Huge necro bump, but after watching DSP videos I want to try a fighting game. Are they still "in"? Which ones are good?
rising thunder is free and simple as fuck for beginners. combos are generally short to jump players into the metagame over perfect execution. the roster is tiny and some stuff is janky, but the core concepts are very approachable, highly recommended for neophytes.
usf4 is popular and fun but as a new player, you're essentially studying a game everyone else is sick of. and it will be studying. three frame links are the standard, 1 frame being the most effective. your shitty attacks *will* get outdamaged and mistakes *will* be more severely punished than in mkx or rising thunder. the sense of progression is great, learning does feel good, and the roster is huge. but everything does have a certain....dated quality. it's almost a decade old and people are already singing the praises of sf5.
mkx is probably the best mainstream game released right now. it strikes a nice balance between rewarding and difficult. combos are easy to learn but still require practice and the mechanics have depth. multiple ways to wakeup keeps oki game interesting. the problem is the online community is awful, so try to play private matches. plus, the constant stream of updates from NRS keeps things fresh.
KOF (king of fighters) is for mexicans and koreans. it requires a level of skill beyond mortals. don't.
last but not least, skullgirls just got done. it's a fantastic game with a unique artstyle and essentially combo-gmod. if you can think of a crazy combo or setup, chances are you can make it work. however, the system mechanics are EVE-tier tedious to learn (sticking most players at the 'middling' intermediate state) and against an experienced player, you WILL lose. there's very little forgiveness.
feel free to hmu for practice.