One Must Fall : 2097

Everyone was surprised and happy when Epic Megagames decided to release this game as freeware, it offers extremely addictive gameplay and stands as one of the best 2D fighting games ever made.
The game combines RPG, Strategy and beat-em-up elements in order to offer a fun package.

Forward in the manual
"This is, basically, a fighting game. It has many features not found in any other fighting game. One Must Fall 2097 is a great way to relieve stress, improve hand-eye coordination, or just generally waste enormous amounts of time."

This game also introduces a brand new way to play a fighting game, Tournament Play!!! you start as a rookie pilot with nothing but a basic jaguar unit. you rise throught ranks, train yourself, and upgrade your robot. The only thing you need is the will to win!