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The King of Fighters (or KOF for short) is a Japanese fighting
video game series that started by SNK in
1994 by combining elements of two of its existing fighting game series in Fatal Fury and Art of
Fighting, as well as bringing back characters from games predating the Neo-Geo in
Ikari Warriors and Psycho Soldier. A new game in the
series is produced every year.
Since the company's collapse in 2000, the game has been under license by another
Japanese company, Playmore.
King of Fighters introduced the 3-on-3 "team battle system" to the fighting game genre, along with various other sub-systems
as Attack Deflector (Dodging) and Emergency Escape (Rolling) which would later be adopted by many other fighting games.
Games
The large majority of the series existed as Neo-Geo games that were later ported
to the various consoles of the time. Other games with the King of Fighters name were also made for the Gameboy, the Game Boy Advance, and the Neo-Geo Pocket.
The main KOF series is divided into a three-part story arc and a fourth part
known as a "dream match" that has no effect on the storyline, combining popular characters from past storylines as well as the
best of the current storyline into one fighting game.
The story of the King of Fighters Tournament for which the series is named after predates the series itself. It was first
introduced in Fatal Fury and continued in Fatal Fury 2.
The Orochi Saga
- Continuing from the Fatal Fury series, the King of Fighters tournament
resumes its yearly match-ups. Sponsored by Rugal Bernstein, the tournament now adopts team battles of three members each.
- Teams of three from all over the world battle to fight Rugal Bernstein who tries to utilize the power of Orochi.
- After the fall of Rugal, the King of Fighters teams return to battle the mysterious Goenitz.
- The tournament continues as nine teams and two single entry fighters battle to defeat the evil Orochi and his minions.
- The King of Fighters '98 - The Slugfest / The King of Fighters '98 - Dream Match Never Ends
- Separate from the KoF story line, this Special Edition King of Fighters contains fighters and versions from all previous King
of Fighters games.
The NESTS Saga
- The King of Fighters '99 - Millennium Battle
- After the fall of Orochi and the disappearance of Kyo Kusanagi, the KoF tournament returns, only to be a front for a world
domination scheme by the final boss Krizalid. This sequel features a newly introduced fighting system, aptly called the 'striker
system'
- The King of Fighters 2000
- The tournament is back, this time used as a means to power the infamous Zero Cannon.
- The King of Fighters 2001
- New fighters make their entrance while old battlers come back with a vengeance. This was the first KOF game to be developed
by an external company "Eolith"
- The King of Fighters 2002 - Challenge to the Ultimate Battle
- This update to the game features a return to the classic 3 on 3 battle system, and features teams from past versions. The
end-of-game boss is also a familiar face, Rugal Bernstein, albeit with a few powerful modifications.
The continuing saga
- The King of Fighters 2003
- Features a new storyline and the return of some old characters.
Other (Non-Canonical) Games
- An adaptation of The King of Fighters '95 for the Game Boy, along with
a hidden boss character, Nakoruru from the Samurai Shodown
series.
- Nettou The King of Fighters 96
- An adaptation of The King of Fighters '96 for the Game Boy, which
featured the Orochi awakened versions of Leona and Iori Yagami, as well as a hidden boss: Mr. Karate from Art Of Fighting.
- An adaptation of The King of Fighters '97 for the Neo-Geo
Pocket.
- An adaptation of The King of Fighters '98 for the Neo-Geo
Pocket.
- The King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise
- A KOF-themed board game released for the Neo-Geo Pocket.
- The King of Fighters EX: Neo Blood
- An adaptation of The King Of Fighters '99 for the Game Boy
Advance system, with a new character named Moe Habana, and Geese Howard as the final boss.
- The King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood
- An adaptation of The King Of Fighters '2000 for the Game
Boy Advance system, which included four new playable characters and an all new boss.
- An RPG of sorts on the Playstation, released only in Japan. Follows Kyo shortly before the events of the `97 edition, as he
gathers members for his team.
Related Games
These games are not part of the King of Fighters series, but do feature KOF characters:
- Capcom Vs. SNK - Millennium Fight 2000
- Capcom Vs. SNK 2 - Mark of the Millennium 2001
- SNK Gals' Fighters
- A spinoff game for the Neo-Geo Pocket involving female characters
from various SNK games trying to win a tournament, named "The Queen of Fighters" from a mysterious Miss X (who is really Iori
Yagami dressed as a woman).
- SNK Vs. Capcom - Match of the Millennium
- SVC Chaos - SNK Vs. Capcom
Characters
The King of Fighters contains many characters, some of which are from other SNK fighting
games, and some of which have appeared in other games. Here's a list of characters that have appeared in a fighting capacity from
its original incarnation in 1994, including both King of Fighters EX games:
- Andy Bogard
(アンディ・ボガード)
- Billy Kane
(ビリー・カーン)
- Blue Mary Ryan (ブルー・マリー)
- Gato (牙刀)
- Geese Howard
(ギース・ハワード)
- Joe Higashi
(ジョー・ヒガシ)
- Kim Kaphwan (キム・カッファン)
- Li Xiangfei (李 香緋)
- Mai Shiranui (不知火 舞)
- Ryuji Yamazaki (山崎 竜二)
- Terry Bogard
(テリー・ボガード)
- Tizoc (グリフォンマスク)
- Wolfgang Krauser
(ヴォルフガング・クラウザー)
- Eiji Kisaragi (如月 影二)
- Kasumi Todoh (藤堂 香澄)
- King (キング)
- Mr. Big (ミスター・ビッグ)
- Robert Garcia (ロバート・ガルシア)
- Ryo Sakazaki (リョウ・サカザキ)
- Takuma Sakazaki (タクマ・サカザキ)
- Yuri Sakazaki (ユリ・サカザキ)
- Clark Steel (クラーク・スティル)
- Heidern (ハイデルン)
- Ralf Jones (ラルフ・ジョーンズ)
Characters from Psycho
Soldier
- Athena Asamiya (麻宮 アテナ)
- Sie Kensou (椎 拳崇)
Characters With Appearances Outside This Series
These are the characters that have appeared in other games, including, but not limited to, the SNK VS. Series.
- Benimaru Nikaido (二階堂 紅丸)
- Chang Koehan (チャン・コーハン)
- Choi Bounge (チョイ・ボンゲ)
- Goenitz (ゲーニッツ)
- Iori Yagami (八神 庵)
- Kyo Kusanagi (草薙 京)
- Leona Heidern (レオナ)
- Rugal Bernstein
(ルガール・バーンシュタイン)
- Vice (バイス)
- Whip (ウィップ)
Other Characters
- Adelheid (アーデルハイド)
- Angel (アンヘル)
- Ash Crimson (アッシュ・クリムゾン)
- Bao (包)
- Brian Battler (ブライアン・バトラー)
- Chin Gentsai (鎮 元斎)
- Chizuru Kagura (神楽 ちずる)
- Chris (クリス)
- Duo Lon (デュオロン)
- Goro Daimon (大門 五郎)
- Foxy (フォクシー)
- Heavy D! (ヘヴィ・Ｄ！)
- Hinako Shijou (四条 雛子)
- Igniz (イグニス)
- Jhun Hoon (ジョン・フーン)
- Jun Kagami (華守 純)
- K' (ケイ・ダッシュ)
- K9999 (ケイ・フォーナイン)
- Krizalid (クリザリッド)
- Kula Diamond (クーラ・ダイアモンド)
- Lin (麟)
- Lucky Glauber (ラッキー・グローバー)
- Maki Kagura (神楽 まき)
- Malin (まりん)
- Mature (マチュア)
- Maxima (マキシマ)
- May Lee Jinju (メイ・リー)
- Moe Habana (葉花 萌)
- Miu Kurosaki (黒咲 壬羽)
- Mukai (ムカイ)
- Orochi (オロチ)
- Ramon (ラモン)
- Reiji Oogami (大神 零児)
- Saisyu Kusanagi (草薙 柴舟)
- Seth (セス)
- Shen Woo (シェン・ウー)
- Shermie (シェルミー)
- Shingo Yabuki (矢吹 真吾)
- Shinobu Amou (天羽 忍)
- Vanessa (ヴァネッサ)
- Yashiro Nanakase (七枷 社)
- Zero (ゼロ)
External links
- GameFAQs entry for King of Fighters '94
- GameFAQs entry for King of Fighters '95
- GameFAQs entry for King of Fighters '96
- GameFAQs entry for King of Fighters '97
- GameFAQs entry for King of Fighters '98
- GameFAQs entry for King of Fighters '99
- GameFAQs entry for King of Fighters 2000
- GameFAQs entry for King of Fighters 2001
- GameFAQs entry for King of Fighters 2002
- GameFAQs entry for King of Fighters 2003
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