick different versions of characters, based on their past Street Fighter IV iterations), and Double Ultra (which makes a character's Ultra Combos available simultaneously, in exchange for reduced damage).It's Street Fighter IV's best and meatiest update, though some balance issues prove a bit irritating in play. Still, Ultra Street Fighter IV is an excellent, competitive one-on-one fighting game.

PS5 can still be a great console but it won’t be because of Sony – Reader’s Feature GameCentral Published May 25, 2025 1:00am Sales of the PS5 and PS5 Pro are more or less the same as the PS4 (Sony) A reader suggests that Sony’s peculiar attitude towards the PS5 does make sense and it’s all to do with what more casual gamers want and expect from a console. I read with interest a recent Reader’s Feature that talked about the PlayStation 6 being a chance for Sony to wipe the slate clean and start again, hopefully more in the style of the PlayStation 4. I think that they are probably right, in terms of Sony’s reputation for first party games, but I think we need to remember that that is not the be all and end all of consoles. One of the reasons the PlayStation 5’s sales have not suffered, despite Sony’s poor management, is that it has had virtually no competition from Xbox. There are already almost no current gen exclusives of any importance and sales are so bad for the Xbox Series X/S that it wouldn’t even matter if there were. With the Switch unable to play current gen games this has led to the PlayStation 5 being the undisputed market leader for triple-A games, without raising a finger and despite not having even half as many quality first party games as last gen. What this means is that if you played a triple-A game on a current gen console then the odds are it was on the PlayStation 5. Elden Ring, Baldur’s Gate 3, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Resident Evil 4 remake, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Monster Hunter Wilds, Deliverance: Kingdom Come 2, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Call Of Duty, EA Sports FC… if you’ve enjoyed a big budget third party game this gen you’ve probably done it on the PlayStation 5. This is where I feel there is a bit of a disconnect between what hardcore gamers think of Sony’s current attitude and them not realising that it has had little to no impact on their success. Most people don’t actually buy consoles for their exclusives (Nintendo excluded) which is probably one reason why Sony felt comfortable reducing their output. I’d love to know what the exact stat is, but it wouldn’t surprise me if fully half of all PlayStation owners only buy one to play EA Sports FC and Call Of Duty/free online shooters. Which also explains Sony’s push for live service games, which is not necessarily foolish in terms of the idea, just incompetent in terms of how they’ve executed it. For many people PlayStation is video games and even though games like The Last Of Us and God Of War get a lot of attention, which probably makes people feel better about owning a PlayStation 5, they’re still only a drop in the ocean compared to the sales of multiformat games with vastly less critical acclaim. The opposite is true too. Returnal might have won a Bafta and been GC’s favourite PlayStation 5 game, but it barely sold a million copies. No one played it and most PlayStation 5 owners have probably never even heard of it (I loved it, by the way). So I think that’s why Sony is happy to be aloof and uncommunicative, because they’re winning by basically doing nothing, so why say anything to draw attention to it or upset people? It might be maddening to us gamers that they won’t acknowledge the change in policy, but from their point of view that can only be a bad thing. More Trending As far as the average gamer is concerned the PlayStation 5 is a good console with great games, it’s just their criteria for what makes a great game is very different from more hardcore gamers. Likewise, their idea of whether a console is value for money or not is different. They never wanted the PlayStation 5 to be anything more than it is and they’re not disappointed at all. By reader Rankin For some people games like EA Sports FC are all they want (EA) The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro. You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy