Can You Name These Fighting Game Characters?
- by Austin Baker
- – on
- in The Geek Corner
What's better than a good fighting game? The genre is one that even the most casual of gamers can pick up and play right away- Generally you can just mash buttons, hop around the screen blocking, or spam a certain move until your enemy is defeated or gives up from frustration. Of course, the more experienced fighting game veterans take things to the next level; they are able to chain together combos effortlessly and make anyone who plays against them look like a total chump. The genre is so popular that just about every major fighting game that comes out supports stick play -- which is to say retro cabinet style arcade sticks. People even customize them with colors, graphics, and layout. And they aren't cheap.
One of the best things about fighting games is that they feature a unique cast of characters, all with their own unique appearance, fighting style, and special abilities. Some of these heroes and villains have gone on to become the faces of their franchise while others fade away into obscurity due to a lack of appeal. Are you a true fan of the fighting game genre? Let's play 'can you name these fighting game characters.'
This chilly ninja is part of the Mortal Kombat series
In the Mortal Kombat series of video games, this character is one of the mainstays, appearing in every entry of the franchise to date. Surprisingly, most people don't realize that the original version of the ninja was killed off during the events of the first game. Every subsequent entry features his younger brother (who somehow has the exact same appearance and powers) on a quest to avenge his fallen sibling. The original would eventually return in the form of a cyborg.
In the Street Fighter series, this brawler acts as the game's protagonist.
Alongside his best friend, this character entered the Street Fighter tournament in order to test his strength against its current champion. This guy is known for his iconic karate outfit adorned with a red headband as well as his signature move, the Hadouken. He is one of the most powerful characters in the Street Fighter lore, making him the usual victor of the tournament as well as a high profile target for the villainous characters of the series. He has appeared in every Street Fighter game to date and has even been featured in Nintendo's Super Smash Bros.
This wrestler is a staple of the Tekken franchise
Believe it or not, that's a mask! As a kid, many of us assumed that this character was some sort of half man/half leopard creature. He's one of the greatest fighters in the Tekken series, using the moves he's accumulated from his career as a professional wrestler to bash his opponents into submission. The character entered the Tekken tournament primarily to use the prize money for the orphanage he supports. The original version died in Tekken II, only to have someone else take up his mantle in the subsequent games.
Mortal Kombat's resident smart aleck.
This guy is about as sarcastic and jerkish as you can get! In the Mortal Kombat lore, this character is a washed-up action star who wanted to be taken seriously. Completely broke and with a career like a bad joke, he decided to enter the Mortal Kombat tournament. However, he was eventually sought out by Raiden to act as one of his warriors to defend Earthrealm. Whenever this guy is on the screen, you know you're going to be doubled over in laughter.
This woman is the protagonist of the Killer Instinct series
Killer Instinct is one of those fighting games that came back in a HUGE way. The first two games in the franchise were massive hits during the 16 bit era, but the franchise itself dropped off the map shortly after its foray into the world of the three-dimensional. It was revived in 2013 with this character once again taking on the role of the female protagonist alongside her younger brother. The superspy also boasted one of the more unique finishers in gaming history.
An evil snowman that was part of the Clay Fighter series
Come on, you knew we weren't gonna do a fighting games list and leave off Clay Fighter! This series took a normally violent and brutal genre and completely turned it on its head, forcing players to face off as two stop-motion claymation figures. This character used to be just a regular old snowman before a giant meteor hit the Earth and brought him to life. Unlike the other animated snowmen we've met before, this guy is bad to the chilly bone.
An undead ninja Hellspawn from Mortal Kombat
While alive, this Mortal Kombat character ran around with one of Japan's most powerful ninja clans. However, his entire family and group of brothers-at-arms were murdered by their rivals in a brutal attack. However, the ninja's enemies didn't get the last laugh; he was resurrected and given the powers of the Netherrealm (basically, Hell) so that he may enter the MK tournament and take revenge on his murderer. Fans mostly remember him for his spear-chain and signature phrase, "GET OVER HERE!"
This character is one of Soulcalibur's most popular
This woman has been at the forefront of the Soulcalibur series since the beginning. She is the illegitimate daughter of a legendary undead pirate from the Soulcalibur universe, but she was adopted and raised by a wealthy couple. Later in life, her parents became obsessed with Soul Edge and eventually their endeavors led to both of their deaths. Their daughter created a hybrid whip/sword weapon that she uses to stop anyone who would stand in her way of destroying Soul Edge once and for all.
Everyone's favorite T-Rex from Primal Rage
The planet Urth just got a wake-up call! After decades of being trapped in the planet's fiery depths, this evil monster has awoken and is hell-bent on taking over the planet. He and his followers wish to remake the landscape of Urth in his image; there will be not a single place without fire and lava. Primal Rage's manual says that this T-Rex is more than just any old beast, he's pure evil to the very core. As his name implies, the fighter can breath fire.
The other protagonist of the Street Figher series
This character acts as the yin to Ryu's yang. He was the second protagonist of the first game (in which you could only pick from one of two characters) and has been included alongside his buddy in every entry in the series since. The hero wears as red karate outfit with a black belt, meant to represent his more flashy style of fighting. Despite his flashier style, he is the more cautious of the pair; he has family back home that he has to constantly think about.
The brother of Orchid and the secondary protagonist in Killer Instinct
As a baby, this character was found by a group of Monks who worshiped the ancient Tiger Spirit. They raised the boy as their own; he matured into one of their strongest warriors. One day, while meditating, the Tiger Spirit itself entered his body and gave him a set of mystical powers. He entered the first Killer Instinct tournament so that he could use these powers to bring down the evil Ultratech. In the sequel it is discovered that the being that spoke to him was really a demon that needed a physical body to manifest itself.
The hero and champion of the Mortal Kombat tournament
Although the rest of the humans of the Mortal Kombat universe help defend Earthrealm, this is the one who acts as the main character of the series. He's the one who was finally able to defeat Goro, the 100-year champion of Mortal Kombat and a brute that was thought to be unstoppable. Trained by the drunken master Bo Rai Cho, this character used his fiery fists to beat down all who opposed him. Plus, he could drop an arcade cabinet on your head!
This Clay Fighter character is based off of Elvis Presley
Did we mention this game was weird? This fighter from the insanely underrated Clay Fighter series took on the appearance of the King of Rock, Elvis Presley. Funnily enough, it wasn't the King at the height of his popularity, either; this was the "Fat Elvis" phase of his career. The character has a ridiculously long and lethal hairstyle that he can attack his enemies with while spouting off the King's catchphrases like "thank you very much." Even his stage has the words "hunka burnin' clay" written in the background.
This character is the main villain of the Tekken franchise
The Tekken series is full of family ties and colorful characters. This guy fits the bill for both of them! His signature hair affixed to his shiny bald head is a dead giveaway that this old guy is off his rocker. But don't let his age fool you- He is one of the deadliest fighters in the entire game. Because of his wealth, he has been the host of multiple King of the Iron Fist tournaments (the Tekken Tournament). The only time he was a "hero" was in the second game.
A human/raptor hybrid in Killer Instinct
The origin of this character varies depending on which version of Killer Instinct you are playing. In the original, she was a cross-bred human/raptor combo created by the evil Ultratech to do his bidding. In the remake, the character is a resurrected Raptor from the prehistoric era that is given cybernetic enhancements. Either way, she's an unpredictable reptilian creature that works for Ultratech. As a playable character, she can spit acid and fire as well as hurl fireballs at her opponent.
This character is a giant frost ape in Primal Rage
Primal Rage was a game in which you could take control of giant monsters in an effort to conquer the planet Urth. Each of these creatures was based off of a famous movie monster, so naturally there would be a King Kong rip-off somewhere! This character is one of the "good guys" of the series whose main mission is to restore the natural balance of nature to Urth. Of course, he's still willing to eat innocent humans and kill his fellow monsters to do so!
This is Mortal Kombat's resident special agent
As part of the Outer World Investigation Agency, this character is always getting swept up into the Mortal Kombat tournament one way or another. In the first game she followed the international criminal Kano to Shang Tsung's island, where she was then recruited by Raiden to defend Earthrealm. She has appeared in just about every iteration of the series since, including the lesser known spin-offs like Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe or MK: Shaolin Monks. Most of this character's attacks are tech-based.
Not just a villain, but THE villain of Street Fighter
Narcissistic attitude? Check. Desires world domination? Check. Wears a ridiculously over-the-top outfit? Check. The main villain of the Street Fighter games fits the bill of every major supervillain ever. And we love him for it! This guy fights using a technique that he personally trained himself in, assisted by what he calls the "Psycho Powers." In the horrible Street Fighter movie the character was brought to life by the charismatic actor Raul Julia. Aside from that, he appears as the main villain in almost all versions of the franchise.
The main character of the Soulcalibur games
Though he is the "main" character of the Soulcalibur series, this guy has flipped back and forth between the side of good and evil. In the first two Soulcalibur games he acted as the body through which Soul Edge manifested itself. He cut a deal with the villain- He would help it harvest souls in return for the resurrection of his dead father. In the end, the sword moves on from the young German, and the character becomes one of the main protagonists of the series.
A fiery warrior from the Killer Instinct series
If you haven't noticed, this Ultratech guy in Killer Instinct is responsible for a lot of things! This character was a career criminal until he was finally caught and stripped of all civil rights. This led to the man being subjected to a series of experiments in which his body was turned into a mix of superhot plasma and living flames. In the reboot, he is an ex-military officer who volunteers to have his DNA spliced with alien genetics, resulting in his fiery appearance.
No, that's not a lightsaber in this Tekken character's hand
This is one of the few characters who has been included in both Tekken and the Soulcalibur series! As the leader of the deadly Manji Clan, this character wields a razor-sharp sword (that sometimes glows) and fights with a rare form of ninjitsu. The sword this lead carries is no mere piece of iron; the weapon is a mystical sword that is passed down from leader to leader. When the previous leader is ready to step down, he is sacrificed by the sword and his fighting abilities are transferred into it.
A terrifying skeleton pirate in the Killer Instinct franchise
In the original Killer Instinct story, this character was an undead pirate that came back to life as a skeleton to serve Ultratech. Paging Jack Sparrow, anyone? Though he's a strong fighter when used correctly, his incompetence throughout the story raises some questions on just how good of a pirate he was. In the reboot of the game this guy remained an undead pirate, but was given the additional story of being cursed by an ancient Babylonian mask that gave him his necrotic powers.
A mishmatch of different Dinosaurs from Primal Rage
This character is another one of the "good guys" in the Primal Rage series; he wants to stop the other monsters from conquering the planet rather than rule it himself. His powers are intimately connected with the energy of Urth, meaning that the more death and destruction caused by these creature's battles, the less powerful he becomes. This character doesn't care much for the mission of his peers. Instead, he just wants to stop the fighting by any means necessary (including killing them himself).
This guy is a creepy, Jack-O-Lantern themed clay fighter
This character was just your everyday ghost before a meteor struck his homeworld and turned him into a material being. Well...sort of. Now he's a straight-up poltergeist, able to interact (and fight) with the rest of the Clay Fighter contenders. Though the character remains as a "neutral" party in this universe, he makes it his personal mission to scare everyone he comes across; the character normally accomplishes this by removing his head from his body. His name is a play on one in a legendary Halloween story.
This sharp character takes creepy to a whole new level
Let's just get this out of the way right off the bat....this guy has some messed up sexual undertones going here. He looks like he's wearing some sort of sadomasochist bondage gear, with straps and leather all over. Then there's the fact that he's got blades literally strapped to every inch of his body that is covered (which isn't that much, to be honest). When he fights, he doesn't talk. Instead, he lets out a series of moans and hisses. Yeah...