Duke

Duke is a character from the fighting game series KOF: Maximum Impact, a spin-off of The King of Fighters series. He is the main boss in the first game, but enters as a playable character in KOF: Maximum Impact 2.

Duke's official nickname is "The Man Hell Coughed Up".

Development
Duke was conceptualized to be the very definition of a gang boss who wore "gorgeous clothing" and "has been through a lot". Falcoon originally designed a younger man in his twenties with a Japanese sword, similar in appearance to The Last Blade's Shinnosuke Kagami or Garou: Mark of the Wolves Kain R. Heinlein. Like other characters of the game, he underwent a number of retakes until the development team firmly requested for a "strong bodied and serious man in his thirties".

During KOF: Maximum Impact, he had had a "D" on the back of his shirt; this was changed to a more tribal design afterwards. He was specifically made to seem as though he's suppressing himself from his true potential. Concerning his involvement with the Meira brothers and their mentor Fate, the brothers only saw a figure of Duke's stature during the time of the incident and initially mistaken Seth for Fate's murder. This concept, however, was rewritten upon the sequel's release.

Personality
Like many bosses, the ambitious Duke hates to be commanded. He sees his traitor status as a blessing, since he doesn't have to be bossed around anymore. Asides from that Duke is a proud man who relies on his strength more than anything else. He is best described in various mediums as a gang leader who had been through a lot.

Abilities

 * Superhuman strength - While the exact limit to Duke's immense strength is not known, he has been seen generating seismic activity from punching and/or kicking the ground.
 * Durability - Due to surgical enhancements from Addes, Duke's body possess an uncanny degree of resistance to injury.
 * Energy Attacks - Duke can amplify the power of his punches and kicks by channeling bio-energy.
 * Fire Burst - Duke can create a medium-sized fire and a small explosion.
 * Firestorm - Duke can create a small firestorm that moves foward and near the ground.
 * Dark Energy Explosion - Duke can create a explosion of dark energy with the palm of his hand as an epicenter.

Fighting style
Duke's fighting methods are insanely brutal, yet effective, as he often uses his brute strength and sheer power to his aid as much as possible. Duke's fighting style consists of western boxing, karate, power wrestling, tae kwon do and various brawling techniques.

Music

 * Duke to Go! - KOF: Maximum Impact
 * A Requiem for 50,000 People - KOF: Maximum Impact
 * Vanishing Duke - KOF: Maximum Impact
 * Rhythmic Hallucination - KOF: Maximum Impact 2 (in Neo Geo Land stage)

Voice actors

 * Kiyoyuki Yanada
 * Jerry Lyden (English voice)

Appearances

 * KOF: Maximum Impact - final boss
 * KOF: Maximum Impact 2
 * KOF: Maximum Impact Regulation "A"
 * Maximum Impact - boss

Gallery
Duke