The King of Fighters '98: Dream Match Never Ends

The King of Fighters '98: Dream Match Never Ends (The Slugfest in the rest of the world) is the fifth game in The King of Fighters series. The game was released for the Neo-Geo and later ported to the Sony PlayStation and Sega Dreamcast. The Dreamcast port of the game was titled The King of Fighters: Dream Match 1999. A remake titled The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match was released in Japanese arcades on March 18, 2008 and later on the PlayStation 2. The original game was then released on the iOS on July 25, 2014.

In terms of plot, the game does not have a story and was developed as a "dream match" for characters from all previous King of Fighters games, including killed-off characters. The series' canon storyline would resume in The King of Fighters '99.

Hero Team

 * Kyo Kusanagi
 * Benimaru Nikaido
 * Goro Daimon

Fatal Fury Team

 * Terry Bogard
 * Andy Bogard
 * Joe Higashi

Art of Fighting Team

 * Ryo Sakazaki
 * Robert Garcia
 * Yuri Sakazaki

Ikari Warriors Team

 * Leona Heidern
 * Ralf Jones
 * Clark Still

Psycho Soldier Team

 * Athena Asamiya
 * Sie Kensou
 * Chin Gentsai

Women Fighters Team

 * Chizuru Kagura
 * Mai Shiranui
 * King

Korea Justice Team

 * Kim Kaphwan
 * Chang Koehan
 * Choi Bounge

New Faces Team

 * Yashiro Nanakase
 * Shermie
 * Chris

'97 Special Team

 * Ryuji Yamazaki
 * Blue Mary
 * Billy Kane

Yagami Team

 * Iori Yagami
 * Mature
 * Vice

Masters Team

 * Heidern
 * Takuma Sakazaki
 * Saisyu Kusanagi

American Sports Team

 * Heavy D!
 * Lucky Glauber
 * Brian Battler

Single Entry

 * Rugal Bernstein
 * Shingo Yabuki

Boss

 * Omega Rugal

Orochi Team

 * Orochi Yashiro
 * Orochi Shermie
 * Orochi Chris

Alternate Versions

 * The King of Fighters '95 Kyo Kusanagi
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 Terry Bogard
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 Andy Bogard
 * The King of Fighters '94 Joe Higashi
 * The King of Fighters '94 Ryo Sakazaki
 * The King of Fighters '94 Robert Garcia
 * The King of Fighters '94 Yuri Sakazaki
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 Mai Shiranui
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 Billy Kane

Sacred Treasures Team

 * Kyo Kusanagi
 * Iori Yagami
 * Chizuru Kagura

Shingo Team

 * Shingo Yabuki
 * Kyo Kusanagi
 * Iori Yagami

Rugal Team

 * Rugal Bernstein
 * Mature
 * Vice

SNK Heroes Team

 * Kyo Kusanagi
 * Terry Bogard
 * Ryo Sakazaki

No. 2 Team

 * Benimaru Nikaido
 * Andy Bogard
 * Robert Garcia

No. 3 Team

 * Goro Daimon
 * Joe Higashi
 * Yuri Sakazaki

Baseball Team

 * Ralf Jones
 * Blue Mary
 * Lucky Glauber

Father Team

 * Saisyu Kusanagi
 * Takuma Sakazaki
 * Kim Kaphwan

Rapid-Punch Team

 * Billy Kane
 * Chang Koehan
 * Joe Higashi

Severely Burned Team

 * Kyo Kusanagi
 * Saisyu Kusanagi
 * Orochi Chris

Sakazaki Family Team

 * Takuma Sakazaki
 * Ryo Sakazaki
 * Yuri Sakazaki

Teen Team

 * Shingo Yabuki
 * Sie Kensou
 * Chris

Orochi Ladies Team

 * Shermie
 * Vice
 * Mature

Orochi Men Team

 * Yashiro Nanakase
 * Chris
 * Ryuji Yamazaki

Kusanagi Style Team

 * Kyo Kusanagi
 * Saisyu Kusanagi
 * Shingo Yabuki

Comedy Team

 * Robert Garcia
 * Sie Kensou
 * Choi Bounge

"Cute" Team

 * Choi Bounge
 * Chin Gentsai
 * Chang Koehan

Cap Team

 * Terry Bogard
 * Lucky Glauber
 * Clark Still

Other Hero Team

 * Shingo Yabuki
 * Benimaru Nikaido
 * Goro Daimon

Other Ikari Team

 * Leona
 * Ralf Jones
 * Heidern

Other Heroine Team

 * Athena Asamiya
 * Mai Shiranui
 * Yuri Sakazaki

Power Team

 * Ralf Jones
 * Brian Battler
 * Chang Koehan

April 8th Birthday Team

 * King
 * Mature
 * Shingo Yabuki

Stages
Note: This game is the last of the franchise in which the characters are waiting to fight in the background and the first of the few games in the series where it's possible to choose the stage which you fight, in versus mode. It's also the first game of the franchise with practice mode. In the remake of the game ('98 UM), in the 3D backgrounds (only available in PS2 version), the natural sounds of the stages doesn't appears. In addition, the changes of the stages are different in both versions.
 * Japan Street: A viaduct next to Osaka Train Station and SNK's headquarters. Can be seen various vehicles, a LED panel with the game and SNK's name, a crosswalk, people cheering and a toll and a karaoke in the background. Changes: in the 1st round, the stage is partially full of cars; in the 2nd round, partially empty, but can be seen some passing veichles; from the 3rd round, there is a congestion due to the fight, and can be possible hear a horn sound. In the PS2 UM version, depending on the round, can be seen veichles or people. Note: When Choi wins the third round in more than 30 seconds, a special cameo appears, of two students on a bicycle. This only happens if the player don't defeat the opponent on the following conditions: perfect, use throwing punches, use of C + D buttons, use command punches or use the same punch in the same fight. Only Choi can win, he must be the second or third chosen by the player, defeat the second character of the opponent team and press C button immediately after the victory.
 * Middle East: A commercial village. Can be seen tents, merchants, vases, carpets, fruits and people. In all rounds, can be seen a boy asking his mother to watch the fight, and shortly after, running close to her and vibrating. In the PS2 UM version, the stage change the colors, turning blue and orange. The boy appears only the second and in the final rounds.
 * Korea: A pier. Can be seen a van and a fair in the left, a shop and a bridge in the middle and a temple in the background. Also can be seen a man watching the fight in the window, on the right, and seagulls, besides listening the noise of the birds. In the PS2 UM version, the weather of the stage changes, getting morning and evening. The man doesn't appears. Note: in the PS2 UM version, in the 2D background, the seagulls don't appears next to the temple.
 * China: A boat passing in Wulingyuan, in Hunan Province. The fight takes while the boat sails by the river. Can be seen two native men: one, sitting on the bow on the right, and the other paddling the boat, on the left. Changes: in the 1st round, can be seen a terrace in the beginning; in the 2rd round, the rocks and a waterfall; in the 4th round, only the rocks; and in the 3rd and the final round, a mountain covered by a fog. In the PS2 UM version, the temple appears in the second round, the mountain, only in the fourth round, and the waterfall, in the final round.
 * Spain: The Court of the Lions, in the Alhambra Palace, in Granada. Can be seen a foutain, shrubs and a white cat passing through the stage. Also can be possible hear the foutain spouting. Changes: in the 1st and 2nd rounds, it's day; in the 3rd round, sunset, and the foutain stopping to gush; from the 4th round, night. In the PS2 UM version, the changes are: in the 1st and 4th rounds, day; in the 3rd round, night; in the 2nd and the final round, sunset.
 * USA Yard (A.K.A Train Yard) - Yagami Team: A train garage. Can be seen a grey train, a dog tossing a trash can and a plaque with the sign MOTEL. From the 2nd round, can be seen a wagon, which is approaching in the 3rd round, departs in the 4th and returns to the same place of the second in the final round. Besides that, the weather changes for sunset from the third round. In PS2 UM version, the changes are: in the first round, the grey train appears; in the second round, the wagon appears; from the fourth round, the wagon departs. Note: The wagon appears only in the arcade version and, in the PS2 UM version, only in the 3D background.
 * Japan Temple - Masters Team: The Art of Fighting Team's stage in KOF '95. In the '98 version, the Kyokugenryu Dojo is partially destroyed, and can be seen the wrecks of the building and fireflies all over the stage. When any player makes a strong move with his character, parts of the roof begin to fall. Changes: until the 2nd, it's dawn; in the 3rd round, begins dawn; from the 4th round, it's morning. In PS2 UM version, the stage still at dawn but, from the third round, fireflies appears.
 * USA Wharf (A.K.A Baseball Court) - American Sports Team: The American Sports Team's stage in KOF '94. The only difference between the old stage and the new is the people and the animals: in the '98 version, can be seen some cameos, a street dog and people of suit and tie, the stage is partially empty and the old ring has turned into a junkyard. Changes: in the 1st round, sunset; in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, night; from the 4th round, smelly fog. In the PS2 UM version, the fog appears from the third round.
 * Unknown (A.K.A Black Noah) - Omega Rugal: A submarine. Can be seen some aircraft wrecks, blood, Rugal's self-portrait and his black panther.