Sensational title aside, the answer is likely quite more nuanced.
Fighting games have gone through a renaissance, and from that came more simplified fighting game controls – a hot topic that’s still being debated today.
The idea of why simplified fighting game controls exist is rather clear. Fighting games have always been a difficult genre to get into and many say that the controls are the culprit. The basics are straightforward enough – four directions to move your character and a number of attack buttons of varying strengths. However, things get more complicated the moment you want to do something cool in the game.
From motion inputs, combo timing, and screen positioning, there’s a lot you need to take in before you can get to the meat of a fighting game. Nowadays, there is an argument that it’s never been easier to get into fighting games. The internet provides a wealth of guides and resources, as well as more robust training options from the games themselves.
However, sitting down and training yourself until you can play the game properly is not most people’s definition of fun. Ironically, it takes a while before you can comfortably fight other people in a fighting game. After all, it sucks when your combos drop or your special moves don’t come out because you messed up. Only time and practice can get you over that hurdle and not a lot of players are willing or able to invest that much just to start having fun in a game.
A Shortcut
That’s where simplified fighting game controls come in. What if you can do your special moves with just one button instead of a complicated motion input? What if instead of worrying about stringing the attacks of your combo correctly you can do it by just mashing a single button?
If that sounds a bit like cheating to you, well that’s what a lot of old school fighting game players think as well. But you can’t deny that you get straight to the fun part of fighting games with this setup. Of course, the most common downside to these simplified controls is the lack of precise control over your character. You lose the ability to do more optimal or varied combos but now it feels like you’re playing the game. Instead of worrying about whether or not your attacks will come out, now you can focus on fighting your opponent.
Simplified fighting game controls have also been around for quite a while. Older fighting games have offered the option of assisted or auto combos before but many have dismissed them as a tool for beginners. Nowadays though, these tools for beginners are being pushed more and more into the forefront fighting games.
You could say that Street Fighter 6 and their introduction of Modern controls was the tipping point for the conversation. In SF6, Modern controls isn’t just a starting point for beginners, it’s also considered as a legitimate way to play the game. You can even use Modern controls in official tournaments. This caused quite an uproar at the time since it felt like the game was being dumbed down to accommodate people who didn’t want to apply the effort.
A Feature
What a lot of people seem to miss, however, is that modern games are no longer made in a vacuum. Developers are savvy enough to know what systems and mechanics to put in their games and how it’ll affect the overall product. Yes, the biggest advantage of simplified fighting game controls is that they make playing the game easier. But they also come with their own downsides and limitations and every game implements them in their own way.
Anime fighters such as Dragon Ball FighterZ and Under Night In-Birth heavily use auto combos yet are played at such a high speed that the simplified help facilitate that pace. Then there’s Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising which blends both simplified and traditional controls to promote a clear mastery curve.
And considering that we see many new and old high level players sticking to the Classic control scheme, it’s safe to say that SF6 has not been “casual-ized” to its detriment. SF6’s Modern controls was made to be an alternative way to play the game without invalidating the Classic way. And that’s really how it should be.
These simplified fighting game controls have allowed new players to enter the fighting game genre – players who would have passed it up because they were intimidated by perceived difficulty learning how to play. At best, it fulfills its role as a tool to ease players into the game’s more intricate systems. And if not, at least it’s there for players to enjoy fighting games in a more relaxed manner.
Getting to the fun in a fighting game shouldn’t be a chore. And as long as the game rewards those willing to master it, there’s no harm in making the barrier of entry easier for people.
Banner image from Steam / RDNE Stock project.