7 Great Fighting Game Guest Fighters

From The Past: This article has been imported from one of my past blog sites, written in 2018.

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In case you missed the news, Soul Calibur VI has revealed that they’ll be inviting Geralt of Rivia, from The Witcher series, along for the ride, which got me thinking, what guest fighters have also been great inclusions? To make things fairer, I've limited the qualifying games to standalone titles only, so franchise crossovers like Super Smash Bros or Marvel Vs Capcom won’t feature in the list below.

Geralt of Rivia – Soul Calibur VI (2018)

Obviously, Geralt was going to find his way into this list, after all, he kick-started all this reminiscing in the first place. Though I haven’t played Soul Calibur VI just yet, I'm pretty certain that Geralt is going to be a certified smash hit when the game finally hits shelves (or digital stores) later this year. As an established gaming hero, one who has rocketed in popularity thanks to the insanely great Witcher 3 title that released a few years back. Now with his own Netflix show on the way, too, it seems like he’s due a fighting game debut as well. His combat style and world seem perfectly akin to that of Soul Calibur, and the imaginative fighting roster will certainly put up a strong fight for the talented Witcher.

Kratos – Mortal Kombat (2011)

When Mortal Kombat made its return in 2011, it needed to make an impact, and it did, with the inclusion of the now mainstay X-Ray moves and the series staple brutal combat. MK9 then went one step further, bringing in PlayStation's iconic rage-fuelled God slayer to the roster. After all, where else would you expect to find a Demi-God who can decimate Gods with his bare hands? Besides being a perfect fit for the franchise, Kratos featured some excellent Fatalities, strong combos and a useful set of weapons at his disposal. Then again, tearing enemies to shreds with the Blades of Chaos is bound to be fun in any game. Though his opponents may not be towering Titans, if you played Kratos right, they’d certainly fall just as hard.

Hellboy – Injustice 2 (2017)

This slot was a toss-up between two much-welcomed heroes, as I LOVE Injustice 2, and the game's roster received some truly great additions along the way, including a chance to brawl with the TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Yet no hero seemed to quite match up to the joyous heavy hitter that is Hellboy. Then again, that’s probably down to a stronger move set and powerful combo chains at his disposal. Still his appearance in Injustice 2 is a welcome one, thanks to his smart arse quips in battle intros and meter clashes, alongside a great selection of gear loadouts that allow you to customize the devilish hero as you see fit.

Link – Soul Calibur II (2002)

Aside from Mario, Link is easily one of Nintendo’s most recognisable heroes. With an iteration of Soul Calibur II making its way to GameCube it felt like a perfect time for the swordsman to make his fighting game debut. Not only does Soul Calibur’s art style best suit this hooded hero, but the weapon-based fighting style and fantastical arenas make Link feel like a necessity. Then again, any chance to play your favourite hero in a fighting game is a hard opportunity to pass up, especially when they appear in a game as excellent as Soul Calibur II.

Alien & Predator – Mortal Kombat X (2015)

We’ll be honest, Mortal Kombat X had an amazing collection of guest characters, including the likes of Jason Voorhees and Leatherface, but the iconic sci-fi duo take the crown. The Xenomorphs ' fast and agile gameplay was just as furious and fun as you'd expect, and the same goes for the Predators' handy toolkit and diverse combos, with both fighters highlighting the best aspects of this gore-filled brawler. Then there’s the bonus of watching the pair replicate some of their franchise’s most iconic kills as fatalities, which (surprisingly) never gets old.

Darth Vader/Yoda – Soul Calibur IV (2008)

There’s always going to be a fan base for Star Wars. Heck, even if Disney continues to release new Star Wars movies year in, year out for the foreseeable future, it’ll never take away the magic of the original trilogy. So, putting Darth Vader (PS3 exclusive) and Yoda (Xbox 360 exclusive) in your fighting titles is more than likely going to be a bona fide winner. The problem was that Yoda was way too small, meaning almost all of your medium to high attacks would likely go straight over his head… literally. Vader, on the other hand, wasn’t broken, and his bulky build allowed commanding the Sith lord powerhouse to be just as intimidating and impactful as you’d hoped. Think Rogue One‘s ending sequence, except it’s brightly lit, and you're chopping to pieces a variety of colourful fighters. Not quite lore accurate, perhaps, but undoubtedly a hell of a good time.

Bruce Lee – EA Sports UFC (2014)/ UFC 2 (2016)

I’ll be honest, this one is a bit of a curveball (even the announcement took me by surprise at the time), but we’re still going to pitch it. Bruce Lee remains a martial arts legend, so UFC placing him in the ring felt like a great, if bizarre, resurgence. Whilst he may not be the title card headline that some of these other fighters are, it's still a fun addition, and his martial arts style feels most at home in a UFC game. Giving players and fans the chance to knock out your friends with some fast jabs or powerful kicks, it’s hard not to give this icon a spot on this list.

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So there you have it, seven great fighting game guest characters. Have I missed some of your favourites off the list? If so, let me know yours in the comments below.