Current fight games: the best?

[Khaldun]

While I dropped my share of quarters in Mortal Kombat machines and played several versions of Tekken a good bit, fight games aren't a genre I've played extensively. But they're one of the few genres my wife will play, and now my daughter is also interested after playing the demo of Virtua Fighter 5 on the 360. We'll certainly get Super Smash Brothers Brawl when it comes out, but the family is now chorusing for a game right now in the genre.

They're button-mashers. I'm kind of a button-masher when I play. So anything where if you don't do the combos exactly right you can't beat the computer players isn't going to meet with approval, though mostly I think this is going to be for two-player fights anyway. Super-gory violence or overly adult characters I would rather avoid, though I suppose that leather chick in Dead or Alive 4 would be ok if it turns out that's best. (Gory finishing moves a la Mortal Kombat are ok as long as they're not required, e.g., I can do them when the family is not around.)

What's best that's available now (360 or Wii)? DOA 4? Virtua Fighter 5? I'm nervous about DOA's reported difficulty.

[schild]

DOA is an easy game. I don't know what this "difficulty" is you speak of...

[Khaldun]

I dunno either. Haven't played any of the DOAs.  Just noticed that a lot of reviews and guides said that it was more difficult in the need to hit combos precisely than previous DOAs.

[schild]

Yes, true. The last few games have been RIDICULOUSLY EASY.

Now they're merely easy.

[cmlancas]

I still like Soul Calibur II. I might be a little biased because it was my first, but I had a lot of fun with it with my friends. I'm no HFrenzy about wanting to be good though, soz. 

[Khaldun]

Well, ridiculously easy might be ok given that this is designed to please a young'un and a no-gamer spouse. Soul Caliber II also seems appealing--I never really played that series either but friends of mine liked it quite a bit.

[bhodi]

I'm a huge fan of guilty gear (I like X, personally).

[HAMMER FRENZY]

For just casual button mashing and visual flare. Nothing beats Soul Calibur and DOA.

[Moaner]

Shooting from the hip isn't that bad really.  Just aim Nate in the general facing direction of some enemies and he'll auto lock and tear some ass. 

EDIT:  Haha!  Weeeee!  See what happens when I post from work?

[schild]

Shooting from the hip isn't that bad really.  Just aim Nate in the general facing direction of some enemies and he'll auto lock and tear some ass. 

Wrong thread, bro.

[Mrbloodworth]

Shooting from the hip isn't that bad really.  Just aim Nate in the general facing direction of some enemies and he'll auto lock and tear some ass. 

[Margalis]

I'll third Soul Calibur 2. It sounds like what you are looking for.

[HAMMER FRENZY]

really, any Soul Calibur game would work. All the wonkiness of SC3 is undetectable to casual players. It breaks later though...Really bad. SC3 is pretty easy to find and cheap as well.

[squirrel]

I know it probably doesn't qualify as a "fight game" in the way you mean but I'm a big fan of Fight Night Round 3. It's very visceral and very fun, and this from someone who knows nothing about boxing. YMMV.

[HAMMER FRENZY]

Yeah its is actually more of a fighting game than a fighting sim that is for sure. *ZING* but that game is really fun. I played it a lot when it came out. I wish some people here played it online.