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Beginner Guide

Fighting games can be very intimidating for newcomers to the genre so here is a guide for people who are interested but are maybe overwhelmed by all the terminology and things that everyone keeps using.

You can keep coming back to this as needed whenever there is something that is confusing.
Additional links to other helpful resources will be provided at the bottom of the page so please take your time and have a look around and we hope you enjoy your journey down the fighting game path!



Before we get started, understand that fighting games are going to seem harder than other genres when you are just starting out. Playing against or watching somebody with more experience will look impossible to replicate but don't get overwhelmed. Every one of these people started by mashing buttons and finding what looks cool, using them against real people, and then figuring out which buttons work where.
Just like with anything else you learn, find one thing that you feel you are struggling with and practice that one thing. If you are coming to fighting games from another genre such as FPS, think of it like this. If you aren't hitting your shots, you go and practice your aim. If you're struggling to get on site in CS or Valorant, you might practice lineups. This is the same method you should be using with fighting games.
Press buttons and find the buttons you like to press, try it out against real people, and then when something stops working figure out why. You should enjoy learning about your character and finding new things to do so find a character that looks cool and fun to you and keep adding tools to your toolbox.



Mentality

One of the most important but also most overlooked aspects of any competitive game is the mental aspect involved. When you jump into a new game you're going to want to win, that goes without saying, but winning in fighting games can be very hard so its important to think about the conditions you need to win and which playstyle suits you the best.
Think of fighting games as a sport that you will progressively get better at as you get more experience. Every top athlete started off with a ball and a general idea of "I need to get this to go there". Using soccer/football as an example, when you're starting out you will probably just try to get the ball from your opponent and run to the other side before your opponent can catch you.
You don't need to learn all the nuances before you learn the basics. You should focus on having fun and pressing buttons that do cool things and from there learn a couple basic combos and start playing. As you fight against more people you will start to learn when you can do different things and which things work where so you should look at every game as a learning opportunity. Even pro players still find new things that work in different situations and when they lose they look at what they could have done differently and try to do that next time.
A lot of fighting games do not have rewards for ranking up other than just a letter or title on your profile. Hitting a high rank can be a fun thing to achieve and to keep track of your improvement but it is important to not care too much where you are as if you have fun and learn from your mistakes, your rank will naturally climb with you. Don't pay attention to what people online tell you is good. If you are bronze, everyone will say you don't understand the game until you're diamond. If you're diamond you're not good until you're Master, and if you're Master you aren't good if you don't place high in tournaments. The bar will always be raised higher and higher so there will never be a definitive way to make everyone say you are "good at the game".
The nature of competition is people want to win and hate losing. This can lead to people blaming their character or their opponent, or basically anything but themself. The only thing this does is hinder your own progress.
When I first started, all I wanted was to land a cool combo I saw someone do on YouTube. At first I could barely even land the first couple hits without fumbling but after a while I could land it consistently and it felt great. The feeling of working towards something and finally achieving it is something that may seem hard to get at first, but if you set small goals for yourself it will make the journey so much more enjoyable. Do not use rank or winning as your driving force, this will only lead to frustration and burnout when you lose, which you will do a lot of.
Do not train to be better than a pro, train to be better than the you from yesterday. If you can keep this mindset moving forward, the you in a month will be 30x better than you now.


"To be a champion, compete; to be a great champion, compete with the best; but to be the greatest champion, compete with yourself." ~ Matshona Dhliwayo


What To Play

There are a lot of fighting games on the market and they're pretty expensive to get into if you're not sure if you'll even enjoy them. Finding the one that better suits what you enjoy will be key to helping you not only have fun but also get better.
The good thing is no matter which game you play, the core fundamentals will stick with you so once you break through the initial barrier, it will be easy to jump right into any fighting game that catches your eye.
If you are here then you probably already have a game or two that you are interested in but this list is here to give you a better look at what's out there in case you aren't sure yet.
There are a few subgenres of fighting games that help distinguish between the unique mechanics involved that some may prefer over others.
These subgenres include:


Traditional 2D

Grounded, methodical fighters with a strong emphasis on spacing, poking, and reading the opponent. Matches revolve around fundamental skills like footsies, anti-airs, and punishing mistakes. Movement is usually linear (left and right).



3D

Fighters that take place in 3D arenas, allowing for sidestepping and full range movement around the opponent. These games often emphasize close combat, throws, and positioning, with a feel more akin to martial arts choreography or wrestling.



Platform

Fighting games where the stage has multiple platforms and KO conditions involve knocking opponents off the screen rather than depleting a health bar. Movement and recovery play a huge role, and characters often have unique, varied toolsets.



Tag Team

Players control a team of characters, switching between them during the match or calling them in for assists. Combos can involve multiple characters, and team synergy is often just as important as individual skill.



Arena

3D fighters that take place in large, open environments. Players have full freedom of movement and combat often resembles anime-style brawls with cinematic attacks, flying movement, and long-range abilities.
Usually less focus on character balancing so not as competitively viable.



Anime 2D

2D fighters with anime-inspired art styles and fast-paced, high-mobility gameplay. These games typically feature air dashing, complex combos, and flashy supers, demanding both speed and precision.



Go watch some gameplay of these games and find which one looks cool to you and come back.


Who To Play

There are different major archetypes that fit different characters which can help you figure out which playstyle you prefer. If you end up enjoying a major archetype of character over others, then finding a main in other games will be a lot easier but the most important thing is that they feel good to you.
Your character should be the one that motivates you to hop on the game and try cool stuff.
Here are the major archetypes you will see in most fighting games:


Rushdown


Zoner


Shoto


Grappler


Puppet


Stance

These are not set in stone and the playstyle can be different within the major archetypes but this provides a general understanding of the archetypes. Some of the sub-archetypes that can fit into each of these styles are:


Mix-up