The King of Fighters (series)



The King of Fighters (ザ・キング・オブ・ファイターズ, Za Kingu obu Faitāzu}, officially abbreviated KoF, is the premiere series of fighting games by SNK Playmore, formerly SNK. The series was originally developed for SNK's Neo-Geo MVS arcade hardware, which served as the main platform for the series until 2004, when SNK retired the MVS in favor of the Atomiswave arcade board (which has been recently discarded in favor of an even more advanced arcade system, the Taito Type X2). Ports of the arcade games and original King of Fighters games have been developed for the Neo Geo CD, Neo Geo Pocket, Nintendo Game Boy and Game Boy Advance, N-Gage, Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation and PlayStation 2, and Xbox. The most recent game in the main series, The King of Fighters XI, was released on October 26, 2005.

Overview


The first game in the series, The King of Fighters '94 was released by SNK in 1994. The game was originally designed to be a dream match of characters from the company's various arcade titles, particularly Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Ikari Warriors and Psycho Soldier. The success of the game lead to SNK to release yearly installments of the series and numbered the games for the year they were released. However, this naming system posed problems similar to those with sports games named by year: once the new yearly edition debuts, consumers often perceive the previous year's edition as outdated and less desirable to own. In order to combat this, SNK frequently rotates which characters take part in the current year's edition, encouraging fans of omitted characters to buy and play older editions. Additionally, SNK could not always release its console version of the arcade game in the same year for which it was titled. By 2004, SNK abandoned yearly releases of the series and numbered future games in a more traditional manner; the first main series game released as such was The King of Fighters XI.

In 2004, SNK produced the first 3D installment of the series, KOF: Maximum Impact. The game and its two sequels use an alternate story for characters and settings from previous games of the series, leaning more towards the South Town-based series like FF and AoF. The producer of the Maximum Impact series, Falcoon, stated that the Maximum Impact games are in a different canon from the original series of games.



The King of Fighters tournament, the namesake of this series, actually originated in Fatal Fury, a classic SNK fighting game that predated the KOF series. Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting also revisited the tournament before SNK released KOF '94.



The King of Fighters games have had a number of villains as their individual end bosses. The first of these was Rugal Bernstein in '94 who had a tendency to submerge his defeated foes in liquid metal, turning them into grisly trophies commemorating his victories. During the Orochi saga, Orochi is introduced as an ominous force from ancient times bent on revenge on those who imprisoned it and was aided by his four heralds. In later games, a mysterious organization called NESTS attempts to kidnap and succeeds in cloning Kyo Kusanagi in hopes of using his power to take over the world. The leader of NESTS, who called himself Igniz, hoped to amass enough power to become a god. Other villains in later games include Mukai and "Those from the past" that he affiliates himself with, including Magaki, as well as the Mephistopheles group (Maximum Impact series).

Comics
A manhua adaptation of KOF titled The King of Fighters: Zillion was created by Andy Seto. Hong Kong artists, Wing Yang and King Tung produced further manhua for the games, starting in King of Fighters '01 through 2003 along with the Maximum Impact series. A manga entitled The King of Fighters: Kyo was also released by Masato Natsumoto.

Film and Animation
During August 2005, a short anime series based upon KOF entitled The King of Fighters: Another Day was announced. It debuted at the year's Tokyo Game Show about a month later. Production I.G produced the title as an original net animation. There are a total of four episodes, each about 10 minutes in length (but considerably less, when accounting for the end credits). It has since been released as a bonus DVD, packaged with The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact 2 (King of Fighters 2006 in the USA).

A live-action movie of the King of Fighters will begin shooting in the first quarter of 2008. The movie will be directed by action director Gordan Chan ("The Medallion," "Fist of Legend"). Production is by Axis Entertainment's Joseph Chou (currently producing upcoming "Appleseed: Ex Machina") and Tim Kwok of L.A.-based Convergence Entertainment ("Wicked City".) and will be jointly financed by Japanese production and rights management group Micott & Basara and Australian-U.S. sales agent Arclight/Easternlight. The screenplay is being written by "Fearless" scriptor Chris Chow.

Production has been pushed back several times and is now backed by Inferno Entertainment as an English language, Taiwanese co-production between Double Edge Entertainment, China’s Enlight Media, Japan’s Micott & Basara, the U.S.’ Convergence Entertainment and Axis Entertainment. Inferno will have the licensing rights for international releases. Filming is scheduled to begin in September and casting for the film is now in progress. According to Variety, the film's genre will be sci-fi.

Card Game
In December 2006, Sabertooth Games released a King of Fighters 2006 collectable card game set along with Samurai Shodown V for it's Universal Fighting System (UFS) game. Other games like Street Fighter and Soul Calibur III are also included into the series. Character started packs were released for Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui.

Pachinko Games
Two pachinko slot games were developed for the series. One follows the Orochi saga (The King of Fighters) and the other follows the NESTS saga (The King of Fighters 2). Both games are exclusive to Japan.

Introduced in The King of Fighters '94

 * Kyo Kusanagi
 * Benimaru Nikaido
 * Goro Daimon
 * Chin Gentsai
 * Heidern
 * Chang Koehan
 * Choi Bounge
 * Heavy D!
 * Lucky Glauber
 * Brian Battler
 * Rugal Bernstein

Brought from previous games:
 * Terry Bogard
 * Andy Bogard
 * Joe Higashi
 * Ryo Sakazaki
 * Robert Garcia
 * Takuma Sakazaki
 * Athena Asamiya
 * Sie Kensou
 * Ralf Jones
 * Clark Still
 * King
 * Mai Shiranui
 * Yuri Sakazaki
 * Kim Kaphwan

Introduced in The King of Fighters '95

 * Iori Yagami
 * Saisyu Kusanagi
 * Omega Rugal

Brought from previous games:
 * Eiji Kisaragi
 * Billy Kane

Introduced in The King of Fighters '96

 * Leona Heidern
 * Mature
 * Vice
 * Chizuru Kagura
 * Goenitz

Brought from previous games:
 * Kasumi Todoh
 * Geese Howard
 * Wolfgang Krauser
 * Mr. Big

Introduced in The King of Fighters '97

 * Yashiro Nanakase
 * Shermie
 * Chris
 * Shingo Yabuki
 * Wild Iori
 * Wild Leona
 * Orochi Chris
 * Orochi Shermie
 * Orochi Yashiro
 * Orochi

Brought from previous games:
 * Blue Mary
 * Ryuji Yamazaki

Introduced in The King of Fighters: Kyo

 * Souji Kusanagi
 * Kyoji Sendo
 * Junko Sendo
 * Syota Sendo

Introduced in The King of Fighters '99

 * K'
 * Maxima
 * Kyo-1
 * Kyo-2
 * Whip
 * Bao
 * Jhun Hoon
 * Krizalid
 * Vanessa
 * Seth
 * Syo Kirishima

Brought from previous games:
 * Li Xiangfei
 * Alfred Airhawk
 * Gai Tendo

Introduced in The King of Fighters EX

 * Moe Habana

Introduced in The King of Fighters 2000

 * Ramon
 * Lin
 * Hinako Shijou
 * Kula Diamond
 * Zero (Clone)
 * Foxy
 * Candy Diamond
 * Diana
 * Baitang
 * Another K'
 * Another Iori
 * Another Benimaru
 * Another Robert
 * Cosplayer Kyoko
 * Kang Bae Dal
 * Smart Chang
 * Cool Choi
 * Unknown

Brought from other games:
 * Athena
 * Rocky
 * Fiolina Germi
 * Duke Edwards
 * Neo & Geo
 * King Lion
 * Kaede
 * Kaoru Watabe
 * Nakoruru
 * G-Mantle
 * Kim Sue Il
 * Kim Dong Hwan
 * Kim Jae Hoon

Introduced in The King of Fighters EX2

 * Miu Kurosaki
 * Jun Kagami
 * Reiji Oogami
 * Sinobu Amou

Introduced in The King of Fighters 2001

 * K9999
 * Angel
 * May Lee
 * Zero
 * Ron
 * Glaugan
 * Igniz

Introduced in The King of Fighters 2002

 * Kusanagi

Introduced in The King of Fighters Maximum Impact

 * Alba Meira
 * Soiree Meira
 * Lien Neville
 * Chae Lim
 * Mignon Beart
 * Duke

Brought from other games:
 * Rock Howard

Introduced in The King of Fighters 2003

 * Ash Crimson
 * Duo Lon
 * Shen Woo
 * Malin
 * Adelheid Bernstein
 * Maki Kagura
 * Mukai

Brought from other games:
 * Tizoc
 * Gato

Introduced in KOF Maximum Impact 2

 * Luise Meyrink
 * Ninon Beart
 * Nagase
 * Hyena
 * Jivatma
 * Armor Ralf
 * Kyo Kusanagi Classic

Brought from other games:
 * Lilly Kane
 * Richard Meyer
 * Hanzo Hattori
 * Mr. Karate II
 * Wild Wolf
 * Bonne Jenet

Introduced in The King of Fighters XI

 * Oswald
 * Elisabeth Blanctorche
 * Momoko
 * Shion
 * Magaki

Brought from other games:
 * Duck King
 * Sho Hayate
 * Gai Tendo
 * Jyazu
 * Silber
 * Hotaru Futaba, Playstation 2 only
 * Tung Fu Rue, Playstation 2 only

Introduced in KOF Maximum Impact Regulation A

 * Xiao Lon

Brought from other games:
 * Makoto Mizoguchi

NPC Characters

 * Yuki (KoF)
 * Rose Bernstein
 * Botan
 * Jan
 * Guidel
 * Gustav Munchausen
 * Misty
 * Nests
 * Cool Guy
 * Luan, Chat and Sai
 * Lillien Knights
 * Aya and Hermione
 * Asuka and Maria
 * Fate
 * Judeim
 * Dr. Makishima
 * Shizuka Kusanagi
 * Aoi Kusanagi
 * Jokyojo
 * Kogoro Daimon
 * Ling
 * Sandra and Clara Heidern
 * Keisuke Sendo