The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match

The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match is a remake of The King of Fighters '98 which includes the characters that were present in the series before the original, yet were left out of that dream match game: the '96 boss team (Geese Howard, Mr. Big, and Wolfgang Krauser), Kasumi Todoh, Eiji Kisaragi, and the remaining bosses of '96 and '97 (Leopold Goenitz and Orochi). Additionally, new alternate versions of characters were added (such as EX Blue Mary and EX Yamazaki, along with Orochi Iori and Orochi Leona being returning bosses as well). New adjustments to stages (as well as new stages themselves) come along with adjustments to gameplay via rebalancing and new moves (such as Extra Mode now having a manual MAX Mode of its own and having a stock at full charge, thus no longer entering a MAX Mode automatically via this method). Through the roster, this is the first KOF Dream Match game with a full roster of all characters in a whole saga, mainly the entire Rugal/Orochi Saga cast.

A new and notable mode of play for this game is known as Ultimate Mode, where similar to the EX Grooves of Capcom vs. SNK 2, players are able to customize their gauge systems and the mechanics that go along with them, with it being able to select between Advanced or Extra (the gauge style, the method of dodging, and method of quick forward movement).

The game was released in Japanese arcades on March 18, 2008 and later on the PlayStation 2. Ultimate Match is also available on Xbox 360 Live Arcade. The American port was released by Ignition Entertainment March 3, 2009 and packaged with an extra DVD containing trailers and wallpapers for the game and King of Fighters XII. The home version of the game, similar to The King of Fighters Neowave for its home version, uses full 3D-rendered versions of its backgrounds (though an option exists to convert them back into the classic-styled backgrounds in the original '98). The home version also comes with its own arranged soundtrack of the original '98 and most of the game's new soundtracks for UM, as well as a new Neo Geo mode, which allows for a demo of the original Neo Geo-port perfect version of the classic KOF '98.

An animated intro included with the Dreamcast port of the original can be accessed as an unlockable extra in Ultimate Match.

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
 * King
 * Mai Shiranui

Korea Team

 * Kim Kaphwan
 * Chang Koehan
 * Choi Bounge

Orochi Team

 * Yashiro Nanakase
 * Shermie
 * Chris

Special Team

 * Ryuji Yamazaki
 * Blue Mary
 * Billy Kane

Yagami Team

 * Iori Yagami
 * Mature
 * Vice

Oyaji Team

 * Heidern
 * Takuma Sakazaki
 * Saisyu Kusanagi

American Sports Team

 * Heavy D!
 * Lucky Glauber
 * Brian Battler

'96 Boss Team

 * Geese Howard
 * Wolfgang Krauser
 * Mr. Big

Single Entries

 * Kasumi Todoh
 * Eiji Kisaragi
 * Shingo Yabuki

'98UM Boss Characters

 * Rugal Bernstein
 * Omega Rugal
 * Goenitz
 * Orochi

Hidden &amp; Alternate Characters

 * Orochi Yashiro
 * Orochi Shermie
 * Orochi Chris
 * 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 '95 Yuri Sakazaki
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 Mai Shiranui
 * Art of Fighting 2 King
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 Ryuji Yamazaki
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 Blue Mary
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 Billy Kane
 * Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 Geese Howard (Nightmare Geese without the aura around his feet)
 * Wild Iori
 * Wild Leona

Sacred 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

Sexy Team

 * Choi Bounge
 * Chin Gentsai
 * Chang Koehan

Cap Team

 * Terry Bogard
 * Lucky Glauber
 * Clark Still

Young Hero Team

 * Shingo Yabuki
 * Benimaru Nikaido
 * Goro Daimon

Other Ikari Team

 * Ralf Jones
 * Leona Heidern
 * Heidern

Other Heroine Team

 * Athena Asamiya
 * Mai Shiranui
 * Yuri Sakazaki

Other Power Team

 * Ralf Jones
 * Brian Battler
 * Chang Koehan

April 8th Birthday Team

 * King
 * Mature
 * Shingo Yabuki

KOF '96 Female Team

 * King
 * Mai Shiranui
 * Kasumi Todoh

KOF '95 Rival Team

 * Iori Yagami
 * Billy Kane
 * Eiji Kisaragi

Ninja Team

 * Andy Bogard
 * Mai Shiranui
 * Eiji Kisaragi

Anti-Kyokugen Team

 * Mr. Big
 * Kasumi Todoh
 * Eiji Kisaragi

Former Art of Fighting Team (KOF '94 Mexico Team)

 * Ryo Sakazaki
 * Robert Garcia
 * Takuma Sakazaki

Former Ikari Team (KOF '94 Brazil Team)

 * Heidern
 * Ralf Jones
 * Clark Still

Shingo Detests Team

 * Iori Yagami
 * Yashiro Nanakase
 * Ryuji Yamazaki

Teenage Girl Team

 * Athena Asamiya
 * Leona Heidern
 * Kasumi Todoh

Skin Heads Team

 * Mr. Big
 * Chang Koehan
 * Choi Bounge

Grown Arms Team

 * Ryuji Yamazaki
 * Mature
 * Vice

Awakened Team

 * Orochi
 * Wild Iori
 * Wild Leona