Top 10 Best Fighting Game Characters of All Time!

Top 10 Fighting Game Characters of All Time

This 10-participant battle is about to begin, let's go for broke! Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down the Top 10 Fighting Game Characters of All Time.

For this list, we’ll be limiting our picks from to one entry per franchise, and we’re only including characters that were fighting game characters, to begin with. So while we can't deny the fiery ferocity of the FALCON PUNCH, the good Captain Falcon and everyone else from the Smash Bros. series is excluded.

#10: Sol Badguy

"Guilty Gear" series (1998-)

A scientist in a previous life, Sol Badguy was changed when he was forcibly transformed into a Gear, a magically imbued bioweapon with superhuman speed, strength, and longevity. In the heat of battle, this super-powered bounty hunter knows how to do damage. Developing his own fighting style and skilled with fire spells, Sol created the Fireseal, a sword that increases attack range and magical abilities. The protagonist of the Guilty Gear series, he’s a great pick-up and play character with a complex backstory. Did we mention that Sol's based both Guilty Gear's creator Daisuke Ishiwatari and rock legend Freddie Mercury? No doubt, Sol proves that sometimes it’s good to be the Badguy

#9: Mai Shiranui

"King of Fighters" series (1994-)

Ok calm down guys, she only has eyes for Andy Bogard. While she started out in the Fatal Fury series, Mai was the also in King of Fighters '94, the first game in the series. As a mainstay in both the Fatal Fury and Women’s teams throughout the tournaments, Mai is a combatant who's full of surprises. Skilled in the art of Shiranui style Ninjitsu, she can fly like a squirrel, throw a seemingly unlimited number of battle fans and summon fire techniques. One of SNK's most popular characters in general, said popularity lead her to making a guest appearance in the Dead or Alive series.

#8: Ragna the Bloodedge

"BlazBlue" series (2008-)

Suffering from incredibly tragic past, costing him his family and his arm, Ragna the Bloodedge is the bane of the militaristic Novus Orbis Librarium. Being chased by NOL officers and bounty hunters, he more can handle his own. With his replacement arm, the Azure Grimoire and his weapon the Blood Scythe, Ragna drains a substance called seithr from his opponents and use it to form the claws or teeth of the feared Black Beast. Nicknamed the "Grim Reaper" Ragna has earned himself a fearsome reputation. Fans of the series however also see his more heroic and kind-hearted traits throughout the series. It’s this bend of dark power, unshakable resolve, and an epic theme song that puts the edge in Bloodedge.

#7: Morrigan Aensland

"Darkstalkers" series (1994-)

Born a demon of the nobility of the Aensland clan, Morrigan is a powerful succubus with skills in spells and strikes. She possesses the powers of flight, shapeshifting her clothing into bats and weaponry, to casting her trademark Soul Fist. Provocative and flirtatious, Morrigan evolved from a 300-year-old party girl to S class demon. The standout star of the Darkstalkers series, Morrigan would be featured in many Capcom crossover games, sometimes acting as a catalyst for other Darkstaker characters to join her. She also went from strong secondary main character to muscling Vampire character, Demitri, out of his protagonist position. It's easy to see why fans love her big set of batwings and green hair.

#6: Fulgore

"Killer Instinct" series (1994-)

Cyborgs are awesome and when it comes to Fulgore, he's a titan. Created by Ultratech, it is a robotic, quarter-ton armory of death and destruction. Containing the brain of a warrior that opposed Ultratech, Fulgore's vast might is firmly under the corporation's control. Trading off speed for power, Fulgore is who many see as the figurehead of this series. Featured on the boxes of Killer Instinct for the SNES and KI Gold for the N64, that terrifying, cold, mechanical face is synonymous with actually having instincts (or programming) for killing. With his razor sharp claws and nuclear-powered arsenal, finding another fighter of Fulgore's caliber is rare.

#5: Terry Bogard

"Fatal Fury" series (1991-1999)

Blonde, baseball cap, riding trains going to Mt. Rushmore, yep he's American alright. One of the three legendary Hungry Wolfs, Terry is one of the most dynamic fighting game characters in history. Learning the art of Ha-key-yoko-say-ken, Terry was able to learn devastating ki attacks. In addition, he also developed his own fighting style using the art along with boxing, karate, kung fu, kickboxing and yes even street fighting. He took these skills and defeated Geese Howard, the man who killed his father. Another KOF stalwart since inception, Terry is a fan favorite and has some of the most repeatable dialogue in fighting games.

#4: Ivy Valentine

"Soulcalibur" series (1996-)

Many characters have suffered because of the Soul Edge and Isabella Valentine may be one of the worse off cases. Ivy is focused on destroying the demonic sword after her adopted father's obsession with it lead to the ruination of their family, both parents dying shortly after. Ironically, she was the birth daughter of the pirate Cervantes, who wielded the Soul Edge. With less than modest design and her enchanted sword that can transform as a whip, Ivy was a sharp contrast from the earlier characters. That contrast made her one of the most recognized faces in the series. Ivy can always be our Valentine.

#3: Heihachi Mishima

"Tekken" series (1994-)

A host of several Iron Fist tournaments and the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu, Heihachi is a power hungry, arrogant curmudgeon and possibly the worst parent and grandparent ever. When a dad or grandad has a habit of dumping family members out of planes without parachutes, he qualifies. Despising weakness, this septuagenarian is well versed in Mishima Style Fighting Karate and still skilled in battle. And have you seen him? The dude is shredded. Heihachi’s actions are so brazen and ego so huge he can also be very funny. Even moments whenever he has a rare moment of comeuppance are downright comical. With actions as iconic as his hairstyle, Heihachi doesn't need a Devil Gene to make his victims suffer.

#2: Scorpion

"Mortal Kombat" series (1992-)

Of all of Mortal Kombat's many multicolored, masked ninjas, it's always going to be Scorpion and Sub-Zero. The frozen fighter is quite amazing and so was the first Sub Zero aka Noob Saibot, but Scorpion is Mortal Kombat. A minion of villains at his darkest and an anti-heroic assassin at his lightest, the undead Hanzo Hasashi seeks vengeance against the forces of Outworld, especially his former master Quan-Chi. Scorpion is a quick but savage fighter only made more deadly with his command of Hellfire and his trademark spear. While some of the other good characters have dark sides, Scorpion has embraced his, gaining some deep voiced commands as a bonus.


Before we crown the tournament champion, these competitors earned some Honorable Mentions.

Ms. Fortune
"Skullgirls" (2012)

Kasumi
"Dead or Alive" series (1996-)

Dural
"Virtua Fighter" series (1993-2012)

#1: Ryu

"Street Fighter" series (1987-)

An orphan from Japan, raised by a martial arts master, Ryu wants nothing more than to fight strong opponents. Whereas friend and rival Ken usually goes to tournaments if Ryu does because of his busy life, Ryu will fight because it is his life. Mastering several potent techniques, most notably his Hadouken, Ryu’s charm is his dedication to essentially being the perfect fighting game character. Sure he gets wrapped up in the plots of the bad guys and he had to deal with the dark power of the Satsui no Hadou both fighting Akuma and within himself. Despite all that, this World Warrior is always seeking the answer that lies in the heart of battle.