Summary
There’s something really exciting about having a unique created character which the player can use within a game. There are several games that have this feature in deep detail. However, for the longest time,fighting gamesdid not have anything of this sort.
As the years have passed, fighting games have made more of an effort to add customization options, enabling players to enjoy the game as they want. The normal expectation of a fighting game would be something shallow, but, there are a set of games that have gone the extra mile to give fans and players all the tools needed tocreate the character of their dreams.
Jump Forcehad all the elements to be a huge fighting game. It had access to a huge roster of characters from beloved manga and anime series, the backing ofBandai Namco, who already have several successful fighting games likeTekkenandDragon Ball FighterZto their name, and a lot of hype leading up to its release.
It didn’t turn out well, as the game was imbalanced and suffered from poor writing. However, something they did really well was the character customization. Players could customize their characters as they wished, with mostly anime esthetics available, but it was varied. While not enough to save the game, it is certainly worth trying just because of how cool players can make their character look.
There might be some controversy over selecting a wrestling game as a fighting game. While fighting game purists might disagree,wrestling gamesare best placed within the fighting game genre. InWWE 2K16, the player can choose to either start creating a character from scratch, or pick from existing designs.
If players go with the former, they are provided with a wide array of customization tools to create the ultimate wrestler. From piercings to face masks, players can go with anything. The only drawback is that there are some cosmetic changes locked behind in-game tasks, which can be a bit of a pain.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddonwas released in 2006, and was the sequel to the very popularMK: Deception.Armageddonwas a turning point for theMKseries, as it was the last entry in the original timeline of the franchise. What came after was the rebootedMortal Kombat,known asMK9.
Released on the PS2,Mortal Kombat:Armageddonhad a great character customization system. Sure, the graphics were not perfect, and the cosmetic selections weren’t massive, but it was quite impressive for its time. Players had the option of changing their face and even picking different races, like vampires or tarkatan.
Create A Character From Scratch
Smack Studiois an indie game made by ThirdPixel Interactive and available on Microsoft and Steam. The game was made for players who enjoy the character creation process.Smack Studiowas released in 2021 and takes inspiration from other popular platform fighters likeSuper Smash Bros. andBrawlhalla.
Players can create a character from scratch, meaning there is no need to rely on a wide variety of templates available within the game. Players can also create stages, and the editor is so in-depth that even people who want to go into game development could learn a thing or two. This is a great indie game, with the potential for longevity.
Def Jam:Fight For NYwas the sequel to the first, highly-popularDef Jamgame. It is another of those games that dwells in the gray area of its definition as a fighting game.Fight For NYbuilt on a lot of the things the first game did well, and it really upped the ante on the character creation front.
The player could start the story mode with a new character, and the means by which the character is created is perhaps one of the most creative things about the game. The player’s avatar sits down with a sketch artist and then starts creating the character through the creation of the artist’s drawing, which is pretty cool. The options aren’t as plentiful as some would like, but it was an impressive feat for the time.
Street Fighter 6is the latest in theStreet Fighterfranchise.Released in 2023, it has gone on to become the top fighting game in the world. Among the many new elements added to the game, it also features a character creation system which the player can use to create the character they would like to play as in World Tour Mode.
The character creation options are comprehensive, with players able to create both the most grotesque abominations or the most beautiful and human-like avatars. The only drawback is the lack of accessories. While the avatar can look any way the creator wants, they can’t quite dress the way the player might like.
Soulcalibur 5was not the strongest entry in the series, but thankfully, it presented an awesome character creator that made up for many of the game’s other failings.Soulcalibur 6also has impressive character creation, but it locks players out of some options based on the race of the character they’re designing.
InSoulcalibur5, no such restriction exists, and players are free to not only build their character in any way they want, but also to design their equipment, with a wide variety of items, weapons, and so on available to be edited. The game enabled players to customize hair, height, weight, and so many other things, and if one were to speak to fans, they would always point atSoulcalibur’s 5creation options as one of its strongest points.
