''The King of Fighters'' (''KOF'') is a series of
fighting game
A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a video game genre, genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappli ...
s by
SNK
is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. It is the successor to the company Shin Nihon Kikaku and presently owns the SNK video game brand and the Neo Geo video game platform. SNK's predecessor Shin Nihon Kikaku was founded in 1978 ...
that began with the release of ''
The King of Fighters '94
''The King of Fighters '94'' (''KOF 94'') is a fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo (system), Neo Geo-based arcade game, arcade system in 1994, as the first in ''The King of Fighters'' series. The game was also released for the Neo Geo ...
'' in 1994. The series was developed originally for SNK's
Neo Geo MVS
The , stylised as NEO•GEO and also written as NEOGEO, is a cartridge-based arcade system board and the fourth generation home video game console released on April 26, 1990 by Japanese game company SNK Corporation. It was the first system in ...
arcade hardware. This served as the main platform for the series until 2004 when SNK retired it in favor of the
Atomiswave
The Atomiswave is a custom arcade system board and cabinet from Sammy Corporation. It is based on Sega's Dreamcast console, sharing similarities with the NAOMI,
as far as it uses interchangeable game cartridges, as well as a removable module for ...
arcade board. Two ''King of Fighters'' games were produced for the Atomiswave platform (''
The King of Fighters Neowave'' and ''
The King of Fighters XI
''(KOF XI)'' is a 2D fighting game produced by SNK Playmore. It is the eleventh installment in ''The King of Fighters'' series following ''The King of Fighters 2003''. It was originally released as a coin-operated arcade game for the Atomiswa ...
'') before SNK decided to discontinue using it for the series. The series' most recent arcade hardware is the
Taito Type X2, first used with the release of ''
The King of Fighters XII
(''KOF XII'') is the twelfth installment of ''The King of Fighters'' series of fighting games developed and published by SNK Playmore. The game was originally released in Japan in April 2009 for arcades. Home versions of the title for Xbox 360 and ...
''.
Ports
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
of the
arcade game
An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade v ...
s and the original ''The King of Fighters'' games have been released for several video game consoles. The latest entry in the series, ''
The King of Fighters XV
, also called ''KOF XV'', is a fighting game developed by SNK. It was released on February 17, 2022, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. This is also the first game in ''The King of Fighters'' series created using Unreal ...
'', was released in February 2022.
The games' story focuses on the title tournament where fighters from multiple SNK games take part. SNK also created original characters to serve as protagonists from each of their
story arc
A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, board games, vide ...
s while still interacting with fighters from ''
Art of Fighting
is a fighting video game trilogy that were released for the Neo Geo platform in the early 1990s. It was the second fighting game franchise created by SNK, following the ''Fatal Fury'' series and is set in the same fictional universe as a pr ...
'' and ''
Fatal Fury
''Fatal Fury'', known as in Japan, is a fighting game series developed by SNK for the Neo Geo system.
Games
Canon
* ''Fatal Fury'' – The first game of the ''Fatal Fury'' series allowed players to select one of three characters, Terry B ...
'', among others. Multiple spin-off games, such as the ''R'' duology for the
Neo Geo Pocket
The Neo Geo Pocket is a monochrome handheld game console released by SNK. It was the company's first handheld system and is part of the Neo Geo family. It debuted in Japan in late 1998 but never saw an American release, being exclusive to Japan ...
and ''Maximum Impact'' for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
, for example, have also been released. There have been multiple cross-over games where the SNK cast interacted with characters created by
Capcom
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
, while some characters have been present as guest characters in other games, such as
Geese Howard
is a fictional boss character and the main villain in SNK's ''Fatal Fury'' fighting game series. Debuting in '' Fatal Fury: King of Fighters'', Geese is the local crime boss of the fictional city of South Town. Geese created and hosts a fighting ...
in ''
Tekken 7
is a fighting game developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is the seventh main and ninth overall installment in the ''Tekken '' series. ''Tekken 7'' was released to arcades in March 2015. An updated arcade version, ''Tekken 7 ...
'',
Kyo Kusanagi
is a fictional character in SNK's ''The King of Fighters'' series of fighting games. The character was first introduced in the 1994 video game ''The King of Fighters '94'' as the leader of the Japanese team from the series' title tournament. Ky ...
in ''
Fighting Days'', and
Terry Bogard
is a Player character, video game character created by SNK as the protagonist of their ''Fatal Fury'' series. Introduced in ''Fatal Fury: King of Fighters'' in 1991, he is an American fighter who enters the worldwide "The King of Fighters" tourn ...
in ''
Fighting EX Layer
''Fighting EX Layer'' is a fighting video game developed by Arika. It is a spiritual successor to ''Fighting Layer'' and the ''Street Fighter EX'' series and features many of the same characters from the latter. The game was released for PlayStat ...
'' and ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeeding ...
''.
''The King of Fighters'' was originally conceptualized as a side-scrolling
beat 'em up
The beat 'em up (also known as brawler and, in some markets, beat 'em all) is a video game genre featuring hand-to-hand combat against a large number of opponents. Traditional beat 'em ups take place in scrolling, two-dimensional (2D) levels, ...
until SNK changed it to a fighting game that took its subtitle from the first ''Fatal Fury game'': ''
Fatal Fury: King of Fighters''. Though originally released yearly from its first inception, the company decided to take more time to develop their games after 2004. Critical reception of the video games have been generally positive with their use of teams and balanced gameplay often cited.
Games
Main series
![KOF-98 arcade cabinet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/KOF-98_arcade_cabinet.jpg)
SNK released the first game in the series, ''
The King of Fighters '94
''The King of Fighters '94'' (''KOF 94'') is a fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo (system), Neo Geo-based arcade game, arcade system in 1994, as the first in ''The King of Fighters'' series. The game was also released for the Neo Geo ...
'', on August 25, 1994.
It featured characters from SNK's previous fighting game series ''
Fatal Fury
''Fatal Fury'', known as in Japan, is a fighting game series developed by SNK for the Neo Geo system.
Games
Canon
* ''Fatal Fury'' – The first game of the ''Fatal Fury'' series allowed players to select one of three characters, Terry B ...
'' and ''
Art of Fighting
is a fighting video game trilogy that were released for the Neo Geo platform in the early 1990s. It was the second fighting game franchise created by SNK, following the ''Fatal Fury'' series and is set in the same fictional universe as a pr ...
'', as well as original characters (including characters from other franchises such as ''
Ikari Warriors
''Ikari Warriors'', known as in Japan, is a vertically-scrolling, run-and-gun shooter arcade video game released by SNK in 1986. It was published in North America by Tradewest. The game was released at the time when there were many ''Commando'' ...
'' and ''
Psycho Soldier
is a platform game developed by Japanese software company SNK. It was released in 1987. It is a distant sequel to ''Athena'', released a year earlier, featuring a late descendant of that game's main character. Ocean Software on their Imagine ...
'', adapted for a versus fighting game).
The game's success led SNK to release yearly installments for the series numbering the games for the year they were released. ''
The King of Fighters '95
''(KOF '95)'' is a fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo (console), Neo Geo arcade game, arcade and home consoles in 1995. It is the sequel to ''The King of Fighters '94'' and the second game in ''The King of Fighters'' series. It is als ...
'', as well as adding new characters, began the series' first story arc titled "The Orochi Saga". It was also the first game in the series that allowed players to create their own three-member teams with any character in the game.
''
The King of Fighters '96
''(KOF '96)'' is a fighting game released by SNK Playmore, SNK for the Neo Geo (console), Neo Geo arcade and home consoles in 1996. It is the third game in ''The King of Fighters'' series, following ''The King of Fighters '95''. Like its predeces ...
'' established the second part of "The Orochi Saga". Depending on the playable characters on a team, an exclusive ending would be played.
"The Orochi Saga" story arc concluded in ''
The King of Fighters '97
''(KOF '97)'' is a fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home console in 1997. It is the fourth game in ''The King of Fighters'' series. It was ported to the Neo-Geo CD, as well as the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn in Japan ...
''.
Unlike the series' previous games, ''
The King of Fighters '98
''The King of Fighters '98: The Slugfest'', known in Japan as ''The King of Fighters '98: Dream Match Never Ends (KOF '98)'', is a fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home consoles in 1998. It is the fifth game in ''The Kin ...
'' did not feature a story. Instead, it was promoted as a "Dream Match" game that allowed players to choose most of the characters available from the previous titles, including ones that were supposedly dead. SNK refitted the
Dreamcast
The is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998, in Japan; September 9, 1999, in North America; and October 14, 1999, in Europe. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, N ...
version and renamed it ''The King of Fighters: Dream Match 1999'' with an extended
cel
A cel, short for celluloid, is a transparent sheet on which objects are drawn or painted for traditional, hand-drawn animation. Actual celluloid (consisting of cellulose nitrate and camphor) was used during the first half of the 20th century, but ...
animated introduction and 3D backgrounds.
''
The King of Fighters '99
''The King of Fighters '99: Millennium Battle'' (''KOF '99'') is a 1999 fighting game developed and published by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home consoles in 1999. It is the sixth installment in ''The King of Fighters'' series, introducing a ...
'' introduced "The NESTS Chronicles" story arc. In a new tactic, a specific person from a team would be an assistant called a "Striker". This person would be able to aid the team for a few seconds in combat. The Dreamcast version was titled ''The King of Fighters: Evolution'', with several improvements in the game such as new Strikers and better animation.
''
The King of Fighters 2000
''(KOF 2000, or KOF '00)'' is a fighting video game that was produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home consoles in 2000. It is the seventh installment in ''The King of Fighters'' series for the Neo Geo and the final game in the series SNK ...
'' is the second part of "The NESTS Saga" as well as the last ''KOF'' game produced by SNK before its bankruptcy. It adds a few new playable characters and a couple of Strikers—most from earlier KOF titles and other SNK franchises such as ''
Metal Slug
is a Japanese Shoot 'em up#Scrolling shooters, run and gun video game series originally created by Nazca Corporation before merging with SNK Playmore, SNK in 1996 after the completion of the Metal Slug (1996 video game), first game in the seri ...
'', ''
Robo Army
is a beat 'em up video game developed and published by SNK that was released for Neo Geo arcades and home consoles in 1991 and the Neo Geo CD in 1995.
Gameplay
There is no character selection in '' Robo Army '': Player 1 controls Maxima and ...
'', ''
Burning Fight
is a beat 'em up arcade game released by SNK in 1991 for the Neo Geo MVS system. Introduced to capture a share in the then-popular beat 'em ups market, it was meant to compete with Technōs' ''Double Dragon'', the leader of the genre at the time ...
'', ''
Buriki One
''Buriki One: World Grapple Tournament '99 in Tokyo'', otherwise known simply as ''Buriki One'', is a 3D competitive fighting game produced by SNK and released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1999. It is the seventh and final game developed ...
'', ''
The Last Blade
''The Last Blade'' is a fighting game developed and released by SNK for the Neo Geo (console), Neo Geo system in 1997. It was also ported to several home systems. A sequel, ''The Last Blade 2'', was released in 1998.
The game takes place during t ...
'', ''
Savage Reign
''Savage Reign'' is 1995 weapon-based versus fighting game released by SNK for their Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It was ported to the Neo Geo CD, as well as for the PlayStation 2 along with its sequel ''Kizuna Encounter'' in Japan only (as ...
'' and ''
Kizuna Encounter
''Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle'' is a 1996 weapon-based fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It is the sequel to ''Savage Reign''. The European Neo-Geo homecart PAL release was rare, with only five known c ...
''.
''
The King of Fighters 2001
''(KOF 2001, or KOF '01)'' is a fighting game produced by Eolith for the Neo Geo. It is the eighth game in ''The King of Fighters'' series, the third and final part of the "NESTS Chronicles" story arc, and the first game produced following the c ...
'' ends the second story arc. The Korean company
Eolith
An eolith (from Greek "''eos''", dawn, and "''lithos''", stone) is a knapped flint nodule. Eoliths were once thought to have been artifacts, the earliest stone tools, but are now believed to be geofacts (stone fragments produced by fully natur ...
helped develop the game after SNK was declared bankrupt.
''
The King of Fighters 2002
''(KOF 2002, or KOF '02)'' is a fighting game produced by Eolith and Playmore for the Neo Geo in 2002. It is the ninth game in ''The King of Fighters'' series and the second one to be produced by Eolith and developed by Playmore (formerly Brez ...
'' was created to reunite old characters from previous ''KOF'' games and featured no story, similar to ''KOF '98''. It was also developed by Eolith.
A new ''KOF'' story arc titled the "Tales of Ash" began in ''
The King of Fighters 2003
''(KOF 2003, or KOF '03)'', also known by fans as is a fighting game produced by SNK Playmore for the Neo Geo (console), Neo Geo arcade and home platforms in 2003. It is the tenth game in ''The King of Fighters'' series and the last one release ...
'', the last ''KOF'' game to be released for the Neo Geo system. It allowed players to change characters while playing, but the number of team members was reduced to three. SNK returned to develop the franchise with this entry.
By 2004, SNK abandoned the series' yearly releases and numbered future games in a more conventional manner. The first main series' game released as such was ''
The King of Fighters XI
''(KOF XI)'' is a 2D fighting game produced by SNK Playmore. It is the eleventh installment in ''The King of Fighters'' series following ''The King of Fighters 2003''. It was originally released as a coin-operated arcade game for the Atomiswa ...
'' in 2005.
In 2009, ''
The King of Fighters XII
(''KOF XII'') is the twelfth installment of ''The King of Fighters'' series of fighting games developed and published by SNK Playmore. The game was originally released in Japan in April 2009 for arcades. Home versions of the title for Xbox 360 and ...
'' was released. It used high-resolution, hand-drawn 2D
sprites on detailed 2D backgrounds. It is a storyless gathering of fighters, similar to ''KOF '98'' and ''2002''. The story arc ends with ''
The King of Fighters XIII
''(KOF XIII)'' is a fighting game in ''The King of Fighters'' series, developed and published by SNK Playmore originally in 2010. ''King of Fighters XIII'' was released for Japanese arcades on July 14, 2010, while ports for the Xbox 360 and Play ...
'', released during the summer of 2010, which features the entire roster from ''The King of Fighters XII'' as well as additional characters.
''
The King of Fighters XIV
''(KOF XIV)'' is a 2016 Japanese fighting game. Part of SNK's franchise ''The King of Fighters'' (''KOF'') series, with this installment being published by Atlus USA in North America and Deep Silver in Europe. After the 13th installment that ...
'', featuring 3D graphics and a large roster of characters while also establishing a new story arc was released for the
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
on August 23, 2016. In December 2018, SNK revealed it was working on ''
The King of Fighters XV
, also called ''KOF XV'', is a fighting game developed by SNK. It was released on February 17, 2022, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. This is also the first game in ''The King of Fighters'' series created using Unreal ...
'', and was released on February 17, 2022.
Other games
''The King of Fighters '94'' was
remade
Bas-Lag is the fictional world in which several of English author China Miéville's novels are set. Bas-Lag is a world where both magic (referred to as "thaumaturgy") and steampunk technology exist, and is home to many intelligent races. It is inf ...
and released in 2004 for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
as ''
The King of Fighters '94 Re-Bout'' in Japan. This version has several new features like hi-res graphics, online play, team edit, a playable
Rugal Bernstein
''The King of Fighters'' fighting game series, produced by SNK, includes a wide cast of characters, some of which are taken from other SNK games. The story takes place in a fictional universe in which an annual series of 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 fighti ...
, and the addition of
Saisyu Kusanagi
''The King of Fighters'' fighting game series, produced by SNK, includes a wide cast of characters, some of which are taken from other SNK games. The story takes place in a fictional universe in which an annual series of 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 fightin ...
.
A remake of ''KOF '98'' titled ''
The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match
''The King of Fighters '98: The Slugfest'', known in Japan as ''The King of Fighters '98: Dream Match Never Ends (KOF '98)'', is a fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo (console), Neo Geo arcade and home consoles in 1998. It is the fifth ...
'' was released in Japanese arcades in 2008 and later on some video game consoles expanding the character roster and improving the graphics. A remake of ''KOF 2002'', titled ''
The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match'' was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2009 in Japan. SNK also produced a game titled ''The King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise'' which could be connected to the Japanese Dreamcast port of ''KOF '99''.
Yumekobo
Aicom was a Japanese video game developer, founded in 1988, possibly by a group that left Jaleco . Despite evidence to support this, the Sammy corporate website lists 1990 as the first year and that it was a subsidiary. It was bought by Sammy Ind ...
also developed the visual novel game with strategy elements for fights known as . The game follows Kyo's daily life as he prepares to fight in the tournament in ''KOF '97'' while interacting with other rivals. For the
Neo Geo Pocket
The Neo Geo Pocket is a monochrome handheld game console released by SNK. It was the company's first handheld system and is part of the Neo Geo family. It debuted in Japan in late 1998 but never saw an American release, being exclusive to Japan ...
, an adaptation of ''KOF '97'' titled ''
King of Fighters R-1
''King of Fighters R-1'' is a fighting game developed and released by SNK in 1998 for the Neo-Geo Pocket handheld system. It is based on ''The King of Fighters '97'', sharing the same storyline. A sequel, '' King of Fighters R-2'', was release ...
'' was released on October 28, 1998. A sequel for the
Neo Geo Pocket Color
The is a 16-bit color handheld video game console manufactured by SNK. It is a successor to SNK's monochrome Neo Geo Pocket handheld which debuted in 1998 in Japan, with the Color being fully backward compatible. The Neo Geo Pocket Color was re ...
, ''
King of Fighters R-2
''King of Fighters R-2'' is a fighting game released by SNK in 1999 for the Neo-Geo Pocket Color handheld system, part of ''The King of Fighters'' series. It is the sequel to '' King of Fighters R-1'' for the Neo-Geo Pocket, the previous generat ...
'' an adaptation of ''KOF '98'', was released on March 19, 1999.
In 2004, SNK produced the first
3D installment of the series, ''
The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact''. The game and its sequel ''
KOF: Maximum Impact 2'', and its upgraded version ''Maximum Impact: Regulation A'', revises much of the backstory for the characters and settings from previous games.
A third update called ''Regulation A2'' was planned but cancelled. The producer of the ''Maximum Impact'' series,
Falcoon
, better known by his pen name is a Japanese artist. He works for SNK. He has been involved in several iterations of ''The King of Fighters'' franchise.
Career
After graduating from Kyoto Seika University, Falcoon started as a fan-artist doing re ...
, stated that the ''Maximum Impact'' games are in a different
continuity from the original series of games.
Another spin-off video game, ''
The King of Fighters Neowave'', was released for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Arcade during 2005 and 2006. ''Neowave'' is essentially a remix of ''KOF 2002'', with a new presentation and a few roster changes. Like ''KOF2002'', ''Neowave'' has no storyline and is considered a "dream match". Tomokazu Nakano created the character artwork.
Two video games were released for the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
titled ''The King of Fighters EX: Neo-Blood'' and ''The King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood'' featuring characters and backgrounds from ''KOF '99'' and ''2000'', respectively.
A
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
was also created exclusively for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
under the title ''The King of Fighters: Kyo'', adapting a manga with the same name.
An
N-Gage version of the second Game Boy Advance game was released in 2005 titled ''The King of Fighters Extreme'', which added
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...
multiplayer capability.
By late 2000s, at least three
pachislot
A slot machine (American English), fruit machine (British English) or poker machine (Australian English and New Zealand English) is a gambling machine that creates a game of chance for its customers. Slot machines are also known pejoratively as ...
games were developed for the series. The first, ''The King of Fighters'', is based on the Orochi storyline; the second, ''The King of Fighters 2'', is based on the fight of
K' against the NESTS cartel; and the third, ''Maximum Impact'' focuses on the series' 3D titles. None of these was released outside Japan. At least six games for Japanese mobile phones have also been developed. While a few of them are fighting games, others are mini-games like volleyball and quizzes.
Several characters from the series also appear in crossover video games. ''
NeoGeo Battle Coliseum
, abbreviated ''NGBC'' or ''NBC'', is a 2-on-2 tag team fighting game designed for the Atomiswave arcade board developed and released by SNK in 2005. The game features characters from several SNK and ADK titles. Subsequently, a PlayStation 2 vers ...
'' is a 2-on-2 tag team fighting game for the
Atomiswave
The Atomiswave is a custom arcade system board and cabinet from Sammy Corporation. It is based on Sega's Dreamcast console, sharing similarities with the NAOMI,
as far as it uses interchangeable game cartridges, as well as a removable module for ...
arcade board, and ''
SNK Gals' Fighters
''SNK Gals' Fighters'' is a 2-dimensional 1-on-1 versus fighting game which appeared on the Neo Geo Pocket Color in 2000. The game was ported to the Nintendo Switch in the eShop on April 29, 2020, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Neo Geo s ...
'' is a fighting game for the Neo Geo Pocket Color. Along with the ''KOF'', characters from other SNK series also star in both of these games. A
rhythm game
Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to pres ...
titled ''
The Rhythm of Fighters
''The Rhythm of Fighters'' is a free-to-play music-based video game produced and developed by SNK Playmore for iOS and Android. It was released on June 24, 2014 and removed from app stores on July 15, 2015. In the game, the player controls a fighte ...
'' was released for mobile phone games during 2015.
Capcom also produced a series of similar crossover fighting games with SNK. The SNK-produced fighting games of this crossover include the
Dimps
is a Japanese video game developer based in Osaka, Japan, with an additional office in Tokyo. It is best known for developing games in the '' Sonic the Hedgehog'', ''Dragon Ball'' and ''Street Fighter'' franchises. The company was founded on Mar ...
-developed portable fighting game ''
SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium'' for the Neo Geo Pocket Color in 1999 and ''
SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos'' for the
Neo Geo
Neo Geo is a family of video game hardware developed by SNK. On the market from 1990 to 2004, the brand originated with the release of an arcade system, the Neo Geo MVS and its home console counterpart, the Neo Geo AES.
The Neo Geo MVS was su ...
in 2003. The games produced by Capcom are ''
Capcom vs. SNK
, also known as simply ''Capcom vs. SNK'' in international releases, is a 2000 head-to-head fighting game produced by Capcom originally released as a coin-operated arcade game for Segas NAOMI hardware and later ported to the Dreamcast. It is th ...
'' in 2000. This was followed by a minor upgrade, ''Capcom vs. SNK Pro'', and a sequel titled ''
Capcom vs. SNK 2
''Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001'', known in Japan as , is the sequel to the fighting game ''Capcom vs. SNK''. It was originally released on NAOMI hardware in arcades. As in the original, players select a team of fighters from vario ...
'', both released in 2001.
The three games were produced for
NAOMI
Naomi or Naomie may refer to:
People and biblical figures
* Naomi (given name), a female given name and a list of people with the name
* Naomi (biblical figure), Ruth's mother-in-law in the Old Testament Book of Ruth
* Naomi (Romanian singer) (bo ...
hardware and later ported to various consoles. SNK also produced ''SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos'', and the video game card game titled ''SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS''.
Multiple mobile phone games have also been produced including ''
The King of Fighters All Star
''The King of Fighters All Star'' is a beat 'em up role-playing game developed by Netmarble Games and published by SNK. It was first released in Japan on July 26, 2018, for the iOS and Android. The game is a retelling of SNK's ''The King of Fight ...
'', ''Kimi wa Hero'', ''Clash of Kings'', ''KOF X Arena Masters'', ''KOF: WORLD'', ''The King of Fighters Orochi Go'', ''The King of Cyphers'', and a crossover with ''Fatal Fury''. An
otome game
An , is a story-based video game that is targeted towards women. Generally one of the goals, besides the main idea/goal, is to develop a romantic relationship between the female player/main character and one of the second-lead male characters.
His ...
''King of Fighters for Girls'' is also in development. The characters have also been guests in other mobile games such as Kyo in ''Fighting Days''.
Compilations
In addition to the remakes of games such as ''KOF '94 Re-bout'', ''KOF '98 Ultimate Match'', and ''KOF 2002 Unlimited Match'', SNK has released compilations of their ''KOF'' games. Two ''KOF'' compilations were released in Japan for the PlayStation 2 as part of the
Neo Geo Online Collection
The ''NEOGEO Online Collection'' is a series of classic Neo Geo video games, re-released by SNK Playmore for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. These games allow you to fight against other players over the Internet by way of KDDI's MMBB matching service ...
.
The first compilation, features ''KOF '95'', ''KOF '96'', and ''KOF '97'', the three games comprising the Orochi story arc. The compilation features a Color Edit mode that allows the player to create a custom color palette for every character in each game, the choice to play each game with original and arranged soundtracks, and an online versus mode which supports the Multi-Matching BB (MMBB) service.
The second compilation, , features the original Neo Geo versions of ''KOF '99'', ''KOF 2000'', and ''KOF 2001'', as well as the corresponding Dreamcast versions of each game. It has the same features as the previous compilation but with online support available only for the Dreamcast games in the compilation.
A separately produced compilation titled ''The King of Fighters Collection: The Orochi Saga'' was released for the PlayStation 2,
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
and
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
outside of Japan. This compilation has the same lineup of games as the Japanese ''Orochi Hen'', along with ''KOF '94'' and ''KOF '98''. The extra features are different. There is an added Challenge Mode where the player must win certain matches against the CPU in ''KOF '98'' under specific conditions, a media gallery featuring listenable tracks from each game, and a collection of official illustrations.
There were also two double-pack compilations, the first being ''The King of Fighters 2000/2001'' (''The King of Fighters: The Saga Continues'' in PAL regions) and ''The King of Fighters 2002/2003,'' both on PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
Gameplay elements
The basic gameplay system of ''KOF'' is similar to SNK's previous games like the ''Fatal Fury'' series, ''Art of Fighting'' and ''Samurai Shodown''. The game uses a four attack button configuration like ''
Fatal Fury 2
''Fatal Fury 2'', known as in Japan, is a 1992 fighting video game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms, and later ported to several other home systems. It is the sequel to '' Fatal Fury: King of Fighters'' (1991) and the s ...
'' and ''
Fatal Fury Special
''Fatal Fury Special'', known as in Japan, is a 1993 fighting game developed and published by SNK and originally released for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. It is an updated version of 1992's ''Fatal Fury 2'', introducing several change ...
'', that consists of light punch, light kick, strong punch and strong kick. Like ''Fatal Fury 2'', specialized techniques are performed by pressing buttons in combination, allowing the player to dodge an opponent's attack or to launch a character's powerful knockdown attack. As with most other fighting games, each character has a set of basic, unique, and special moves the player can perform using a specific series of joystick and button inputs.
Each new installment provides new ways to create stronger attacks such as ''The King of Fighters '97''. Instead of charging the Power Gauge it is now filled when the player strikes the opponent or by performing Special Moves. The player can stock up to three Power Gauges. The player can use one stock of the Power Gauge to perform a Super Special Move or enter a "MAX" mode, in which the player's defensive and offensive strength are increased. Performing a Super Special Move while in MAX mode allows the player to perform a more powerful Super Special Move.
The franchise is known for innovating the fighting genre by replacing a traditional round-based format used in preceding fighting games with a format consisting of 3-on-3 team-based matches dubbed the Team Battle System. Instead of choosing a single character, the player selects from one of eight available teams, each consisting of three members. Before each match, the players choose the order in which their team members enter the battle. When the match begins, the members chosen to go first on their respective teams will fight. When one character is defeated, the next member of the same team will take his or her place, while the character on the other team will have a small portion of their life restored (if energy was lost during the previous round). If a character is losing a match against the opponent, then the player can call one of the remaining teammates standing on the sidelines to jump in and perform a support attack. The match ends when all three members of either team lose.
Three games—''The King of Fighters '99'', ''2000'', and ''2001''—added the idea of each team being given an extra character that can assist the player to produce more attacks or combos against the enemy.
While ''2002'' brought back the classic 3-o- 3 teams, ''2003'' and ''XI'' made the change so that each team switches fighters in the middle of combat with one of them being a "Leader" character who can perform stronger techniques.
Later games, however, returned to the classic way of fighting while still delivering different ways and rules of fighting.
Plot and characters
The titular King of Fighters tournament originated from SNK's previous fighting game franchises, ''Fatal Fury'' and ''Art of Fighting'' (canonically and chronologically beginning during the events of ''Art of Fighting 2''). The first game in the series, ''KOF '94'', centers on a
black market
A black market, underground economy, or shadow economy is a clandestine market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality or is characterized by noncompliance with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the se ...
arms dealer named Rugal Bernstein, who hosts a well-known fighting tournament to lure worthy adversaries into his trap so that he can kill them and turn them into stone statues, adding them to his collection of defeated martial artists. In addition to previously established fighting game stars
Terry Bogard
is a Player character, video game character created by SNK as the protagonist of their ''Fatal Fury'' series. Introduced in ''Fatal Fury: King of Fighters'' in 1991, he is an American fighter who enters the worldwide "The King of Fighters" tourn ...
and
Ryo Sakazaki
is a video game character developed for the 1992 fighting game ''Art of Fighting'' from SNK. His name is most often written in kana, although in some games, kanji is used to write parts of his name. In the series, Ryo is a skilled martial arti ...
, the game introduces a new hero: a young Japanese martial artist named
Kyo Kusanagi
is a fictional character in SNK's ''The King of Fighters'' series of fighting games. The character was first introduced in the 1994 video game ''The King of Fighters '94'' as the leader of the Japanese team from the series' title tournament. Ky ...
, who serves as the lead character in the early ''KOF'' games. In making Kyo, SNK wanted his personality to contrast with those of earlier leads and stand out within the crossover.
In ''KOF '95'', Rugal, having survived the previous tournament, hosts a new one with the intention of seeking revenge against his adversaries. ''KOF '95'' introduced Kyo's rival
Iori Yagami
is a fictional character from SNK's ''The King of Fighters'' video game series. The character first appeared in ''The King of Fighters '95'' as the leader of the Rivals Team, as the initial enemy and later rival of Kyo Kusanagi. Iori is the he ...
to the series. It was the first game to mention the presence of the Orochi clan, which would serve as the central plot element in the series' following two games. The tournaments in ''KOF '96'' and ''KOF '97'' are hosted by a woman named
Chizuru Kagura
''The King of Fighters'' fighting game series, produced by SNK, includes a wide cast of characters, some of which are taken from other SNK games. The story takes place in a fictional universe in which an annual series of 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 fightin ...
, who seeks to recruit allies (particularly Kyo and Iori, who are descended from the
Three Divine Vessels along with Kagura herself) to fight against the Orochi clan. The Orochi storyline concludes in ''KOF '97''. The next game in the series, ''KOF '98'', is a "Special Edition" with no plot development.
''KOF '99'' introduces a new story arc involving a mysterious corporation known as NESTS, which seeks to create an army of genetically altered fighters. The game introduces a new lead character named
K', a fugitive from NESTS who was genetically enhanced with Kyo's DNA. The next two games in the series, ''KOF 2000'' and ''KOF 2001'', continue the NESTS story line, with each game unraveling the mystery of the organization further. ''KOF 2002'', like ''KOF '98'' before it, is a "Special Edition" of the series with no particular plot. Like Kyo, K' was created as a different hero. Rather than the cocky Kyo, K' is a dark hero who reluctantly fights against the NESTS syndicate.
''KOF 2003'' begins a new story line focusing on another new lead character named
Ash Crimson
is a video game character in ''The King of Fighters'' fighting game series developed by SNK Playmore. His first appearance was in ''The King of Fighters 2003'' as leader of its Hero Team. Ash, a teenager, participates in the series' fighting t ...
, a young man who seeks to possess the powers of the Three Divine Vessels for his own unknown agenda. Similar to K', Ash is given a different characterization acting as a villain during his story arc.
The tournaments in ''KOF 2003'' and ''KOF XI'' were hosted by "Those From the Past", an organization of inhuman warriors who try to break the Orochi seal to take its powers so they can give them to their shrouded master. While ''KOF XII'' does not have a story, ''KOF XIII'' follows another tournament hosted by them where Ash eventually confronts their superior despite him being Ash's ancestor.
''KOF XIV'' establishes a new storyline involving a new lead character named Shun'ei. Described as a "kind-hearted" person, SNK states that while Shun'ei is not a new main character, he is still important for the saga.
Development
The prototype version of the game was a ''
River City Ransom
''River City Ransom'', later released as ''Street Gangs'' in the PAL regions, is an open world action role-playing beat 'em up video game originally for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was developed by Technōs Japan and originally relea ...
''-style TEAM-BATTLE side-scrolling
beat 'em up
The beat 'em up (also known as brawler and, in some markets, beat 'em all) is a video game genre featuring hand-to-hand combat against a large number of opponents. Traditional beat 'em ups take place in scrolling, two-dimensional (2D) levels, ...
. However, the idea was eventually abandoned. They eventually decided to turn their idea into a fighting game. This game was a team battle concept and there were not enough characters, so characters from ''Fatal Fury'', ''Art of Fighting'', ''Ikari Warriors'' and ''Psycho Soldier'' were also added to the roster. The concept of a three-person team was one of the ideas kept from the side-scrolling version.
The title ''The King of Fighters'' was re-used from the subtitle of the first ''Fatal Fury'' game, ''
Fatal Fury: King of Fighters''. ''The King of Fighters'' series' director Toyohisa Tanabe asserted that the ''Art of Fighting'' and ''Fatal Fury'' fighters were added specifically for adults. The newer ''KOF'' characters were intended to appeal to younger and recent audiences. Characters like Benimaru Nikaido and Chang Koehan were added to provide an off-beat variety to the cast, which he had previously said was too serious.
While the first two games used the Neo Geo MVS arcade, ''The King of Fighters '96'' includes 68 KB of video RAM and 64 KB of RAM. This made ''The King of Fighters '96'' the first game to break the technical limits of the MVS system. SNK staff members noted that due to the great popularity of some of the series' characters, it is difficult to design new ones that might have the same appeal. This also happens during location tests of new games. The artist known as
Shinkiro
, best known under the pen name of , is a Japanese illustrator and conceptual artist who used to work for SNK Playmore, SNK and is currently employed by Capcom.
Prior to joining Capcom, Shinkiro was employed by SNK, where he provided the character ...
was responsible for the first artwork involving the cast. As a result, newcomer artist Hiroaki felt for his debut that he needed to draw appealing characters, despite his inexperience. For the first time, former producer
Takashi Nishiyama
is a masculine Japanese given name.
Possible writings
The name Takashi can have multiple different meanings depending on which kanji is used to write it. Some possible writings of the name include:
*江詩 - "estuary , inlet, poem"
*隆 - "prospe ...
was not on the team for ''The King of Fighters 2000'' which caused the team some concern. Despite early unease over the game's state, SNK was pleased with the outcome and described it as an appealing arcade game. Following its release, SNK thanked the fans for their support. Mexican company
Evoga
Evoga Entertainment (Evoga is the acronym of "EVOlution GAmes") was a Mexican video game company.
History
Evoga Entertainment began operations in 2000. It was the first Latin American company to focus solely on making video games. The company h ...
had a major influence on the games due to the franchise's popularity within Latin America.
In 2000, SNK went bankrupt. Eolith negotiated a license agreement in the same year to keep producing the ''KOF'' series because of the franchise's popularity in Korea and worldwide. BrezzaSoft assisted Eolith with the game's production. Fearing disappointing returning fans, Eolith decided to maintain most of the common parts from ''The King of Fighters'' while adding new elements to it. One of the biggest changes is the optional use of Strikers where players can use between one and three characters to assist the playable one. The team aimed to refine the original gameplay system of earlier ''KOF'' games. While conducting a popularity poll of the characters, Eolith still aimed to include the least popular teams in the game. The great popularity of Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami led to their immediate inclusion in the game. References to works from Evoga can be seen in the game's scenarios. While working on it, the team played ''The King of Fighters '98'' for the developers to see if they could include a character within the game. A member from Evoga won, resulting in the team asking to add Angel to the game.
Starting in 2003, the games were again developed by SNK, now called SNK Playmore.
SNK Playmore discontinued the AES system in 2003, preferring to publish video games in cooperation with
Sammy
Sammy is a nickname, frequently for people named Samuel, and also an English spelling of the Arabic name Sami.
People Music
*Sammy Adams (born 1987), American rapper and songwriter
*Sammy Cahn (1913-1993), American songwriter
*Sammy Davis Jr. ( ...
, using its Atomiswave arcade board, which provided a more secure, modern platform for new arcade releases. This allowed the new ''KOF'' games to feature better audio and graphics than earlier games.
Following the release of the first game in ''The King of Fighters'' series, a new game was released each year. The last of these yearly releases was ''The King of Fighters 2003''. In December 2004,
Falcoon
, better known by his pen name is a Japanese artist. He works for SNK. He has been involved in several iterations of ''The King of Fighters'' franchise.
Career
After graduating from Kyoto Seika University, Falcoon started as a fan-artist doing re ...
, the series' main illustrator, mentioned that the next game the SNK Playmore staff were trying to release was different from ''The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact'' or what could have been a ''The King of Fighters 2004''. The game's development began when SNK staff finished making ''Neo Geo Battle Coliseum''. ''KOF 2003'' would be followed by ''XI'', ''XII'' and ''XIII'' which had major changes to appeal to the audience.
The decision to create ''The King of Fighters XIV'' was made when SNK Playmore's CEO Eikichi Kawasaki decided the company should return to producing appealing fighting games rather than Pachinko-Slot Machines and Mobile Apps. While it took some time, full production of the game began when more staff from Esaka joined the team in April 2014. Yasuyuki Oda was the game's director. This was his first contribution to the franchise, leading a younger staff. During his first employment at SNK, games like ''
Virtua Fighter
is a series of fighting games created by Sega-AM2 and designer Yu Suzuki. The original ''Virtua Fighter'' was released in October 1993 and has received four main sequels and several spin-offs. The highly influential first ''Virtua Fighter'' game ...
'' motivated him to make a 3D game after he had left SNK. When Oda returned to SNK, there was never any debate about transitioning the series transition from 2D to 3D, though adapting some of the characters proved more difficult than others.
Many of SNK's staff consider ''KOF '98'' and ''KOF 2002'' the best games in the franchise. They gave them ideas to create new entries in the series that would surpass the quality of these two games.
During a contest, SNK used the DLC character Najd based on the
Saudi Arabian
Saudis ( ar, سعوديون, Suʿūdiyyūn) are people identified with the country of Saudi Arabia. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. The Saudis are composed mainly of Arabs and primarily speak a regional dialect ...
artist Mashael. SNK Chairman Zhihui Ge expressed a desire to attract more Middle Eastern fans to play the game. He also hired new creators during the post-release of ''XIV''.
Related media
Printed adaptations
During 1995 Tatsuya Shingyoji wrote a
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
adaptation of ''The King of Fighters '94''. It was serialized in ''
Monthly Shōnen Ace
is a monthly shōnen manga magazine in Japan published by Kadokawa Shoten, started in 1994. Unlike the big shōnen weeklies with circulation figures in the millions, ''Ace'' is aimed at a less mainstream audience, and has a particular emphasis on ...
'' published by
Kadokawa Shoten
, formerly , is a Japanese publisher and division of Kadokawa Future Publishing based in Tokyo, Japan. It became an internal division of Kadokawa Corporation on October 1, 2013. Kadokawa publishes manga, light novels, manga anthology magazines su ...
and collected into four ''
tankōbon
is the Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
'' volumes. They were released from February 10, 1995, to December 1996. There is also a spin-off manga story based on the adventures of the characters from ''The King of Fighters '96'' centered around Kyo and Iori's rivalry entitled ''The King of Fighters: Kyo.'' It was written by Masato Natsumoto and published by
Kodansha
is a Japanese privately-held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha is the largest Japanese publishing company, and it produces the manga magazines ''Nakayoshi'', ''Afternoon'', ''Evening'', ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' an ...
in two ''tankōbon'' volumes in 1997.
Ryo Takamisaki
is a Japanese mangaka, manga artist from Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Prefecture who is known for his work on the manga series ''MegaMan NT Warrior''. He is a graduate of and Nagoya University.
His hobbies are motorsports and watching martial arts. He ...
also developed another adaptation from ''KOF '96'' which
Shinseisha
Co., Ltd. was a Japanese publisher founded in 1971 and who filed for bankruptcy in 1999. It originally published learning reference books, but it is more known for its 1986 arcade game magazine . The representative was Hiroshi Kato. The company ...
published in three ''tankōbon'' compilations from June 1996 to February 1998. Akihiko Ureshino also wrote multiple novelizations based on the games with different artists contributing to each installment.
A ''
manhua
() are Chinese-language comics produced in China and Taiwan. Whilst Chinese comics and narrated illustrations have existed in China in some shape or form throughout its imperial history, the term first appeared in 1904 in a comic titled ''Cu ...
'' adaptation of ''KOF'' titled ''The King of Fighters: Zillion'' was created by
Andy Seto
Andy Seto (; born 3 June 1969) is a comic artist who specialises in martial-arts based stories.
Biography
Seto's works include his main series, "Cyber Weapon Z." He has also drawn a graphic novel adaptation of the earlier Crouching Tiger, Hidd ...
. Hong Kong artists Wing Yang and King Tung produced further ''manhua'' for the games, beginning with ''The King of Fighters 2001'' through ''2003'' along with the ''Maximum Impact'' series.
Both authors also made a sequel, ''The King of Fighters 03: Xenon Zero'' (拳皇 XENON ZERO), to conclude the 2003 tournament.
ComicsOne
ComicsOne Corp. was an American distributor of Asian Comics (manga, manhwa, and manhua), established in 1999. ComicsOne was based in Fremont, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. ComicsOne also served as the distributor for videos and merc ...
licensed the series with its first volume tying in with the release of a new video game and kept publishing it after their transition to
DrMaster
DrMaster Publications Inc. was an American distributor of manga and manhua with offices in the United States, Republic of China and Japan. It was headquartered in Fremont, California.
It began strictly as a printer of manga, and entered the pu ...
. They were published in five issues of 128 pages from May 25, 2005, to June 26, 2008.
Another ''manhua'' series is ''King of Fighters RX Project '00'' (拳皇RX) in three volumes that was officially sponsored by SNK-Playmore Hong Kong. The NESTS saga version was illustrated by Ricky, and covers the fight against NESTS primarily focused on the 2000 tournament.
''
The King of Fighters: A New Beginning'' is a ''
shōnen manga
is an editorial category of Japanese comics targeting an audience of adolescent boys. It is, along with manga (targeting adolescent girls and young women), manga (targeting young adult and adult men), and manga (targeting adult women), ...
'' authored by Kyōtarō Azuma. It is based on the events of ''The King of Fighters XIV''. The series was serialized in
Kodansha
is a Japanese privately-held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha is the largest Japanese publishing company, and it produces the manga magazines ''Nakayoshi'', ''Afternoon'', ''Evening'', ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' an ...
's ''Magazine Pocket'' since January 2018,
ending in August 2020.
Seven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas Entertainment is an American publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original English-language manga, but now publishes licensed manga and light novels from Japan, as we ...
licensed the manga for a North American release with the first volume released in March 2020. light novel series ''Iori Yagami's Isekai Mu'sou'' by Nobuhiko Tenkawa which debuted in July 2019. The art was done by Eisuke Ogura. Centered after the events of ''KOF '97'', Iori finds himself into another world.
Film and animation
A short series based on ''KOF'' titled ''
The King of Fighters: Another Day'' was released in 2005.
Production I.G
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise, founded on December 15, 1987, by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo, Japan. The letters I and G derive from the names of the company founders: producer Mitsuhisa Ish ...
produced the title as an
original net animation
An original net animation (ONA), known in Japan as , is an anime that is directly released onto the Internet. ONAs may also have been aired on television if they were first directly released on the Internet. The name mirrors original video animati ...
with a total of four episodes, each about 10 minutes in length. It has since been released as a bonus DVD, packaged with ''KOF: Maximum Impact 2''. An English-language live-action film ''
The King of Fighters
''The King of Fighters'' (''KOF'') is a series of fighting games by SNK that began with the release of ''The King of Fighters '94'' in 1994. The series was developed originally for SNK's Neo Geo MVS arcade hardware. This served as the main plat ...
'' was released
direct-to-DVD
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was p ...
in the United States in 2010.
New anime and live-action drama productions were announced in 2016.
The CG anime series ''
The King of Fighters: Destiny'' was released on
Steam
Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...
and
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
beginning in 2017. The first season retells the story of the first games with Kyo Kusanagi leading the Japan Team to participate in the title tournament, eventually encountering the host, Rugal, who is using the power of the mythical creature Orochi. The series has received over 800 million views.
CDs
SNK has released a series of CD soundtracks titled ''SNK Character Sounds Collection'' or ''SNK Sound Character Collection'' (SNKサウンドキャラクターズコレクション). As of 2008, there are 11 volumes; each one focuses on a single character. The CDs have different versions of the characters' themes, as well as quotes. Most of the albums' covers are illustrated by Masato Natsumoto.
The Band of Fighters, shortened as BOF, is a character image band that includes Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, Terry Bogard,
Nakoruru
is a fictional character in the ''Samurai Shodown'' (''Samurai Spirits'' in Japan) series of fighting games by SNK. She is one of the series' best known and most popular characters alongside its main protagonist Haohmaru, and has been introduced i ...
and
Athena Asamiya
is a fictional character originally from the former SNK's 1987 video game ''Psycho Soldier''. An esper, Athena is a descendant of Princess Athena from the earlier ''Athena'' game. She later appears in ''The King of Fighters'' series of fighting ...
.
Dengeki Bunko
is a publishing imprint affiliated with the Japanese publishing company ASCII Media Works (formerly MediaWorks). It was established in June 1993 with the publication of '' Hyōryū Densetsu Crystania'' volume one, and is a light novel imprint a ...
and
Pony Canyon
, also known by the shorthand form , is a Japanese mass media publishing company founded on October 1, 1966. The company publishes mainly physical home media on compact discs, including music, films and TV shows and video games. It is affiliate ...
have released several
radio drama CDs based on the series. Some of them are direct adaptations of the video games ''KOF '94'' to ''KOF '00''. Another CD is ''Iori Yagami Original Drama the Setting Sun and Moon ~ Prologue'' (八神庵オリジナルドラマ 夕陽と月〜プロローグ〜), which is centered on Iori Yagami. The drama originally aired on the Game Dra Night and Neo Chupi and was then released by Pony Canyon CD on July 7, 1999. The guidebook ''The King of Fighters Perfect Reader'' includes the bonus CD drama ''KOF: Mid Summer Struggle''. There are two stories on it—one is serious the other is a parody focused on ''KOF '03''. The scenarios were developed by Akihiko Ureshino and BoHyou. SNK also gave away a four-CD soundtrack featuring songs from past ''KOF'' games with the pre-order of ''KOF XIII'' on any
GameStop
GameStop Corp. is an American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer. The company is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas (a suburb of Dallas), and is the largest video game retailer worldwide. , the company operates 4,5 ...
in the United States.
Other merchandise
In December 2006,
Sabertooth Games
BL Publishing was a division of Games Workshop, and was split into three sections:
* The Black Library publishes novels, art books, background books and graphic novels set in the Warhammer Fantasy (setting), Warhammer Fantasy world and the Warham ...
released a ''King of Fighters 2006'' set along with ''
Samurai Shodown V
''Samurai Shodown V'' is the eighth game in SNK's Samurai Shodown/Samurai Spirits series of fighting games. It was one of the last games to be released on the Neo Geo. This title takes place before the first ''Samurai Shodown''.
Gameplay
Fo ...
'' for its ''
Universal Fighting System
The ''Universal Fighting System'' (''UFS'') is a collectible card game designed by Jasco Games. Games of ''UFS'' represent a fight between two characters in hand-to-hand combat. Characters are drawn from original properties as well as a number of ...
'' (''UFS'') collectible card game; character starter packs were released for Terry Bogard and
Mai Shiranui
(alternatively written しらぬい まい) is a fictional character in the ''Fatal Fury'' and ''The King of Fighters'' series of fighting games by SNK. She has also appeared in other media of these franchises and in a number of other games since ...
. Other merchandise includes a number of figures and statues, mostly of Mai. Additionally, scale figures based on Kyo's and Iori's original forms and their ''XIV'' looks have been released, including a
Nendoroid
The series is a brand of plastic figures created by the Japanese Good Smile Company in 2006. They typically depict characters from anime, manga or video games and are designed with a large head and smaller body to give them a cute appearance. Th ...
figure based on Kyo.
Reception
The original ''The King of Fighters'' games were well received for their use of team battles and the number of characters.
Some games were often listed as the best fighting games from their release.
The four reviewers of ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' declared the Neo Geo AES version a solid improvement over the previous ''King of Fighters'', particularly applauding the addition of the team edit feature which remained in all of the following games.
Critics noted they often served as rivals to
Capcom
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
's ''
Street Fighter
, commonly abbreviated as ''SF'' or スト (''Suto''), is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting video and arcade games developed and published by Capcom. The first game in the series was released in 1987, followed by six ...
'' series based on some character designs and moves.
While ''KOF '96'' was felt to be unbalanced due its usage of projectile moves, its updated graphics impressed reviewers. SNK's constant use of 2D sprites across multiple games has been criticized by reviewers who found them dated despite attempts to improve the graphics with the release of ''XI''.
As a result, the graphic overhaul in the two following games was met with high praise.
While the fighting system has been well-received, critics have had mixed feelings regarding the Striker system introduced in ''KOF '99''.
In ''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
''s "The History of SNK" article, ''KOF '99: Evolution'' was described as one of the best fighting games on the Dreamcast, along with ''
Garou: Mark of the Wolves''. However, because it was released during the PlayStation 2's launch and Dreamcast's ending, the game did not sell well. The boss character Rugal Bernstein, among others, has been described as one of the most challenging characters to defeat in fighting games; this feeling also led to some criticism.
The developers of ''KOF'' noted that Kyo and Iori were also highly popular in Korea which led to their immediate inclusion in ''The King of Fighters 2001'', the first game not developed by the original company. In the book ''Gaming Cultures and Place in Asia-Pacific'', Kyo was regarded as one of the most popular video game characters in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
from the mid-1990s onward alongside Iori and Mai, among others, to the point of overshadowing the ''Street Fighter'' characters who were also largely well-known. The Mexican company
Evoga
Evoga Entertainment (Evoga is the acronym of "EVOlution GAmes") was a Mexican video game company.
History
Evoga Entertainment began operations in 2000. It was the first Latin American company to focus solely on making video games. The company h ...
had a major influence on the game due to the franchise's popularity in Latin America and often playtested the games.
With ''KOF XIV'', SNK noted the series' popularity was still dominant in South America and China, leading to the creation of teams composed of characters from those areas. The popularity of the franchise in those markets has been attributed mainly to economic factors - machines featuring ''King of Fighters'' series were often cheaper and more easily accessible than those featuring competing titles from other companies.
''The Daily Star'' noted the games' popularity comes not only from the gameplay but also the characters who tend to develop across the series—for example the rivalry between Kyo and Iori. The franchise's story arcs were also found to be appealing as they stand out from other fighting game franchises. Kakuchopurei.com felt the series offered a balanced cast which would help any newcomer while also agreeing with ''The Daily Star'' on how SNK handled the story lines. There has also been censorship of some of the ports of the North American games, most notably Whip's gun and blood. Singer
Del the Funky Homosapien
Teren Delvon Jones (born August 12, 1972), better known by his stage name Del the Funky Homosapien (sometimes stylized as Del tha Funkee Homosapien) or Sir DZL, is an American rapper.
Music career 1988–1997: Early life and beginnings
Born in O ...
has recorded a song titled "The King of Fighters" whose lyrics involve the characters and special moves. Ash Crimson's character received a poor response in Western regions. In an interview with Ignition Entertainment's director of business development Shane Bettehausen, Alex Lucard of ''
Diehard GameFan
''GameFan'' (originally known as ''Diehard GameFan'') was a publication started by Tim Lindquist, Greg Off, George Weising. and Dave Halverson in September 1992 that provided coverage of domestic and import video games. It was notable for its ex ...
'' said that North American SNK fans detested Ash and complained about his inclusion in ''The King of Fighters XII'' without a storyline while popular series' characters were overlooked. ''After Ignition'' polled fans to choose an artbox for console versions of ''The King of Fighters XII''. The company announced Ash's unpopularity reduced the number of potential covers to two featuring Kyo and Iori.
Ben Herman, president of SNK Playmore USA, commented that although he received complaints about the English voices for the game, ''Maximum Impact'' sold over 100,000 units as of May 2006, becoming a commercial success. Despite initial issues with the online mode and other features of the game ''The King of Fighters XIV'' Yasuyuki Oda said the fan response was positive especially after these issues were fixed.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:King of Fighters, The
Crossover video games
2D fighting games
Fighting video games by series
Martial arts video games
Muay Thai video games
SNK franchises
Video game franchises introduced in 1994
Video games about ninja
Video games adapted into comics
Video games adapted into films
Video games featuring female protagonists
Video games set in Hong Kong
Video games set in Japan