Bringing Back Forgotten Fighting Game Franchises

29 July 2025

Let’s admit it — we all love a good comeback story. Whether it’s your favorite underdog sports team clawing their way to victory or your personal redemption arc after rage-quitting a match in Tekken because grandpa Heihachi juggled you like a sack of potatoes. But today, we're not talking about soap operas, sports, or shameful online losses. Nope. We’re diving into the glorious realm of pixelated punches, wild combos, and characters with hair bigger than your ego after landing a 10-hit combo — we’re talking about bringing back forgotten fighting game franchises!

Remembering the Glory Days

Let’s hop in our metaphorical DeLorean and travel back to the golden age of arcade fighting games. Back when you had to queue for your turn at the cabinet, coins in sweaty palms, while the “VS” screen swelled with anticipation and trash talk filled the air.

Back then, it wasn’t just about Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. Oh no. The fighting game roster was jam-packed with quirky, crazy, and criminally underappreciated franchises that showed up, threw down, and then quietly disappeared like that one friend who borrows your game and ghosts you forever.

It's high time we round up these lost legends, dust off the combo systems, and campaign for their glorious return. Because if retro platformers and pixel-art RPGs can find second winds, so can these fighting game gems.

1. Power Stone – Where’s My Party Brawler, CAPCOM?

Ah, Power Stone. A game that could best be described as a Saturday morning cartoon on steroids with a chaotic twist of Smash Bros energy. Released in the late '90s on the Sega Dreamcast, Power Stone was pure adrenaline: 3D arenas, interactive environments, and everyone going full anime with “Power Stone transformations” that made Dragon Ball Z blush.

Why it vanished is beyond me — maybe the Dreamcast's early demise had something to do with it — but fans have been asking for a revival louder than Ken yells “SHORYUKEN!” A new Power Stone could bring couch co-op chaos back in a big way. Imagine the marketing: "Throw furniture AND hands!"

2. Darkstalkers – Gothic Fighting Goodness

Darkstalkers is proof that goth kids had taste before it was cool. With vampires, werewolves, mummies, and a succubus named Morrigan (who, let’s be honest, carried the entire franchise on her, uh... wings), this series brought the horror to the fighting genre long before things got gritty-edgy.

Capcom has teased its return over the years — like, seriously Capcom, quit playing with our hearts — but nothing concrete ever materialized. It’s like saying “maybe” to someone for 15 years about going out for coffee and then ghosting again. We need a gothic, stylish, combo-heavy return of Darkstalkers. The world deserves more demon-throwing-and-bat-summoning action.

3. Bloody Roar – Because Furries Deserve Fight Nights Too

Let’s get one thing straight — when a fighter can suddenly transform into a half-animal kung fu beast, things get awesome real quick. Bloody Roar let players morph into were-beasts mid-battle, adding another strategic layer to the traditional punch-kick combo routine.

With the current resurgence of interest in anthropomorphic characters (ahem Beastars, Zootopia...), the time is now. Bloody Roar could totally capitalize on modern graphics engines to make a slick, beast-transforming brawler. Plus, the name sounds like a heavy metal album. What’s not to love?

4. Rival Schools – Fight Club: Teenage Edition

Nothing brings people together like a good ol' high school brawl. Rival Schools was like Street Fighter’s younger, more chaotic cousin. Instead of international martial arts tournaments, we had fighting teens from rival high schools duking it out over... well, school stuff. Missing teachers. Secret organizations. You know, totally normal extracurricular activities.

It had team mechanics, crazy tag combos, and a cast full of characters you’d either want to date or punch depending on your mood. A return of Rival Schools could bring some much-needed drama and flair to the eSports scene. Plus, uniforms make every fight 30% more stylish — it’s science.

5. ClayFighter – Puns, Clay, and Pure Chaos

If you’ve never witnessed freeze-frame suplexes performed by a snowman named Bad Mr. Frosty, then friend, you haven't truly lived. ClayFighter was the Looney Tunes of fighting games — slapstick, satirical, and full of claymation madness.

Now imagine this franchise reborn in the era of hyper-realistic physics and modern humor. ClayFighter could be the Deadpool of fighting games, breaking the fourth wall while smashing faces. It’s the kind of bizarre, bizarrely beautiful experience modern gamers would eat up (and meme relentlessly).

6. Bushido Blade – One Hit, One Kill, All Skill

Tired of memorizing 80-move combo strings that feel more like algebra homework than fun? Enter Bushido Blade — a more realistic fighter where a single well-placed strike could end the match. No health bars. No timers. Just two warriors and the sound of your controller clicking under extreme pressure.

This series was a pioneer. It demanded precision, patience, and timing — like a fighting samurai ballet. It may sound niche, but in today’s world of Souls-like games and realistic swordplay, Bushido Blade could slice its way to the top once again.

7. Fatal Fury – Terry Deserves More

Yes, we know Terry Bogard is living his best life in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. But let’s not forget that he came from a long line of SNK heavy-hitters — Fatal Fury, to be exact.

This series brought us not just Terry and his trucker hat of doom but a whole cast of memorable, and sometimes bonkers, martial artists. With SNK already breathing new life into King of Fighters and Samurai Shodown, why not give Fatal Fury another shot? Let’s see the Hungry Wolf howl again in his own arena.

8. Primal Rage – Dinosaurs Fighting for Post-Apocalyptic Supremacy

Two words: Dinosaur. Kombat. No, not Mortal Kombat, actual prehistoric creatures fighting like they’re starring in a dino-version of WWE.

Primal Rage dropped in arcades in the mid-'90s and featured things like T-Rexes barfing acid and armies of worshippers thrown around like rag dolls. Was it over-the-top? Absolutely. Was it glorious? Undoubtedly.

In today's age of open-world dinosaur games and survival horror, a rebooted Primal Rage with gritty graphics and chunkier combat could stomp its way back into our hearts (and nightmares).

9. Eternal Champions – A Time-Traveling Tournament with Attitude

Eternal Champions had a backstory straight out of a sci-fi comic: warriors pulled from across time who died unjustly and are given one chance to come back to life — if they can survive a brutal tournament, of course.

It had stage fatalities avant la Mortal Kombat, and a ton of character variety. From a caveman to a futuristic assassin, you had your pick of punchy personas. Sega, if you’re reading this, let’s give this title the gritty reboot it deserves. Eternal Champions could be the next big thing with a bit of polish and a lot of blood.

Why These Games Matter

You might be wondering, “Why bother resurrecting old franchises when we have flashy new titles already?” Well, my fellow arcade enthusiast, here’s the thing — nostalgia is powerful, but it’s also profitable. Just ask the people behind Crash Bandicoot, Final Fantasy VII Remake, or Streets of Rage 4.

Bringing back these franchises isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about giving players variety. Not every fighting game needs to be a 2D technical showcase or a 3D cinematic saga. Some of us just want to uppercut someone into the moon or throw a clay snowball at a banana-headed wrestler.

Gaming thrives on creativity, and many modern fighting games have become — dare I say it — kinda safe. Reviving forgotten franchises could shake things up in the best way possible.

What Would It Take?

Honestly? Not much. Just a small team, a half-decent budget, and enough fan noise to get the ball rolling.

Most of the groundwork exists already. There are source materials, character concepts, and loyal fanbases still gathering in online forums from the early 2000s (probably still using Comic Sans avatars). It’s also a golden opportunity for studios to breathe new life into classic IPs while showcasing modern tech.

Capcom, SNK, Sega, Namco — it’s time to roll the dice and let the old guard throw hands once again.

Bring the Hype, Not Just the Haters

The internet might be full of debates about tier lists, frame data, and whether grapplers are “cheap,” but one thing we can all agree on? Gaming is better when it’s diverse, weird, and full of surprises.

So let’s make some noise, write some strongly-worded but respectful tweets, and maybe even start a petition or two. Who knows — one dev might see it, shed a tear, and whisper, “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”

And when that day comes? I’ll be the one waiting at the digital arcade cabinet, quarters at the ready.

Final Thoughts

The fighting game scene has evolved into something sleek, competitive, and fine-tuned — like a sports car you can’t afford. But we still miss the clunky charm, the bizarre mechanics, and the over-the-top spectacle of fighting games past.

So here’s to the forgotten franchises. The clay warriors, kung fu werewolves, and time-traveling champions. Let’s bring ‘em back, give ‘em a fresh coat of paint, and let them fight for our affection once more.

Because sometimes, to move forward, you’ve gotta throw a spinning backfist at the past.