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Post Games · Aug 17, 2026

Everything You Should Know About Fighting Games

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Chris Plante · Post Games

One of the many things I like to do with this show is introduce you to parts of video game culture that can be confusing, intimidating, or locked behind the gates of overly protective fandoms. So, today marks the first episode in a format I’m bluntly calling “Everything You Should Know About.” Hey, sometimes clarity outweighs creativity.

What matters is that these episodes, sprinkled throughout each Post Games season, will guide you through the entrance of video game genres, sub-cultures, and fandoms, sending you off to confidently and comfortably explore further on your own.

To kick things off: Fighting Games.

Decades ago, the sweltering days of summer were fighting game season for a young Chris Plante. With few games released between June and August, desperate gamers like myself would succumb to the hype of the latest trendy fighter and delude ourselves into believing this would be the school break in which we learn how to spar. Virtually, of course.

Super Street Fighter Turbo on the Sega Genesis. Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighting Vipers on the Sega Saturn. Soul Calibur on the Dreamcast. Without online matchmaking, I could convince myself for weeks, even months, that my single-player skills would translate to competitive play. Then, I’d visit an arcade on vacation and get my ass smacked.

For my entire gamer life, fighting games have intimidated me with their insular jargon, high skill floor, and ever-evolving meta. Hell, for years, I didn’t understand what meta even meant. And because I couldn’t “get good” at fighting games, I felt barred from their community. Which is silly, because as this episode’s guest will attest, any local fighting game community would have been thrilled to welcome me.

With Marvel’s latest fighting game reviving the “fighting game of the summer” trend from my teenage years, I wanted to reset my relationship with the genre. I would find someone to demystify fighting games, explaining the history and the appeal not just of the software but of the players.

I found that person in Ash Parrish. Yes, the same Ash Parrish who just guided us through the sexy game causing international controversy.

I’ve been enjoying these three-act interviews. I hope you have to. Plus, a Patreon Bonus: What Are the Ingredients of a Summer Game? If you’d like to support the show and get bonus segments and episodes, including a history of Street Fighter: The Movie, subscribe at Patreon.com/PostGames for $5.

  • Act 1: A History of the Fighting Game Genre

  • Act 2: How to Get into Fighting Games

  • Act 3: Why Marvel Tokon Is Getting All the Hype

  • Patreon Bonus: The 5 Ingredients of a Perfect Summer Game

  • Ash Parrish: Senior reporter, Kotaku

Keep Post Games alive by supporting the show on Patreon for $5! Every bonus segment! Every bonus episode! No ads!

The subscription includes the freshly released Patreon-exclusive episode “The History of Metroid,” featuring Mothership co-founder and Triple Click co-host Maddy Myers. Easily one of my favorite bonus eps yet. Join now at Patreon.com/PostGames.

The art for Street Fighter 2 shows Blanka rolling through Chun-Li and Ryu in an alley brawl
Image: Street Fighter 2
Two fighters, Steve and Law, fight. Steve drives his left fist into Law's gut with a powerful uppercut
Image: Tekken 8

  • Nine Tips For Women (And Anyone Else) Attending Their First Fighting Game Tournament (Kotaku)

  • The Women Of The Fighting Game Community Have One Clear Request: ‘Listen’ (Kotaku)

  • Find My FGC (findmyfgc.cc)

  • EVO Locals (EVO)

  • Tekken 8 (Steam)

  • Meet SonicFox, The Queer Furry Who’s Destroying Everyone Else At Fighting Games (Kotaku)

  • ‘Defender of trans rights’ SonicFox claims WePlay UFL Mortal Kombat championship (Outsports)

  • Funniest BRIDGET Memes! (YukkoEX/YouTube)

  • Why Guilty Gear Strive’s Bridget Is Such a Big Deal for Trans Gamers (Them)

  • MUSLIM BECOMES BEST TEKKEN PLAYER IN THE WORLD (Smile 2 Jannah/YouTube)

  • Marvel vs. Capcom - The COMPLETE History (1993-2020) (Johnny Vector/YouTube)

  • The History of Marvel vs. Capcom & It’s Many Defeats (It Was Just 2) (Secret Galaxy/YouTube)

  • Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection (videogamedunkey)

  • Fighting Game Content Creator Mega List (r/Fighters)

  • MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls (Steam)

  • Marvel Tōkon Launches To Abysmal 44% Rating On Steam: ‘They Should Have Pushed The PC Release Date Back Until They Figured This Out’ (Kotaku)

  • Marvel Tokon Stumbles to Mixed Steam Reviews as ‘Miserable’ PC Port Complaints Prompt Response From Arc System Works (IGN)

  • Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is a gorgeous fighting game with Hulk-sized problems (Kotaku)

  • Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Review So Far (IGN/YouTube)

  • Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother | Official Trailer (Amazon MGM/YouTube)

A child stands on a wooden dock, overlooking crystal-clear water in the PS2 game Boku No Natsuyasumi 2
Image: Boku no Natsuyasumi 2
The female protagonists of Stellar Blade and Nier Automata stand alongside each other
Image: Stellar Blade/Nier Automata via Mothership

  • Lust in space: Stellar Blade vs. NieR: Automata (Mothership)

  • Hardcore FPS immediately becomes Steam top seller as devs list ‘10 reasons not to buy’ it (PC Gamer)

  • Grand Theft Auto: Vice City: The Kotaku Review (Kotaku)

  • REVIEW The Pico GX Makes One Of Console Gaming’s Most Infamous Flops Infinitely More Appealing (Time Extension)

  • Nanashi no Game Me: A real eye-opener (Kimimi)

  • Amazon Wants To Use Twitch Streams To Train AI (Aftermath)

An 8-bit critter stands on a 2D platformer as a white beam of light shines on them.
Image: Knytt Classic

A remake of one of the great early indie games is available for free. To call Knytt Classic the best deal of the week is somehow an understatement. Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the indie freeware classic, rebuilt for modern machines! Explore a maze-like planet as the Knytt, a peaceful being abducted by aliens, find your missing ship parts, and get back home in this zen-like atmospheric platformer.” (Steam)

An old photo of a man in glasses looking over his shoulder. A legal paper is imprinted over the image along with a blood red stain
Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; photo: The Associated Press

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