Fighting EX Layer

5D environment. Battles take place in closed arenas, which vary in size and width. The gameplay retains many of the mechanics from Arika's previous fighting games, such as Super Cancels and juggling, while adding a new running mechanic. Additionally, the game features ground chain combos, an auto-combo system, and an optional Progressive mode which simplifies command inputs.

Fighting EX Layer also introduces Gougi Boost, which grants players additional bonuses and enhancements during a match. These boosts can be customized by selecting different Gougi decks before the match begins. In Fighting EX Layer Another Dash, however, the Gougi decks are unavailable, while new mechanics have been introduced, replacing some older ones in exchange. Those new mechanics are the EX-Dash, EX-Arrow, EX-Illusion, Cancel Break, and Super Cancel, and cost one bar of the player's gauge per use.

Fighting EX Layer was developed by Japanese video game development studio Arika. The studio previously developed the Street Fighter EX series and the arcade game Fighting Layer, which are spiritual predecessors to Fighting EX Layer. Following the release of Street Fighter EX3 (2000), the game's publisher Capcom halted the series. Over the years, Arika pitched multiple ideas to Capcom for a new entry in EX series, including a demo they created for a Nintendo 3DS game. However, none of the pitches were successful.

Staff at Arika had been working on a 3D fighting game prototype to familiarise themselves with Unreal Engine 4. They decided to record some footage of the then-untitled prototype and release a trailer on April Fools' Day in 2017. The positive reaction from fans led Arika to turn the project into a full-fledged game, which they officially confirmed at Evo 2017.

Heidi Kemps of GameSpot gave the game an 8/10 rating, praising the fighting mechanics and implementation of the Gougi system while criticizing the game's spotty netcode.

Chris Carter of Destructoid gave the game a 7/10, praising its colorful character design and naturally flowing combat but criticizing the small number of game modes and the roster's lack of diversity in terms of gameplay style. He was divided on the Gougi system which he found an intriguing idea but was worried about the fact that some Gougi decks were only available through DLC. Carter also felt Fighting EX Layer made few concessions for beginners and was aimed primarily at seasoned fighting game fans.