History SoYouWantTo / WriteAFightingGame

* {{Moveset Clone}}s. Making all new characters a copy of an existing one is just a sign of cheapness and a lack of creativity. To a certain degree, it is acceptable (for example, two {{Shotoclone}}s are a good way to get players [[SkillGateCharacter accustomed to your game]], and [[VideoGame/Injustice2 some]] [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate games]] have put their own spins on the concept), but for the most part no two fighters should have ''exactly'' the same moveset--that's why we have {{Mirror Match}}es. Even your two {{Shotoclone}}s should have subtle differences in their moves to make them distinctive.

** On the opposite end of the spectrum, you could avert CharacterRosterGlobalWarming by making more than one MightyGlacier type character, though they don't ''all'' have to be grapplers--one could have a [[EpicFlail morning star]] or a [[DropTheHammer Warhammer]] that gives him better reach, and another could specialize in counterattacks after blocking.

** The '''arena fighter''' - the NoRespectGuy of the fighting game genre. Unlike normal fighters, the camera is either isometric (as in ''VideoGame/PowerStone'') or directly behind the player (as in ''VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi''), and characters can move freely in all directions without facing each other. While appealing to casual players, thanks to their pick-up-and-play nature, the subgenre has yet to produce a game with enough depth to inspire a strong competitive scene. As such, these games have been mostly written off by hardcore players as poorly-balanced cashgrabs for whatever license they're based on.

** ''Franchise/Injustice''

** The '''arena fighter''' - the NoRespectGuy of the fighting game genre. Unlike normal fighters, the camera is either isometric (as in ''VideoGame/PowerStone'') or directly behind the player (as in ''VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi''), and characters can move freely in all directions without facing each other. While appealing to beginners, thanks to their pick-up-and-play nature, the subgenre has yet to produce a game with enough depth to inspire a strong competitive scene. As such, these games have been mostly written off as poorly-balanced cashgrabs for whatever license they're based on.

** The traditional 2D fighter - the one that started it all. [[SomeDexterityRequired Command-based]] [[SupernaturalMartialArts special moves]], combos, guards, taunts, and {{Limit Break}}s are this genre's bread and butter. A subgenre of this is the "anime fighter", which is fast-paced, more combo-oriented, and often involves air combos.
** The 3D fighting game - starting with ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'', these games are more realistic, focusing on chains of moves rather than the command-based {{Wuxia}} inspired special moves of 2D fighting games.
** The PlatformFighter - the NoRespectGuy of the fighting game genre. While it has its own fandom, it tends to get looked down on by hardcore fighting game fans for mainly relying on a simplified control scheme, the PlatformFighter nonetheless has its own rules and nuances.

* Creator/ArcSystemWorks:

* The ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series

* First and foremost, you'll need LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters. Start with a main character, most likely a {{Shotoclone}}, to set the design style that will be carried on for the rest of the characters, and go bananas making up new ones.

* Most, if not all, of the ''Mortal Kombat'' clones are this, putting more effort into copying the aesthetics of ''Mortal Kombat'' rather than the gameplay.

* The genre is cluttered with {{Shotoclone}}s. There are alternatives to this, such as ''VideoGame/MortalKombat'''s Scorpion clones and Jotaro and Dio from ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureHeritageForTheFuture''.

* The grappler character is almost always a MightyGlacier who deals heavy damage with every GrappleMove. Why not make your character use submission holds, like in Brazilian Jiu-Jutsu?

* The grappler character is almost always a MightyGlacier who deals heavy damage with every GrappleMove. Why not make your character a GradualGrinder who uses submission holds, like in Brazilian Jiu-Jutsu?

* First and foremost, you'll need LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters. Start with a main character, most likely a Shotoclone, to set the design style that will be carried on for the rest of the characters, and go bananas making up new ones.

* For gameplay, you'll need {{Combo}}s, a ComboBreaker mechanic, [[VideogameDashing dashing and air-dashing]], a LauncherMove, special moves, {{EX Special Attack}}s, {{Limit Break}}s, and more importantly, a control scheme and combo system. To elaborate on thos last two:

** The traditional 2D fighter - the one that started it all. [[SomeDexterityRequired command-based]] [[SupernaturalMartialArts special moves]], combos, guards, taunts, and {{Limit Break}}s are this genre's bread and butter. A subgenre of this is the "anime fighter", which is fast-paced, more combo-oriented, and often involves air combos.

** On the opposite end of the spectrum, you could avert CharacterRosterGlobalWarming by making more than one MightyGlacier type character, though they don't ''all'' have to be grapplers--one could have a [[EpicFlair morning star]] or a [[DropTheHammer Warhammer]] that gives him better reach, and another could specialize in counterattacks after blocking.

* {{Moveset Clone}}s. Making all new characters a copy of an existing one is just a sign of cheapness and a lack of creativity. To a certain degree, it is acceptable

The genre is cluttered with {{Shotoclone}}s. There are alternatives to this, such as ''VideoGame/MortalKombat'''s Scorpion clones and Jotaro and Dio from ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureHeritageForTheFuture''.

** A combo system is how the combos are made. Examples include the "Hunter chain" popularized by ''VideoGame/Darkstalkers'' that goes Light-Medium-Heavy-Special-EX or Super and the "Reverse Beat" system of ''VideoGame/MeltyBlood'' and ''VideoGame/UnderNightInBirth'', where you can chain any normal move with any other normal move besides itself.

* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear''
* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue''
* ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena''

* ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' is a cult classic for a very good reason: it eschewed combos in favor of a