At first sight, a fighting game may look like an action game. But in a fighting game,the player is usually opposed to another one or against computer during a battle which can count many rounds. In this genre players have about the same strength and power than their opponents. In the majority of fighting games, battles take places in the character's world, city or country. The list of places can be exhaustive, involving bars, schools, streets, camps.

Fighting game style appeared for the first time in 1976 and became a real hit, particularly in the arcades, with the release of Street Fighter II. The genre is still popular today, although it has failed to see the extreme popularity it once did.
Players can usually move left, move right, duck, and jump, but in many games they can't sidestep or move closer to the screen.

There are several concepts common to many fighting games. The most common element is health, usually in the form of a rectangular "life bar". Special attacks are also available depending which character you use, each one having a special feature in some games which allow you identify yourself to a special character and select him for tournaments for example.