Is Super Smash Bros. Melee a Fighting game?
To an extent. It can be classified as a fighting game, as you have characters with unique movesets, that you select to fight against each other. However, it does not follow many of the typical stereotypes associated with traditional fighting games. What you would consider a ‘KO’ in SSBM would be the equivalent to getting a ring out in most other fighting games. Damage, unlike in other fighting games, actually affects the physics of attacks. Here, the higher the enemy’s damage level the further they fly, to help you get a ring out. The competitive level of this game does not really match the carefully balanced casts of other fighting games either. Whether one think this detract from being a true fighting game is anyone’s call (I think it is). If not classified as a fighting game, the next most worthy category is that of a party game. The argument for this classification could be made towards the attitude of the game. The game seems to be designed to get the player to gather around with
