Best Classic MS-DOS Fighting Games

While consoles were the primary home of fighting games, MS-DOS received solid ports of many classic arcade fighters as well as unique PC exclusives. Mortal Kombat brought its gory fatalities to PC monitors, while Street Fighter II and One Must Fall: 2097 offered memorable one-on-one combat. DOS fighting games may have been a smaller slice of the library, but the best titles were genuinely excellent. This list collects the top fighting games from the classic DOS era.

  1. #1

    One Must Fall: 2097
    One Must Fall: 2097 – MS-DOS cover art
    One Must Fall: 2097, released in 1994 by Epic MegaGames, is a groundbreaking fighting game that combines intense robot combat with a futuristic storyline and deep customization options. Set in a dystopian future, the game pits giant humanoid robots,…
    Genre: FIGHTING
    Release: 1994
    Developer: Diversions Entertainment
    Publisher: Epic Games
  2. #2

    Mortal Kombat
    Mortal Kombat – MS-DOS cover art
    Mortal Kombat, released in 1992 by Midway, is a legendary fighting game that redefined the genre with its brutal combat, unique characters, and iconic finishing moves. Set in the realm of Earth, the game revolves around a high-stakes martial arts…
    Genre: FIGHTING
    Release: 1992
    Developer: Probe Software
    Publisher: Midway
  3. #3

    Death Sword
    Death Sword – MS-DOS cover art
    Death Sword is a brutal fantasy fighting game released for MS-DOS by Palace Software in 1987. Players take control of a powerful barbarian warrior and battle a series of deadly opponents in one-on-one combat, using swords, kicks, and carefully timed…
    Genre: FIGHTING
    Release: 1987
    Developer: Palace Software
    Publisher: Epyx
  4. #4

    Street Fighter II
    Street Fighter II – MS-DOS cover art
    Street Fighter II by Capcom is a legendary fighting game that revolutionized the arcade gaming scene in 1991. The MS-DOS version brought the intense one-on-one battles to home computers, allowing players to choose from iconic fighters such as Ryu,…
    Genre: FIGHTING
    Release: 1991
    Developer: Capcom
    Publisher: -
  5. #5

    Body Blows
    Body Blows – MS-DOS cover art
    Body Blows, released in 1993 by Team17, is a fast-paced arcade-style fighting game that brought intense one-on-one combat to the PC. Drawing inspiration from genre classics like Street Fighter II, the game features a colorful cast of unique…
    Genre: FIGHTING
    Release: 1993
    Developer: Team17
    Publisher: -
  6. #6

    Budokan: The Martial Spirit
    Budokan: The Martial Spirit – MS-DOS cover art
    Budokan: The Martial Spirit, is a martial arts simulation game released in 1989 by Electronic Arts. The game immerses players in the world of traditional martial arts, offering a unique and authentic experience that emphasizes discipline, skill, and…
    Genre: FIGHTING
    Release: 1989
    Developer: Electronic Arts
    Publisher: -

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