Check out Prima’s list of the Top 50 Greatest Fighting Game Moves of All Time!
Over the past two decades, we’ve seen powerful moves in a variety of fighting games, from realistic throws in Virtua Fighter and Dead or Alive to over-the-top maneuvers like Ken’s Shinryuuken in Street Fighter Alpha. Literally hundreds if not thousands of bone-crushing moves, which made choosing the 50 greatest a tall order.
Regardless, we met challenge head-on. That said, here’s 50-41.
50.) Sudden Decapitation (Time Killers)
Time Killers was far from the greatest fighting game on the market, but it had a few attractive perks, namely being able to chop off opponents’ limbs. If you were good enough, you could execute a well-timed swipe and decapitate them in the opening round.
49.) Now I’ve Got Your Power! (Super Smash Bros./Marvel vs. Capcom)
This is a tie, since both Kirby from Super Smash Bros. and Rogue from Marvel vs. Capcom are capable of doing the same thing – flat out stealing special abilities from their rivals. Kirby gets his by swallowing enemies and spitting them out, while Rogue delivers the “kiss of death” to obtain a new move.
48.) Kitana’s Air Punch (Mortal Kombat 2)
Kitana’s air punch is far from her most devastating move – her fan throw is definitely a blood-letter – but it’s a great defensive tactic. If you have an enemy trying to strike from above, Kitana can shut them down quickly and conveniently with one swift Superman-esque blow.
47.) Electric “Wind” God Fist (Tekken series)
While not as powerful as an uppercut, the Electric God Fist is a terrific move in its own right. It sends an opponent flying into the air with a thunderous charge, to the point where you can link together an additional attack to create a combo. Both Kazuya and Jin have mastered the move rather well — and dedicated players can certainly combo more moves into it while the opponent is airborne.
46.) Earthquake’s Grab-n-Fart (Samurai Shodown)
Usually, a fart is a harmless move – albeit a rather smelly one. In Samurai Shodown, however, it’s quite devastating, since it comes from the rather large Earthquake. He can grab his opponent, drag them around to his backside and let loose a mighty brown cloud that’ll take a good chunk of their energy. What did this guy eat?
45.) Hulk’s Gamma Crush (Marvel vs. Capcom)
The Incredible Hulk is quite a strong guy in the Marvel vs. Capcom series, and his Gamma Crush easily explains why. He’ll launch into the air and come crashing down on his opponent with all the ferocity of a nuclear blast. Only those with a strong enemy meter will walk away from this one.
44.) Samus’ Drill Kick (Super Smash Bros.)
Samus has quite an arsenal in Nintendo’s all-star brawler, but one move in particular is great for offensive and defensive purposes. By twirling into an upper-based drill kick, Samus can stop an enemy from coming in with an attack and hit them several times for good measure. Then she can blast them off the stage.
43.) Sagat’s Ground Tiger Shot (Street Fighter 2)
Sagat is a great, agile fighter, as most Street Fighter pros know, but he also has another attack method that can easily take an opponent by surprise. By launching a Ground Tiger Shot, Sagat unleashes a fiery blast that his adversaries can either block or jump over. Otherwise, they’ll get roasted and take quite an energy hit.
42.) Dante’s Flaming Sword Strike (Marvel vs. Capcom 3)
Dante has plenty of few tricks up his sleeve in Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and its Ultimate follow-up, particularly a wicked flaming attack that can hit an enemy in the air or on the ground. By initiating a deadly flaming spin, Dante delivers several hits to anyone in range, then comes crashing down to the ground with unmatchable force.
41.) Knocking an Opponent into Another Area (Injustice: Gods Among Us)
With Injustice: Gods Among Us, you don’t necessarily stay in one part of a stage. In fact, with a well-timed strength attack, you can launch an opponent into a new area, watching them take a tremendous amount of damage in the process. Then, if you’re good enough, you can smack them around some more and strike them back up to the initial stage. It pays to get around.
Check out Prima’s list of the Top 50 Greatest Fighting Game Moves of All Time!
Now find out why playing video games in the 80s was awesome!
