My top 15 favorite (2d) fighting game stages

Hadouken!

There we go. Hopefully that got your attention. I want to bring you back to the first time you witnessed a heroic fighter named Ryu shoot a blue fireball from his hands while shouting the now-famous phrase.

That phrase is something that is easily recognizable. When it comes to fighting games, this is only one example of something that has become synonymous with the genre. Perhaps you remember a certain fighting game that you preferred as a kid, maybe a certain character, special move, or... fatality!

But what about the stage? Yes, the stage. The very ground you stood on and background you stood in front of before you let loose with that perfect combination of buttons to unleash a devastating attack on your opponent. I mean, sure the characters themselves are what makes the game but what gives the game it's character? The stages, that's what! (and the music but that's for another time)

In this list, I'm going to take a look at 15 of my favorite stages from an era before 3 or even 2.5 dimensions. There is no specific criteria for my list other than the stage itself made in impact on me in one way or another and I opted to stick with 2d fighting game stages or this list would get out of control.

Without further ado...

Mortal Kombat II- The Pit II

Mortal Kombat deserves to be on this list simply for the fact that it was the first game I played that actually let you interact with the levels themselves. What better example of that than The Pit II? It's one of the most famous levels in the series. Mostly for being able to uppercut your opponent into the spike pit below. Also for the epic feel of you and your opponent fighting to the death in front of a clear night sky with a full moon lurking over the battle and 2 unknown fighters in a literal standoff in the background.

Mortal Kombat II – The Dead Pool

If I had to pick one stage that embodies Mortal Kombat the best, it may just be The Dead Pool. It's this kind of scenery that truly set the MK series apart from other fighters of the time. Two fighters seemingly locked in a room, surrounded by meat hooks, floating skeletons, and of course acid. Acid that you can uppercut your opponent into for a fatality that will surely make your mom take the game back to Blockbuster (RIP).

Street Fighter Alpha 2 – Metro City

Another genre that got popular in the early and mid 90’s was the side scrolling beat-em-up. A pioneer in this genre and one of my favorite games from that time was Final Fight. The Street Fighter Alpha series marked the first time that Final Fight characters would be featured on the roster. Street Fighter Alpha 2 payed homage to the Final Fight characters that didn't make the cut by including them in the Metro City stage. I used to love how Capcom would have cameos of characters from other series in their games but this one has more than just a few. There are nearly 10 characters from Final Fight taking a break from pulverizing each other with lead pipes to cheer on their hometown hero Guy. It’s a fun stage that left a lasting impression on me as a youngster.

Street Figher Alpha 2 – Australia

One of my all time favorite stages is also one of the more under-appreciated entries in this list. A secret stage that wasn't a part of the normal rotation in arcade mode. It takes it's inspration from the critical showdown between Ryu and Sagat in the Street Fighter II animated movie and really has an epic feel to it. It may be simple but the music, knee high grass blowing in the wind, and the thunderstorm in the background make it very memorable.

Darkstalkers 2 – War Agony

A very dark and dreary stage when you first look at it but beneath the desolate alley and abandoned buildings is some beautiful art. Everything from the broken fence to the beat up clunker of a car on the side of the stage has an incredible amount of detail. This series was very unique in it's cast of characters and story. Because of that, they were able to create some stages that weren't your run-of-the-mill locations. This stage is a prime example.

The Last Blade – Kaede's Stage

I want to get this out of the way. I think the Last Blade series has the best background art of any fighting game ever. One of the many incredible things that sets this series apart from other fighting games is that it isn't set in an alternate universe or a dystopian future, but rather it is set in the past. Specifically, the Bakumatsu period in Japan. Kaede's stage is a great example of how the game builds compelling and believable settings. The sun peeking through the orange-tinted Autumn trees, the ground covered in the falling leaves, the open gate overlooking the sea with a distant ship. It all comes together to create one beautiful piece of stage art. It's probably the only stages on this list I wouldn't mind spending time at.

The Last Blade 2 – Large Fire at Wadamoya Stage

As much as I love looking at the beauty of a stage like Kade's from Last Blade 1, I'm a big fan of stages that add some tension and drama to the atmosphere of a 1 on 1 fight. The aptly names Large Fire at Wadamoya stage is the epitome of tension and drama. You're fighting against a tough opponent while the building is seemingly burning to the ground behind you. Obviously it isn't going to fall and crush you and your opponent but the art is so well done that it's hard not to feel like you should beat them as quickly as you can.

The Last Blade 2 – Cloudy Battlefield

This stage may not exactly build tension like the Fire at Wadamoya Stage but it tells an amazing story. The stage shows what appears to be the scene of a large scale war that left behind a desolate wasteland. The mixture of smoke and the overcast sky give everything a grey and depressing tone. Not far behind the fight is a group of stray dogs that appear to be eating the remains of what is likely a fallen soldier. In the far background are 2 large warships that are a recurring theme in Last Blade stages. Perhaps these ships are just as void of life as the rest of the scene.

King of Fighters '99 – Park Stage

One of the many reasons I loved SNK fighting games was that a lot of the stages changed for each round. If you were lucky (or unlucky depending on how you look at it) enough to make it to a round 3 in the Park Stage, you were in for a treat. This stage starts out nicely, with a nice green park scene with children playing and people standing about. Round 2 shows an impending storm and by round 3, you're standing in a torrential downpour. What an amazing downpour it is. The effects of the rain all over this stage are a marvel to look at and far too numerous to name one by one so just look around this stage and take it all in. Start with the reflections of the buildings in the puddles.

King of Fighters XIII – Dojo

This may seem like a bit of an odd choice at first. It's obviously a very nice looking stage (especially the lighting) but doesn't necessarily have anything truly unique about it. I mean, it's just a dojo! This single stage is actually what reinvigorated my love for fighting games a few years back. I hadn't played or seen much of King of Fighters XIII but somehow found myself watching a video of two people playing against each other on this very stage. What I like about it is that in it's simplicity it also harkens back to fighting games from the early boom of the genre. Dojo stages have been done many times but perhaps that's why I like it so much. For as much changes happen to the genre, sometimes it's just nice to get a little dose of nostalgia and take you back to the archetypal dojo.

Art of Fighting 3 - Cactus Gas Station

The first time I played the Art of Fighting series was actually just a few years ago. I remember seeing the arcade cabinets maybe once or twice as a kid but never got the chance to give it a shot. When I first came across this stage in my playthrough, I remember that it immediately struck me as having the feel of a western standoff in a modern setting. A setting sun gives everything an orange glow while you and your opponent battle it out in front of an isolated gas station in the middle of the desert. It's just another example of SNK picking a location that may not sound like a great setting and giving it some character and flare. Just, whatever you do don't use the gas station bathroom.

Street Figher 2 – Japan

Speaking of the early boom of the genre, I have to show some love to the game that started it all. Street Fighter 2 made stages important as you would watch the small airplane fly from country to country between fights. I gave a slight edge to Ryu’s stage over Guile’s as my personally favorite because Ryu was my favorite character from the game and I always liked Japanese architecture. It’s a simple yet iconic stage that is set on a rooftop overlooking other buildings with a clear sky in the background. Over the course of the series there has been many different versions and updates to this stage but I’d be remiss not to add the original to my list.

Street Fighther 3: 2nd Impact - Akuma's stage 

I played a lot of Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike on my Dreamcast back in the day. It was definitely the best in the series if not one of the best fighting games of all time. With that said, the stages in 3rd Strike didn't quite have the same impact (pardon the pun) as the first two versions of the game. I really liked Akuma's stage in 2nd Impact because rather than have him in a dark temple or cave of some sort, he fights outside in what appears to be a hidden oasis. Looking at the outside of his cave, you can understand why he would want to live in such a place. One of the interesting things about this stage is how the picture is so different on each side. One side has bright colored flowers and a flowing waterfall while the side is dark and deathly. With hardly any vegetation and only the glowing candles at the base of his cave. 

Blazblue Continuum Shift – Moonlight Castle -Halloween-

Now, I have to admit that I’m not that big of a fan of the Blazblue series. That’s not a knock on them. They just aren’t my cup of tea. With that said, they have some amazing stage art. My personal favorite is the Moonlight Castle stage. I’m a pretty big fan of Halloween and I love how this stage incorporates a lot of common tropes of the holiday with the large mansion and pumpkins, the gothic fence surrounding the fight, and the color scheme. On top of that, the roses at the foreground of the stage add some contrast and bounce around as you and your opponent dash over them during the fight. Overall, it’s one great looking and unique stage.

Samurai Shodown IV – Arie Stage

 
The Samurai Shodown series is great. I have fond memories of playing this weapon based fighting game I had never heard of in the arcade. I recently got the Samurai Shodown collection only to find out that they're very difficult games with a lot of strategy involved and... I'm not very good at them. Anyway, Samurai Shodown IV did something that I really appreciate with it's stages in that they all share a specific continuity. As you move on to the next stage in the arcade ladder, you get closer and closer to the ominous building in the background until you finally make your way inside of it to battle the final boss. I picked this level because it gives a good look at the intimidating structure that is flashing due to a volcano while the trees and lights below give a nice peaceful yet haunting contrast. 

There you have it folks. It was surprsingly hard to pick only 15 and leave off some of my favorite games in the genre (sorry VS series). By no means am I saying these stages are the best, only ones that I personally like the most. 

Hope you enjoyed and I'd like to thank the following sources for all of the screenshots I got:

The SNK, Street Fighter, Blazblue and Mortal Kombat wiki. 

Game Art HQ http://www.game-art-hq.com/

The amazing imgur user who created this album: http://imgur.com/a/GPlx4?gallery (can't find the username)