The Best Fighting Games Only Available On The PS2

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Summary

  • Home consoles surpassed arcades due to longer games and better tech in the 90s.
  • The PS2 was a hotspot for exclusive fighting game releases, offering unique content.
  • Games like Arcana Heart and Tekken 4 gained popularity despite initial criticisms.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the PlayStation 2 era was truly a golden age for fighting games. The console was home to some of the most iconic and influential titles in the genre, many of which were exclusive to the platform.

By the late 1980s, home consoles were starting to challenge arcades, as their score-attack gameplay and enhanced visual and audio features couldn’t quite keep up with more complex, lengthier console games. However, they received a significant boost in the 1990s when Capcom allowed the developers of their 1987 brawler Final Fight to create a sequel to the original, less refined fighting game Street Fighter.

By the turn of the millennium, arcades were fading out and fighting games were becoming less popular. Unless you lived near a large arcade or owned a modified console, your options were limited mostly to well-known titles like Tekken and SoulCalibur, along with some obscure cult classics. If you were searching for top-tier fighting games, the PS2 was the most effective sifter due to its exclusive releases of these games.

10. Fist Of The North Star

Unbalanced But Insanely Fun Fighter Strikes Out On The PS2

  • Developer: Arc System Works
  • Platforms: Arcade, PS2
  • Release: March 2007

On this list, you might find surprise the PS2 game titled “Fist of the North Star” fighter, which has been labeled as a ‘kusoge’ in gaming history. In essence, it’s like Guilty Gear X2, featuring characters from the iconic anime, but without the balancing that comes with X2. While Guilty Gear X2 games aren’t the epitome of balance, they offer a reasonable challenge compared to the basketball combos in Fist of the North Star. However, it does serve as an interesting precursor to ArcSys Works’ later anime fighter, Dragon Ball FighterZ.

Among its Fatal KOs bearing resemblance to Dramatic Finishes in Dragon Ball FighterZ, the character Juda possesses an ability to summon his minions for assist attacks, similar to Dragon Ball FighterZ. However, he can’t substitute them, only eliminating one if they become too disorderly. The PlayStation 2 version of the game is generally regarded as superior due to its reduced glitches (meaning it won’t damage the console’s mainboard like the arcade version did). It also offered additional modes and hidden content.

9. Street Fighter EX3

Game Derided On Release Becomes A Cult Classic Decades Later

  • Developer: Arika
  • Platform: PS2
  • Release: October 2000

Street Fighter EX3, which debuted on the PlayStation 2, didn’t quite measure up to titles like Tekken Tag Tournament and Dead or Alive 2. For years, it stood as a prime example of Capcom’s premier fighter struggling in the transition to 3D. It appears that Capcom concurred, as their subsequent efforts to create a 3D Street Fighter game met with difficulties until Street Fighter 4 achieved success.

Despite some reservations, EX3 isn’t a poorly crafted game. It boasts seamless gameplay and introduces an intriguing 2-on-2 game mode with special tag supers that add variety to the standard mix of super combos and guard breaks. The return of beloved character Sakura is always welcome, and Ace, a customizable character, offers a fresh twist by learning moves from other characters or entirely different series. While EX3 isn’t flawless, it certainly provides an entertaining deviation from the ordinary.

8. Tekken 4

Tekken’s Black Sheep Gets Its Day In The Sun

When queried on the possibility of a collection release for earlier Tekken games, series mastermind Katsuhiro Harada showed hesitation. He mentioned that compared to their 2D counterparts, older 3D fighters tend to deteriorate more over time. Although Tekken 1 and 2 may seem outdated by today’s standards, fans yearn for a chance to gather games like Tekken 3, Tag Tournament 1, 5, and so on in one spot. While all those titles have been re-released or updated in some way, unfortunately, Tekken 4 has been overlooked.

This game is often considered the “rebel” or “outlier” in the series, as its gameplay, character designs, and narrative changes weren’t well-received initially compared to T3. It had fewer characters and modes than T3. However, over time, it has regained popularity due to its distinct gameplay, such as the introduction of wall-carrying, which became a key feature in the game. Its PS2-exclusive Force Mode was also unique and innovative, offering an over-the-shoulder perspective that later became standard for games like Resident Evil 4 and Gears of War.

7. Street Fighter Alpha Anthology

Capcom’s Compilation Hides A Console-Exclusive Mode

  • Developer: Capcom Production Studio 2
  • Platform: PS2
  • Release: June 2006

In the era of PlayStation 2, Capcom continued to hold onto Street Fighter 2 tightly, and so did fans if sales figures are any indication. The Street Fighter 2 Anniversary Collection was a popular 2D game that introduced Hyper Street Fighter 2, where various versions of its characters could engage in combat. Interestingly, it also found its way to other consoles such as the Xbox and Gamecube, and was later re-released as part of the Capcom Fighting Collection.

The Street Fighter Alpha Anthology provided an almost identical gaming experience via the Hyper Street Fighter Alpha. In addition to allowing players to choose various iterations of the Alpha characters, it introduced different ISMs that made characters behave like those from Darkstalkers, Street Fighter 3, and Marvel, featuring air chain combos, parries, and exclusive moves. This unique feature was somewhat restricted by its limited game modes (only VS and Training) and lack of availability, as it hasn’t been adapted for any other platform since the release of the Anthology.

6. Arcana Heart

Magical Moe Melee Fighter Gained New Life On The PS2

Apart from the amusingly outdated “Sailor Moon S” and “Asuka 120% Limited Burning Fest”, not many fighting games centered around magical girls are available. For enthusiasts of everything cute, the top choice has been the “Arcana Heart” series. While its latest game, “AC3”, was released on both PS3 and Xbox 360, its predecessor, “AC2”, remained exclusive to Japanese arcades before receiving a less-than-impressive port on Japanese PS2s.

In contrast to its later versions, the initial Arcana Heart garnered greater success, particularly with its PS2 adaptation proving an upgrade. Players are granted the ability to toggle between the Original and Expanded character versions, similar to the character modes in GGX Plus. The choice of version affects the combos that can be performed using various Arcanas, thereby introducing additional layers of complexity that helped establish the game as a beloved cult classic among fighting game enthusiasts and those fond of magical girls.

5. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi

The Arena Fighter’s Debut Remains Trapped On Sony’s Black Box

Recently, the phrase “anime-inspired battle arena game” has been met with disdain due to the abundance of such games based on almost every anime, and often they are just average or downright poor. However, Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Zero bucked this trend by being superior to typical fighting games thanks to its large character roster, and it’s noteworthy because it’s a continuation of the classic Budokai Tenkaichi series.

Without a doubt, it attained its peak with the game BT3, featuring one of the most extensive rosters in fighting game history. Yet, the journey began with the initial Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi. This game laid the groundwork for its successors, providing various forms for characters, each unique with their own peculiarities that players needed to leverage to outsmart their adversaries. For those eager to experience it, they’ll need to power up their PS2 (or resort to an emulator).

4. SoulCalibur 3

A Tale Of Souls And Swords That Was Only Told Once

Just like its gameplay, SoulCalibur 2 is well-known for being released across multiple consoles. Each platform showcased unique guest characters, but Spawn and Link didn’t quite sustain the series on Xbox and Gamecube. Instead, SoulCalibur 3 was exclusively launched on PlayStation 2. Although it also had an arcade release, unlike its predecessors, it came out following the console version, and was quite distinct from the original SC3.

Instead of incorporating guest characters, the PS2 game opted for a character creation mode, a feature that would be a staple in the series up until SC6. This was particularly useful for its light Real-Time Strategy (RTS) mode, Chronicles of the Sword, allowing players to create as many distinctive fighters as desired to conquer the land. However, this mode came with a pesky glitch that could erase the memory card’s data if activated. Consequently, players might have found it more appealing to revert to its narrative mode, which resurrected QTE events from Soul Blade, and if timed correctly, these events could alter the endings.

3. Guilty Gear X Plus

The Original Anime Fighter Gets Souped Up On The PS2

  • Developer: Arc System Works
  • Platform: PS2
  • Release: November 2001

Some games from this collection were initially available on arcade machines, but they tended to be less feature-rich than their later console versions, resembling early previews of the full console releases more closely. For instance, “Guilty Gear X” was only playable on consoles and it included a mode exclusive to consoles called ‘Gear Mode’, which added new moves, super attacks, and in Ky Kiske’s case, entirely transformed his animations, hinting that he might not be as straightforward as he appeared.

In contrast, PC and Dreamcast users could enjoy regular GGX gameplay. On the other hand, only PlayStation 2 owners had the opportunity to play Guilty Gear X Plus. This new version introduced a branching story mode, a challenge mode, an ‘Extra’ mode that modified characters’ moves, as well as the returning ‘GG’ mode. Additionally, it reintroduced Kliff and Justice from Guilty Gear 1, featuring fresh sprites and moves. These additions were welcome to the series, even though many players might have assumed they were part of its sequel.

2. Guilty Gear X2 & XX Slash

How The Midnight Carnival Opened For Service On The PS2

In essence, a significant number of attributes from GGX Plus were adopted as standard for Guilty Gear X2. Notably, it introduced a story mode with branching paths for each character, along with mission and gallery modes. Additionally, Kliff and Justice made their comeback, while the game reintroduced Gold and Shadow versions of characters, who utilized Extra and GG moves (except for Ky, whose peculiar alternative form was realized as Robo-Ky). The initial GGX2 was confined to arcades and PS2, but subsequent editions were released on various home platforms.

Apart from Guilty Gear XX Slash, which was exclusively available on PS2, it essentially represents the final iteration of #Reload, albeit with some narrative and gameplay modifications to incorporate new characters such as A.B.A (from Guilty Gear Isuka) and Holy Order Sol. The character A.B.A gained popularity due to her somber backstory and distinctive key-axe techniques, while Holy Order Sol garnered notoriety for being a challenging and overpowered variant of the series’ protagonist, Sol-Badguy. However, he was notably less intense in his initial game appearance.

1. Virtua Fighter 4 And Virtua Fighter 10th Anniversary

The Original Fighter’s PS2 Debut Came With Exclusive Extras

  • Developer: Sega AM-2
  • Platforms: Arcade (VF4), PS2 (VF4, VF 10th Anniversary)
  • Release: March 2002 (VF4), November 2003 (VF 10th Anniversary)

In a similar vein to Guilty Gear X2, Virtua Fighter series also undergoes significant changes across its various releases, not unlike Street Fighter 2. However, it’s important to note that these games aren’t the only ones that get altered between different versions. One striking example is Virtua Fighter 4, which introduced a new AI training mode on the PS2 platform. This mode allowed players to teach a CPU character how to play, and then observe how far it could progress in Kumite mode. Additionally, Vanessa, a fresh MMA-inspired character, offered two distinct fighting styles: a grappling Defense style reminiscent of real-life grappling techniques, and an Offensive style based on Muay Thai martial arts.

In the update for the game’s Evolution, neither original character appeared, allowing newcomer Brad Burns to adopt Muay Thai style and replacing Kumite Mode with Quest Mode, a mode that simulates eSports. Special editions also included Virtua Fighter 10th Anniversary. Essentially, VF4: Evo featured the blocky graphics of VF1, including new models and animations for characters in the VF1 style, as well as rules that excluded sidesteps, throw escapes, or bounce-based OTG combos. Unlike its predecessor which received a laggy PSN re-release, VF10th can only be played on the PlayStation 2.

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2024-12-23 17:34