I love fighting games, even if I’ve never been particularly good at them. It’s the character designs, music and stylish presentation in games like Strive, SF6 and Skullgirls that do it for me. I try to introduce my friends to the genre any chance I get but most people find them intimidating. Can’t say I blame them, but I think that SF6 will bring some new blood to the community.

And I’ve unfortunately found a lot of ignorance and bigotry in fighting game spaces, like in other exclusive Ur-Gamer spaces. I think with more notable queer and trans players in the scene though, things are changing.

Edit: I’d definitely join a FGC on Beehaw if such a thing appeared. Also I play on Steam!

These suggestions are all great. I would firstly pitch Earthbound, which is an offbeat example of the genre with its bizarro take on urban fantasy. The art and music are terrific and the whole experience is just really memorable and sweet.

I also want to pitch Final Fantasy 9 especially if you play on PC with the lovely Moguri Mod.

It’s an accessible example of the genre with a great story and well written party members, and the mod updates the look of the game to GORGEOUS effect while also providing some handy quality of life options (e.g. switching on/off random enemy encounters).

I’m half expecting them to add FeMC in the updated second release of the game, Persona 3 Reload Royal.

Yup! And here’s a cosplay I did of her at MAGfest this year:

For Switch I would recommend Golf Story, an exclusive for the platform. It’s a golf RPG similar to the Game Boy Color Mario Golf game where you do silly golf challenges around an island full of weird characters and become a golf champion. The story is funny and the golf mechanics are surprisingly deep too.

Edit: just saw I’m not the first to plug this game. :)

I’m having a great time playing The Saboteur on my Deck. It’s not on Steam but if you buy it on GOG you can run it through Heroic Game Launcher’s Steam integration. You can also run the EA App (yuck) version on Deck but it takes a little more doing, or emulate the PS3 version.

A criminally underrated open world game from 2009 where you play as an ornery Irish man fighting Nazis in occupied Paris. It’s well written and acted and nails the aesthetic of the time and place. Plus it’s just fun blowing shit up.

Interested in learning about some of these creators bc I only really watch Dunkey anymore. That little imp has really matured in terms of the kind of content he produces. He’s insightful and he cracks me up.

Good News For People Who Love Bad News is amazing front to back. I will always love this song, but Ocean Breathes Salty is my number one for karaoke.

TotK is amazing. I was put off the price point at first but with the sheer scope of the game I can’t complain. Flying around on the Wing device is my favorite.

With SF6 being out I’m trying to get back into fighting games in a big way. The single player has been a ton of fun and I really appreciate how they introduce fundamentals of the genre as part of the mode’s challenges.

Marisa (bi poly muscle queen) and Honda (sumo chad) are my mains