Summary
When it comes to fun gaming genres to play with friends, few offer as much entertainment as fighting. One of the greatest aspects of the fighting genre is that it can either come in the shape of family-friendly cartoon brawls, or violent destruction, as seen in any of theMortal Kombat gamesthat have been released over the years.
Whatever the case,fighting gamesare always a blast and represent a decent percentage of the gaming market worldwide. However, there are some titles out there that, for whatever reason, are no longer available for purchase, except for a few second-hand copies sold by individuals on online marketplaces. Here are somegreat fighting games you’re able to no longer buy.
Being the first Capcomfighting gamefeaturing the X-Men,X-Men: Children of the Atomlaid the foundations for future titles in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. Focusing on several different X-Men characters, such as Magneto, Wolverine, Cyclops, and more, the game offers players a wide variety of combos, including powerful super moves that can be combined in different ways depending on their character selection.
This title features 2D hand-drawn animations that help maintain the comic book look, enhancing the experience and providing a more authentic overall style. Unfortunately, as great as the game was, licensing issues eventually led to its removal from several locations, resulting in it being forgotten by many over the years.
By the timeTekken Advancewas released,theTekkenfranchisewas already very famous among fighting game enthusiasts and arcade game lovers. However, this was the first time that players could actually take the fight with them on their Game Boy Advance, no matter where they went. The game was heavily based on its older brother,Tekken 3;however, for obvious reasons, it had to be downgraded in terms of graphics so it could run on the portable Game Boy Advance. That said, this title still featured very similar game mechanics to other installments of the franchise, delivering a wonderful experience.
While the game was overall great, it only had 10 characters, which some players often felt limited. In this instance, there were no licensing issues involved in the disappearance of this game from shops—it simply was never re-released on other platforms. As the Game Boy Advance became obsolete, so didTekken Advance.
3Virtua Fighter 3 (1996)
A Game That Pioneered In Many Areas
Virtua Fighter 3broke the mold in many ways when it came tofighting gamesfrom the late 90s. Not only did this title feature multi-tiered stages, realistic physics, and some of the first 3D graphics in its genre, but it also offered players complex, skill-based combat. With over 12 different fighters to choose from and a variety of combos and attacks, players had a lot of options at their disposal regarding the development of a fighting style they liked.
This title was exclusive to the Sega Dreamcast anda few arcade machines, which limited its potential in a few ways by closing the doors on other markets and consoles that were thriving at the time. Similar toTekken Advance, this game eventually became impossible to buy in new conditions due to it never being released on other platforms, no matter how many fans asked for it.
Few games have pursued a crossover as ambitious as that ofCapcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium. This title pitted characters fromCapcom’sStreet Fighteragainst SNK’sKing of Fighters' roster members. The game featured six different fighting systems that were as complex to learn as they were fun to use. The roster was also outstanding, featuring over 40 characters that players could choose from depending on their preferences.
AlthoughCapcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millenniumwas released when most games in the fighting genre were already 3D, the developers opted for a more conventional 2D style which looks great. Sadly, as it happens to many games with ambitious crossovers and famous IPs, this title was eventually delisted due to licensing issues between Capcom and SNK.
1Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (2008)
A Great Title With An Ambitious Crossover
Although not as popular as other fighting games on this list,Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Starsis a gem in Capcom’s long crossover series. Featuring characters from Capcom and Japan’s Tatsunoko Production, this fighting game wasexclusive to the Wii, which perhaps contributed to its niche status, as it was limited to a single gaming console. That said, while it wasn’t a mainstream game, this title featured fast-paced action with tag-team mechanics that were a lot of fun.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Starsalso received high praise due to its fluid gameplay and great visuals, which were difficult to achieve at the time, especially considering the Wii’s graphical limitations. Unfortunately, as seems to be the unbreakable curse of ambitious crossover games, this title faced various licensing issues, which rendered it unfit to be sold. These days, players might be able to get their hands on a used copy, but the price will likely not be fair in most cases.
