The King of Fighters (KOF) is a series of fighting games created by the company SNK. The series includes characters from different video game series made by SNK, as well as characters made specifically for KOF. The first game in the series, The King of Fighters '94, was released in 1994. It was originally made for SNK's Neo Geo MVS arcade machines and had new games every year until The King of Fighters 2003. After that, SNK stopped making new KOF games yearly and began using Roman numerals for the titles. They also stopped using Neo Geo hardware. The next major game after this change was The King of Fighters XI (2005), which used the Atomiswave arcade board. The most recent arcade hardware for the series is the Taito Type X, first used with The King of Fighters XII (2009) and later with The King of Fighters XV (2022).
The story of the games centers on a tournament where fighters from different SNK games compete. SNK also created original characters to be main characters in the series. These include Kyo Kusanagi, a new fighter who is the heir to a clan meant to save the world from a demon named Yamata no Orochi, and fighters from other SNK games like Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting. Later stories focused on other characters, such as K', who can control fire after experiments by the NESTS organization, Ash Crimson, who wants to find the Three Sacred Treasures, and Shun'ei, a young fighter whose powers connect to other dimensions.
Many spin-off games, such as the R duology for the Neo Geo Pocket and Maximum Impact for the PlayStation 2, have been released. Versions of the arcade games have also been made for video game consoles. There have been games where SNK characters played with characters from other companies, like Capcom. Some SNK characters have also appeared as guest fighters in other games, such as Mai Shiranui in Dead or Alive and Street Fighter 6, Geese Howard in Tekken 7, Kula Diamond in Dead or Alive 6, and Terry Bogard in Fighting EX Layer, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Street Fighter 6.
The games have generally received positive reviews. Players often praise the teamwork mechanics and balanced gameplay.
Games
SNK released the first game in the series, The King of Fighters '94, on August 25, 1994. The game included characters from SNK's earlier fighting games, Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting, as well as new characters from other SNK series, such as Ikari Warriors and Psycho Soldier. The game's popularity led SNK to release new versions of the series every year, naming each game after the year it was released.
The King of Fighters '95 introduced new characters and started the first story in the series, called "The Orochi Saga." It also allowed players to create their own teams of three characters from the game.
The King of Fighters '96 continued "The Orochi Saga." Depending on which characters were chosen for a team, players could see different endings.
"The Orochi Saga" ended with The King of Fighters '97.
Unlike earlier games, The King of Fighters '98 did not have a story. Instead, it was called a "Dream Match" game, letting players choose characters from previous games, even those who were supposed to be dead. SNK later updated the Dreamcast version, renaming it The King of Fighters: Dream Match 1999 and adding new animation and 3D backgrounds.
The King of Fighters '99 started a new story called "The NESTS Chronicles." A new feature allowed one team member, called a "Striker," to help the team during fights. The Dreamcast version was titled The King of Fighters: Evolution and included improved graphics and new Strikers.
The King of Fighters 2000 was the second part of "The NESTS Saga" and the last game made by SNK before the company went out of business. It added new characters and Strikers, many from earlier games and other SNK series like Metal Slug and The Last Blade.
The King of Fighters 2001 ended "The NESTS Saga." After SNK went bankrupt, a company called Eolith helped develop the game.
The King of Fighters 2002 brought back characters from earlier games and had no story, like The King of Fighters '98. Eolith also developed this game.
A new story called "Tales of Ash" began in The King of Fighters 2003, the last game for the Neo Geo system. Players could switch characters during fights, but teams had only three members. SNK returned to develop the series after this. In 2004, SNK stopped making yearly releases and used a different naming system for future games.
The first main series game after this change was The King of Fighters XI, released in 2005.
In 2009, The King of Fighters XII was released. It used detailed 2D graphics and had no story, similar to The King of Fighters '98 and 2002.
The "Tales of Ash" story ended with The King of Fighters XIII, released in 2010. This game included all characters from The King of Fighters XII and added new ones.
The King of Fighters XIV, released in 2016 for the PlayStation 4, used 3D graphics and started a new story.
In December 2018, SNK announced work on The King of Fighters XV, which was released in 2022.
The King of Fighters '94 was remade in 2004 for the PlayStation 2 as The King of Fighters '94 Re-Bout. This version had better graphics, online play, and new characters.
An updated version of The King of Fighters '98, called The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match, was released in 2008 for arcades and later for consoles.
A remake of The King of Fighters 2002, titled The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2009. SNK also made a game called The King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise, which connected to the Japanese Dreamcast version of The King of Fighters '99.
A visual novel game titled The King of Fighters: Kyo was developed by Yumekobo. It followed Kyo's life as he prepared for the King of Fighters '97 tournament.
For the Neo Geo Pocket, a version of The King of Fighters '97 called King of Fighters R-1 was released in 1998. A sequel, King of Fighters R-2, based on The King of Fighters '98, came out in 1999 for the Neo Geo Pocket Color.
In 2004, SNK made the first 3D game in the series, The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact. This game and its sequels changed the backstories of characters and settings from earlier games. A planned update called Regulation A2 was canceled. The games were not part of the original series' story. Another game, The King of Fighters Neowave, released in 2005 and 2006, was a remix of The King of Fighters 2002 with no story.
Two games for the Game Boy Advance, The King of Fighters EX: Neo-Blood and The King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood, were based on The King of Fighters '99 and 2000, respectively. These games had exclusive characters and stages but were criticized for poor quality.
A role-playing game called The King of Fighters: Kyo was made for the PlayStation, based on a manga. A version of the second Game Boy Advance game, The King of Fighters Extreme, was released for the N-Gage in 2005, adding Bluetooth multiplayer.
By the late 2000s, three pachislot games were made for the series. These included games based on "The Orochi Saga," a story about K' fighting the NESTS cartel, and one focused on the 3D games. These games were only released in Japan. At least six mobile phone games were also made, including fighting games and mini-games like volleyball and quizzes.
Characters from the series appear in other games. NeoGeo Battle Coliseum is a 2-on-2 fighting game for arcades, and SNK Gals' Fighters is a fighting game for the Neo Geo Pocket Color. Both games include characters from other SNK series. A rhythm game called The Rhythm of Fighters was released for mobile phones in 2015. Capcom also made crossover games with SNK, including SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium (1999) and SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos (2003). Capcom's games included Capcom vs. SNK (2000) and an updated version.
Gameplay elements
The basic gameplay of The King of Fighters (KOF) is similar to earlier SNK games like Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, and Samurai Shodown. The game uses a setup with four attack buttons: light punch, light kick, strong punch, and strong kick. This setup is the same as in Fatal Fury 2 and Fatal Fury Special. Special moves are performed by pressing buttons in specific combinations, allowing players to dodge attacks or use powerful moves that knock opponents down. Like other fighting games, each character has basic moves, unique moves, and special moves that require pressing buttons and moving the joystick in certain ways. Each new version of KOF introduces new ways to create stronger attacks. For example, in The King of Fighters '97, the Power Gauge is filled by hitting the opponent or using special moves instead of charging it manually. Players can save up to three Power Gauges. One Power Gauge can be used to perform a Super Special Move or enter "MAX" mode, which makes the player stronger in both defense and attack. Using a Super Special Move while in MAX mode creates an even stronger attack.
The KOF series changed fighting games by replacing the traditional round-based format with a 3-on-3 team battle system. Instead of choosing one character, players pick from eight teams, each with three members. Before a match, players decide the order their team members will fight. When a match starts, the first member of each team fights. If a character is defeated, the next member on the same team takes their place, while the opponent’s character regains some health if they lost energy in the previous round. If a player is losing, they can call a teammate from the sidelines to join and perform a support attack. The match ends when all three members of one team are defeated.
In The King of Fighters '99, 2000, and 2001, each team received an extra character who could help create more attacks or combinations. The King of Fighters 2002 returned to the classic 3-on-3 team format, but 2003 and XI changed the rules so teams could switch fighters during a match, with one member acting as a "Leader" who can use stronger techniques. Later games went back to the classic 3-on-3 format but still introduced new fighting rules and ways to play.
Plot and characters
The King of Fighters tournament, named after the series, began from SNK's earlier fighting games, Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting (starting with the events of Art of Fighting 2). The first game in the series, KOF '94, follows a story about Rugal Bernstein, a person who sells weapons illegally. He organizes a fighting tournament to attract strong fighters, trap them, and turn them into stone statues to add to his collection of defeated martial artists. The game includes characters from earlier games, Terry Bogard and Ryo Sakazaki, and introduces a new hero: Kyo Kusanagi, a young Japanese martial artist who is the main character in the early KOF games. SNK created Kyo to have a personality that is different from earlier characters and to stand out in the crossover.
In KOF '95, Rugal, who survived the previous tournament, hosts another one to seek revenge. This game introduces Kyo's rival, Iori Yagami. It is the first game to mention the Orochi clan, a group that becomes central to the story in the next two games. The tournaments in KOF '96 and KOF '97 are hosted by a woman named Chizuru Kagura, who tries to gather allies, including Kyo and Iori, to fight against the Orochi clan. The Orochi storyline ends in KOF '97. The next game, KOF '98, is a "Special Edition" with no story development.
KOF '99 introduces a new story about a secret company called NESTS, which aims to create an army of fighters changed through genetic experiments. The game introduces a new character named K', who escaped from NESTS and was genetically altered using Kyo's DNA. The following games, KOF 2000 and KOF 2001, continue the NESTS story, revealing more about the organization. Like KOF '98, KOF 2002 is a "Special Edition" with no specific plot. K' was created as a different hero compared to Kyo. While Kyo is confident, K' is a dark hero who fights against NESTS reluctantly.
KOF 2003 starts a new story featuring a new character named Ash Crimson, a young man who wants to gain the powers of the Three Divine Vessels for his own unknown reasons. Like K', Ash is portrayed as a villain during his story. The tournaments in KOF 2003 and KOF XI are hosted by "Those From the Past," a group of warriors who try to break the Orochi seal to gain its power for their hidden master. KOF XII has no story, but KOF XIII follows another tournament hosted by "Those From the Past," where Ash faces their leader, who is also his ancestor.
KOF XIV introduces a new story involving a character named Shun'ei. Described as kind-hearted, SNK explains that Shun'ei is not a new main character but plays an important role in the series.
Development
The King of Fighters was first planned as a side-scrolling beat 'em up game. However, SNK changed it into a fighting game. The title came from the subtitle of the first Fatal Fury game: Fatal Fury: King of Fighters. The game was created by Masanori Kuwasashi, a game designer. He enjoyed games like Tensai Bakabon, Ashita no Joe, Tiger Mask, and Devilman, as well as arcade and Super Famicom games. Before working in the video game industry, Kuwasashi designed packaging for electronic products. SNK hired many new employees in the 1980s and early 1990s. Kuwasashi, Tanabe, and Shimizu, under Nishiyama’s leadership, became the core of a game development team. The first version of the game was a River City Ransom-style TEAM-BATTLE side-scrolling beat 'em up. However, this idea was later abandoned. The team decided to make a fighting game instead. This game used a team battle concept but had few characters. Characters from Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Ikari Warriors, and Psycho Soldier were added to the roster. The idea of a three-person team was kept from the side-scrolling version. The title The King of Fighters was reused from the subtitle of the first Fatal Fury game, Fatal Fury: King of Fighters. Toyohisa Tanabe, the series’ director, said that fighters from Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury were added for adult players. Newer KOF characters were meant to appeal to younger audiences. Characters like Benimaru Nikaido and Chang Koehan were added to make the cast more varied. This idea was inspired by Ryo Sakazaki from Art of Fighting appearing in Fatal Fury Special, which helped start the crossover concept. When creating The King of Fighters '94, Masanori Kuwasashi felt pressure to make a young lead who would challenge SNK’s veteran fighters. After talking with producer Takashi Nishiyama, Kuwasashi decided this would help sales. This led to the creation of the protagonist Kyo Kusanagi, inspired by the Yamata no Orochi legend, which became the story’s basis.
The first two games used the Neo Geo MVS arcade system. The King of Fighters '96 included 68 KB of video RAM and 64 KB of RAM, making it the first game to exceed the technical limits of the MVS system. SNK staff noted that creating new characters with the same appeal as existing ones was difficult. This also happened during location tests for new games. During the mid-1990s, The King of Fighters was SNK’s most popular intellectual property. Other SNK games, like Art of Fighting 3 and Fatal Fury 3, were not well received. Though Fatal Fury saw a revival with Real Bout Fatal Fury and Garou: Mark of the Wolves, these games were released when SNK went bankrupt. The company then focused mainly on KOF. Shinkiro created the first artwork for the game’s cast. Newcomer artist Hiroaki Hashimoto felt he needed to draw appealing characters for his debut, despite being inexperienced.
For the first time, former producer Takashi Nishiyama was not on the team for The King of Fighters 2000, which caused some concern. Despite early worries, SNK was happy with the result and called it an appealing arcade game. Mexican company Evoga influenced the games due to the franchise’s popularity in Latin America. In 2000, SNK went bankrupt. Eolith negotiated a license agreement the same year to continue producing KOF games because of their popularity in Korea and worldwide. BrezzaSoft helped Eolith with the game’s production. Eolith wanted to keep most of the original KOF elements but added new features. One major change was the optional use of Strikers, where players could use one to three characters to help the main character. The team aimed to improve the gameplay system from earlier KOF games. During a popularity poll, Eolith still included the least popular teams. Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami were added immediately because they were very popular. References to Evoga’s work appear in the game’s scenarios. While working on the game, the team played The King of Fighters '98 to see if they could include a character. A member from Evoga won, leading to the addition of Angel. Starting in 2003, SNK, now called SNK Playmore, developed the games again. SNK Playmore stopped using the AES system in 2003 and partnered with Sammy to use the Atomiswave arcade board, which provided better audio and graphics for new releases.
The gameplay from the NESTS story arc received negative feedback, so The King of Fighters 2002 returned to the original team handling. The King of Fighters 2003 introduced a new system allowing players to swap team members, making gameplay easier. The last yearly release was The King of Fighters 2003. In December 2004, Falcoon, the series’ main illustrator, said the next game would be different from The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact or a potential The King of Fighters 2004. Development began after SNK finished making Neo Geo Battle Coliseum.
KOF 2003 was followed by XI, XII, and XIII, which had major changes to appeal to audiences. Though KOF XIII was well received, SNK put the franchise on hold for several years. The decision to create The King of Fighters XIV was made when SNK Playmore’s CEO, Eikichi Kawasaki, decided the company should return to making fighting games instead of Pachinko-Slot Machines and Mobile Apps. Production began in April 2014 after more staff from Esaka joined the team. Yasuyuki Oda was the game’s director. This was his first contribution to the franchise, leading a younger team. During his time at SNK, games like Virtua Fighter inspired Oda to create a 3D game after leaving. When Oda returned to SNK, there was no debate about switching the series to 3D, though adapting some characters was challenging. Many SNK staff consider KOF '98 and KOF 2002 the best games in the franchise. They used these as inspiration to create new entries that would surpass their quality. During a contest, SNK used a DLC character named Najd, based on Saudi Arabian artist Mashael. SNK Chairman Zhihui Ge wanted to attract more Middle Eastern fans. He also hired new creators after XIV’s release. In retrospect, Oda said KOF XIV revived the SNK game studio, leading to more Samurai Shodowns, Fatal Fury, and Art of Fighting games in the future. Oda hopes the company continues this.
SNK decided to make XV while still working on XIV but only started development after completing Samurai Shodown. Feeling the previous title had outdated graphics for a 2016 game, SNK Chairman Zhihui Ge said XV would use Unreal Engine 4 for better visuals. Oda compared Shun'ei to Rock Howard and said Shun'ei’s story could be as fun to write as Rock Howard’s.
Related media
In 1995, Tatsuya Shingyoji created a manga version of The King of Fighters '94. This manga was published in Monthly Shōnen Ace, a magazine by Kadokawa Shoten, and released in four book volumes between February 10, 1995, and December 1996. A separate manga, The King of Fighters: Kyo, focused on the rivalry between characters Kyo and Iori from The King of Fighters '96. It was written by Masato Natsumoto and published by Kodansha in two book volumes in 1997. Ryo Takamisaki also made another adaptation of KOF '96, published by Shinseisha in three book volumes from June 1996 to February 1998. Akihiko Ureshino wrote several novels based on the games, with different artists contributing to each book.
A manhua version of The King of Fighters, titled The King of Fighters: Zillion, was created by Andy Seto. Hong Kong artists Wing Yang and King Tung produced additional manhua stories, starting with The King of Fighters 2001 through 2003 and the Maximum Impact series. They also created a sequel, The King of Fighters 03: Xenon Zero, to finish the 2003 tournament. ComicsOne licensed the series, releasing its first volume alongside a new video game. The series was published in five issues of 128 pages from May 25, 2005, to June 26, 2008. Another manhua series, King of Fighters RX Project '00, had three volumes and was officially supported by SNK-Playmore Hong Kong. The NESTS story, illustrated by Ricky, focused on the 2000 tournament.
The King of Fighters: A New Beginning is a shōnen manga by Kyōtarō Azuma, based on The King of Fighters XIV. It was published in Kodansha's Magazine Pocket from January 2018 to August 2020. Seven Seas Entertainment released the manga in North America, with the first volume in March 2020. A light novel, Iori Yagami's Isekai Mu'sou, by Nobuhiko Tenkawa, was released in July 2019. It follows Iori Yagami after events from KOF '97, where he travels to another world.
A short series called The King of Fighters: Another Day was released in 2005. Production I.G created it as an original net animation with four 10-minute episodes. It was later included as a bonus DVD with KOF: Maximum Impact 2. An English-language live-action film, The King of Fighters, was released directly to DVD in the United States in 2010. New anime and live-action projects were announced in 2016.
The CG anime series The King of Fighters: Destiny began on Steam and YouTube in 2017. The first season retells the story of the first games, focusing on Kyo Kusanagi and his team competing in the tournament against Rugal, who uses the power of the mythical creature Orochi. The series has been viewed over 800 million times.
SNK released a series of CD soundtracks titled SNK Character Sounds Collection or SNK Sound Character Collection. As of 2008, there were 11 volumes, each focusing on a single character. The CDs include different versions of character themes and quotes, with most covers illustrated by Masato Natsumoto. The Band of Fighters (BOF) is a character image band featuring Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, Terry Bogard, Nakoruru, and Athena Asamiya.
Dengeki Bunko and Pony Canyon released radio drama CDs based on the series, some adapted from video games like KOF '94 to KOF '00. One CD, Iori Yagami Original Drama: The Setting Sun and Moon ~ Prologue, focuses on Iori Yagami and was first aired on Game Dra Night and Neo Chupi. It was released by Pony Canyon on July 7, 1999. The guidebook The King of Fighters Perfect Reader includes a bonus CD drama, KOF: Mid Summer Struggle, with two stories—one serious and one comedic—based on KOF '03. The scenarios were created by Akihiko Ureshino and BoHyou. SNK also gave away a four-CD soundtrack with songs from past KOF games when KOF XIII was pre-ordered at GameStop in the United States.
In December 2006, Sabertooth Games released a King of Fighters 2006 set with Samurai Shodown V for its Universal Fighting System (UFS) collectible card game. Starter packs for Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui were also released. Other merchandise includes figures and statues, mostly of Mai. Scale figures of Kyo and Iori in their original forms and KOF XIV designs, including a Nendoroid of Kyo, have been produced.
Reception
The fighting system in The King of Fighters (KOF) '99 was praised by many, but critics had different opinions about the Striker system introduced in that game. In an article titled "The History of SNK" by GameSpot, KOF '99: Evolution was called one of the best fighting games on the Dreamcast, along with Garou: Mark of the Wolves. However, the game did not sell well because it was released during the PlayStation 2's launch and the Dreamcast's decline. The boss character Rugal Bernstein was described as one of the hardest characters to beat in fighting games, which led to some criticism.
The formation of the Three Sacred Treasures Team in The King of Fighters '96 was very popular with fans. This team was appealing because it connected to the Orochi story and used elements of Japanese mythology. Developers noted that characters like Kyo and Iori were especially popular in Korea, so they were included in The King of Fighters 2001, the first game not made by the original company. SNK reported that there were about 4 million KOF fans in South Korea. In the book Gaming Cultures and Place in Asia-Pacific, Kyo was considered one of the most popular video game characters in Hong Kong from the mid-1990s, along with Iori and Mai. Kyo remained a favorite in Western regions even after his story ended in The King of Fighters '97, which led to his use in KOF XII by Ignition Entertainment. Anime UK News also preferred Kyo and Iori over the next main character, Shun'ei. GameType noted that most characters kept their classic outfits, except for Terry Bogard, Kyo Kusanagi, and Robert Garcia. Some fans hoped the return to the Orochi story, based on how Chizuru Kagura was handled in 2003, would be more popular than the NESTS arc from earlier games. Eurogamer XI called KOF XIV an "excellent 2D game," comparing it to Capcom's Street Fighter III.
The Mexican company Evoga had a big influence on the game because of the franchise's popularity in Latin America. They often tested the games before release. With KOF XIV, SNK noted that the series remained popular in South America and China, leading to the creation of teams with characters from those regions. The franchise's popularity in these areas is partly due to economic factors, as machines with KOF games were often cheaper and easier to find than those with competing titles.
The Daily Star noted that the games' popularity comes from both the gameplay and the characters, who develop over the series. For example, the rivalry between Kyo and Iori was a key point. The story arcs were also seen as unique compared to other fighting games. Kakuchopurei.com said the series had a balanced cast, which helps newcomers, and agreed with The Daily Star about how SNK handled the storylines. Some North American versions of the games had censored content, such as Whip's gun and blood. Singer Del the Funky Homosapien wrote a song titled "The King of Fighters" that includes references to characters and moves. Ash Crimson's character was not well-received in Western regions. In an interview, Alex Lucard of Diehard GameFan said North American fans disliked Ash's inclusion in KOF XII because he had no storyline, while popular characters were ignored. After a fan poll, only two artbox options for KOF XII remained: ones featuring Kyo and Iori.
Ben Herman, president of SNK Playmore USA, said that while some fans criticized the English voices in Maximum Impact, the game sold over 100,000 units by May 2006, making it a commercial success. Despite early problems with the online mode and other features in KOF XIV, Yasuyuki Oda noted that fan feedback became positive after these issues were fixed.