Don't let the quarter-circles and lack of jumping fool you, this game manages to bring all the speed and intensity of an anime fighter without ever needing to leave the ground.

From the 2v2 gameplay to the characters to the artstyle to the theme, everything about this game screams "originality".

A yandere dating sim with punch-out styled combat made entirely in RPG maker. More beat-em-up than a fighting game, but still way too cool to not hype up.

Classic shmup gameplay turned into a fighter with classic archetypes. No health bars and a 3 pixel wide hitbox means you'll need to thread the needle through absurd patterns to corner your opponent.

Rivals 1 was one of the primary reasons why platform fighters stopped being Smash clones, and Rivals 2 will be one of the primary reasons it stays that way.

Classic M.U.G.E.N. goodness with plenty of gore and scary characters that still hold up today.

While it's still rough around the edges, the unbelievable roster, unique assists, and regular updates make this game one to watch out for.

Combine dodgeball with pong in the most wild, fast-paced, brain-numbing geometry problem you will ever experience! ...or just listen to the JSR-esque music while spamming the attack button like me...

The granddaddy of all indie platform fighters, with a sequel on the way and 8 years of thriving competition. Complete with one of the most dedicated modding communities I have seen in a long time.

They took the joke platform fighter and turned it into an actual platform fighter.