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Top 5 Fighting Games for 2008 (Year of the Fighter)

Welcome to the year of the Fighter! This great genre was almost lost 15 years ago, when at its peak, the most popular fighters were Street Fighter II (1991) and Mortal Kombat II (1993). So why did the genre disappear and what resurrected it?

As graphics and technology advanced, developers shifted from two-dimensional (2D) to three-dimensional (3D) worlds. Fighters, such as Tekken and Mortal Kombat, adapted to this new movement, but didn't succeed. What succeeded in the 3D transformation were side-scrollers (Mario), shooters (James Bond 007), and role playing games (Final Fantasy). Developers were excited by the realm they could create with 3D worlds, which put the finishing moves on fighters. As the years continued to bring us in-depth, 3D gaming the gameplay actually became complex with every single button used on the controller. Due to the complexity of gameplay, extravagant 3D worlds along with today's society: a culture with Ritalin children, girls on-the-go, and men shooting Starbucks into their veins our attention span is definitely shorter, which welcomed the new genre of "casual games."

Casual gaming simplifies gameplay while maintaining entertainment and stunning graphics. (Who remembers the day of just A, B, Start, and Select?) Casual gaming proved a fast and growing success, so it would make sense this new genre initiated the rebirth of the fighter. After-all, the fighter genre gameplay is simple relative to casual games. A player can button mash to win the battle, but the skillful who's crafted their combos and finishing moves will ultimately survive.

This year is the year of the fighter! The best fighting franchises are returning to the consoles by the end of the year*, so here is our list of the must-have, top five fighters for 2008.

Top 5 Fighters for 2008

#5 Street Fighter Alpha (PSN) available now
A nice hold-me-over until Street Fighter IV is released in 2009. This edition introduced new fighting styles and characters: Charlie, Rose, and Dan. At this point, the original "hold-me-over" title SFII: HD Remix is pretty much pointless.

#4 Tekken 6 (PS3) available 11/25/2008
An original 3D fighter! Fans love it because of the physical mechanics over the fireballs and teleportations. Six installments deserves a mention on the list.

#3 Super Smash Bros Brawl (Wii) available now
Nintendo's best mash-up! Snake vs Mario! Are you kidding? We're in!

#2 Soul Calibur (PS3 / X360) available now
This is a solid weapons fighter. Soul Calibur introduces new characters from outside franchises every installment and this is no exception with the introduction of sci-fi geeks favorites: Darth Vader and Yoda.

#1 Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe (PS3 / X360) available 11/10/2008
Oh hell yeah! MORTAL KOMBAT! Get over here! Finish him! Fatality! Enough said? Sorry DC Universe, you got some deadly fighters to battle! Round 1, fight!

*Note: Street Fighter IV didn't make the cut due to it's February 2009 release.