Best Free Fighter Jet Games On Steam

[Mariam Obregon]

Whilefighting games can have a somewhat steep learning curve and barrier of entry when it comes to playing with skill, they can be one of the most rewarding types of competitive multiplayer games around. While every console generation is home to its fair share of fighting games, Steam is full to the brim with some of the best fighting games around, with both modern fighters and classics alike.

However, with such a massive pool of games, and varying netcode quality, it can be difficult to figure out where to start, which games are worth playing, etc. So, this list will introduce prospective players to some of the best fighting games that are currently available on Steam.

Updated on October 2, 2023, by David Heath:The fighting game world has shifted quite a bit since this list's original publishing in 2021. 2023 alone has seen some gigantic releases with Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1, indie hits like Pocket Bravery, and new content for Guilty Gear Strive, Punch Planet, and more. So, this list has been updated to include these new entries and mention any new additions to older games that could make them more tantalizing to any would-be fighting game fan with a Steam account. So, keep an eye out for these games once they pop up on Valve's PC service. Especially when they're on sale.

Though still in early access as of 2023, Punch Planet is another highly underrated indie-fighter available on Steam. It's a 2.5D fighter with an emphasis on footsies and fundamentals a la Street Fighter 3: Third Strike. Punch Planet has one of the most distinct and eye-catching visual styles of any fighter on the market too, with its neon-heavy sci-fi aesthetic.

The game has been in early access since 2017, with a full release date yet to be announced. But it's already developed a positive reputation thanks to its regular updates and fun gameplay, with its latest edition offering a sturdy 8-character roster for players to test out.

While this may seem like kind of a cop-out, SNK has produced a frankly enormous amount of fighting games over the years (especially during the 1990s), with nearly all of them being available on Steam, be it King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, SNK Vs Capcom: Match of the Millennium, and Garou: Mark of the Wolves.

Steam contains all of those and more, each for notably low prices, especially during their sales. For those looking to play some of the strongest fighters from the 1990s, any of SNK's classics would make for an excellent choice. The Last Blade duology is particularly underrated, but Garou: MOTW is a good place to start. Especially with its sequel Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves on the way.

Players could also buy the SNK Neo Geo Pocket Collection and play a whole host of fighters that the company made for their Neo Geo Pocket Color handheld. While it didn't catch on, it was perhaps the only handheld back in the day to have fighting games worth playing. Statera Studio certainly thought so when they made Pocket Bravery.

Inspired by the NGPC library, the game has the same chibi look, but with more colorful graphics. It gives players the option to play its humble 12-character roster with classic KOF-like controls or simpler Smash-esque commands. But the gameplay is so deep it'll keep people playing for days, especially with more DLC characters coming along the way.

Like SNK, Arc System Works is a developer that is responsible for a wide range of excellent fighting games like Persona 4 Arena, DNF Duel, and Guilty Gear. While they are most well-known for their one-on-one fighters, Steam offers players a generous selection with the BlazBlue Collection.

It contains all the main games in the series from the original Calamity Trigger to (as of this writing) the last mainline entry Centralfiction. While the games are flashy and fast-paced, they feature easy-to-learn mechanics that make it quite forgiving for genre newcomers. So, why play one BlazBlue game when people can play all of them?

In addition to great core 2D fighter gameplay, the game features several extra layers of polish. It has a dynamic music system that changes the song's instrumentation based on which character is winning a match, a really informative practice mode, and one of the best online lobby systems in fighting game history. It may look like kid's stuff, but it's not kidding around.

Rivals Of Aether is another platform fighting game that slipped under the rug. It's heavily inspired by Smash Bros. while maintaining its own identity. With original characters based on the elements, as well as several guests like Shovel Knight and Ori from Ori and the Blind Forest, the game features a diverse roster that caters to a wide variety of play styles.

Since the Smash Bros series is exclusive to Nintendo, Rivals of Aether is another great choice for fans looking for a Steam alternative. Especially when its netcode blows Smash's out of the water, playing much more smoothly online. All it lacks is Mario and the gang, which the enthusiastic modding community has already sorted out.

While there are plenty of great platform fighters out there, with Smash Bros being the most successful, it's hard to pinpoint what the next most successful entry in the genre is after that. MultiVersus and the Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl games are certainly angling for that accolade. But it likely belongs to Brawlhalla, which is available on a wide range of consoles, including the PC via Steam and iOS/Android devices.

Brawlhalla is a free-to-play platform fighter with a gigantic roster, including guest characters from Street Fighter, Tekken, Halo, Rayman, Kung Fu Panda, WWE, and more (which admittedly largely require payment as DLC). While the gameplay isn't quite as tight as Smash Bros, it has the same goal of smashing the opponent off the level and supports 8-player matches and crossplay. There are no pay-to-win mechanics either. Just download for free and brawl away.

Following the success of KOF XIV, SNK brought back Samurai Shodown in 2019, where the developer's expertise in the genre shines through. Being a 2.5D weapon-based fighting game, Samurai Shodown is characterized by its high-risk, high-reward gameplay as everyone on the roster can do heavy damage with their blades. This means players just have to be careful when they strike, as their opponents can make them pay if they screw up.

While combos can be done, the game is a good choice for players who'd rather focus on the fundamentals than mess with mechanics to boost their combo count. The downside is that its online play is rough. SNK promised a new rollback netcode for September 2023, but it's been delayed as of this writing.

Marvel Vs. Capcom Infinite has a somewhat disastrous reputation thanks to its messy development. Luckily its more beloved predecessor, Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, is still available on Steam. A fast-paced team fighting game that is based around flashy combos and over-the-top super moves, UMVC3 is viewed by many as one of the best games in the genre.

However, due to the game's 10+ year age, it tends to have a much smaller active player base than the majority of other entries on this list. But it's still possible to find matches, and it's found a rich modding fanbase who've produced an entire extra game's worth of new characters via their own "EX Edition".

Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid brings characters from across the Power Rangers franchise history to duke it out in Marvel vs. Capcom-esque team combat. It's not much graphically, but that also helps it remain one of the more affordable new games on Steam. Even paying extra for the Collector's Edition, featuring all the DLC characters, including Street Fighter's Ryu and Chun Li, won't hurt the purse strings too much.

The gameplay is solid too, featuring snappy tags and assists (including from the Zords) that are welcoming to beginners and intriguing to veterans. It also features an excellent online system with great netcode and cross-play that'll help players find online matches quickly.

Street Fighter 5 had an infamously terrible launch across all platforms, lacking nearly any extra beyond an overloaded and underwhelming online mode. But that was back in 2016. In just a few months, it became a much more complete package, making it a great jumping-on point for fighting game newbies and long-term fans alike.

It gained a solid roster that featured a blend of newcomers and blasts from the series' past alike, a hefty Arcade Mode that went through the series' history, and lots of little extras. Just be careful when browsing Steam and opt for the Champion Edition that includes all the DLC from Seasons 1-4, or Season 5 won't be the only extra content that'll have to be bought separately.

By contrast, Street Fighter 6 has had one of the most successful launches a game could receive. Its new Drive mechanics, from its parries to its rushes, have been much more well-received. The Modern controls give casual players a more accessible way to play the game, with the Extreme Battle adding to the fun with charging bulls and bouncy balls.

Above all, the World Tour mode now lets players create their own avatar and explore Street Fighter's world like an open-world game, where they can mix and match the cast's moves for their own list. Provided they could prove themselves enough to learn them. The online netcode is good too, so veterans can stick to the Classic Controls and battle it out the traditional way.

Mortal Kombat 11 is a game with several things going for it. Featuring a respectable roster size and above-average netcode, the game's online presence is held up by its sizable player base that ensures that players can find matches online. Additionally, the game features rewarding yet easy-to-learn gameplay that helps it cater to newcomers and veterans alike.

Some even prefer it over the new Mortal Kombat 1 as it has more customizable options, modes, and guest characters. But then MK11 has been out for years now and has an Ultimate edition with all the DLC. As of this writing, MK1 has only just come out and has more stuff yet to come.

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