One of the most recognisable genres of arcade game is the fighting game. Key examples include Way of the Exploding Fist, Street Fighter, Tekken, Virtua Fighter, Soul Calibur and Killer Instinct, but there have been many more. The typical set-up in a figthing game is a one-on-one martial arts match which tests player timing and memory: To pull off a variety of special moves, the player must remember complicated sequences of buttons.
Fighting games are often considered a borderline relic genre of games. They have passionate fans, but the overall genre is highly balkanised around key franchises and has all the hallmarks of a subculture. Fighting games are generally considered distinct from beat 'em up games, in which the player melee combats many enemies over a level.
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