The King of Fighters XIII

The King of Fighters XIII is the latest installment in The King of Fighters series that concludes the Ash saga which started in The King of Fighters 2003. The theme for this title is "KOF-ism" or getting back to the heart of the series. The main objective of the game's new features is to appeal to the audience that prefers quick combos.

Mobile versions of the game were released on July 7, 2011 and a downloadable application for social networks was released on October 17, 2011. Additionally, an iOS version of the game, titled The King of Fighters-i-, feauring a reduced character roster, was released on July 7, 2011; an update of this version that includes six more characters was released on September 8, 2011. This same version was later ported to the Android platform on March 22, 2012, as The King of Fighters Android. An updated version featuring 12 new characters and other modes was released on iOS-based devices on May 3, 2012, called The King of Fighters-i 2012. This same version was released on Android on September 3, 2013 as The King of Fighters-A 2012.

A new version of the game, including the characters introduced on the console ports as well as new revisions, was released in Japanese arcades on April 26, 2012, under the name The King of Fighters XIII Climax.

Eisuke Ogura returns to do the character illustrations.

Gameplay

 * Special moves now have "EX" versions that require a stock of super meter, functioning similarly to Darkstalkers or Street Fighter III. You can also EX supers for two stocks, reviving the Max Desperations of older KOFs. EX attacks can perform tasks such as adding invincibility, boosting attack speed, adding more hits, and other factors.
 * Some EX moves can play nod to other attacks a character has previously had; for example, K's EX Crow Bites resembles his Heaven's Drive DM from 2003-XI and Neo Geo Battle Coliseum, and EX Iori's EX Oniyaki resembles his Orochi version's Oni Honoo in the vs. Capcom series.
 * A feature called the "Drive Cancel" allows players to unlimitedly cancel their character's moves to their whim. The ability to do so relies on the "Hyper Drive Gauge" that's above the power gauge, gradually draining it as the players cancel their moves.
 * "Hyper Drive Mode" (abbv. as "HD Mode") is a tricky feature that can only be done once the Hyper Drive Gauge is at maximum. It's possible for players to perform an unlimited amount of Drive Cancels at the precise moment the gauge is filled. Although the effect is short and temporary, the feature allows otherwise unlinkable techniques to be used in one combo. Drive Cancels and Hyper Drive Mode are both callbacks to the systems introduced in The King of Fighters 2002, such as the Free Cancel and the MAX Activation, respectively. The Drive Cancel done outside HD Mode is similar to the Free Cancel done in KOF Neowave (a rebalanced version of 2002 pre-dating Unlimited Match), via the Super Cancel mode (where MAX Activation does not exist).
 * When a player is in Hyper Drive Mode and has two power stocks available, or in normal state and with three power stocks, they can perform a powerful technique called a "Neo Max Desperation", a revival of the Max 2 Desperations of 2002, Neowave, and 2002 Unlimited Match. Players can also link/cancel into a Neo Max technique during a combo off of a special or even both a normal and EX Desperation, which is dubbed a "Max Cancel". Unlike Max 2s, they can be done at any health level.
 * Not only does everyone gain a Neo Max, but almost all characters now gain new or regain old attacks left out in KOF XII.
 * Throw attacks are now back to being back or forward + Hard Punch or Hard Kick like in past games, but more like KOF 2003 and XI (in that all characters only have one throw, and button used determines if they switch sides or not)
 * The Story Mode returns with a scoring system. When fighting against a CPU opponent, players are challenged to complete a random objective during stages, called Target Actions. Completing these can award bonus points at the scoring screen. Meeting certain actions can also reward players the next round by filling up their power gauge or Hyper Drive Guage. Objectives include goals such as completing a certain amount of hits within one combo, successfully hitting the CPU with a desperation technique (including EX and Neo Max Desperation Moves or specials), or being asked to perform a certain attack within 10 seconds.
 * A complete story consists of eight stages, six being spent against teams and two being saved for the final matches.
 * During a fight against a CPU opponent, players can be awarded a big boost of extra points if they end a match with a Regular, EX or Neo Max Desperation Move. It also triggers a special splash screen for their victory blow.
 * The "zoom" effect seen in The King of Fighters XII has been removed, and general gameplay speed has been improved greatly.
 * Pre-fight exchanges similar to those in SNK vs Capcom: SVC Chaos|SVC Chaos are also present in the game. These unique conversations also exist in mirror matches (when two players play with the same character) and they only appear in Single Player mode.
 * Aside from the regular team music from the game, players can also listen to the characters' themes from previous KOF games, such as "Queen" from KOF XI for Elisabeth and "KDD-0075" from KOF XI for K'.
 * King and Yuri can have their tops ripped off (as in Art of Fighting, Art of Fighting 2, The King of Fighters '94 and The King of Fighters '95) when K.O.'d by special, EX and Desperation Moves.

Characters
The entire roster from The King of Fighters XII (including the two console exclusive characters) return in The King of Fighters XIII, arranged in the usual teams of three.

Both Mukai and Botan return. Rose Bernstein returns and is the sponsor of this year's tournament also. All the remaining members from Those from the Past have their faces revealed and are being led by Saiki.

When the game designer was asked about his personal thoughts for this new cast in an interview, he remarked that he isn't always looking forward to adding popular characters from other series. As before with KOF XII, the overall goal for the cast is to create contrasts and variations between each character for an interesting balance between teams. Whenever possible, he believes the characters in The King of Fighters should be reenacting a classic fist-to-fist battle rather than one that relies too much on additional weaponry. Lately, the desire to stay true to this theme in an interesting manner has decided who gets to appear in KOF.

Elisabeth Team

 * Elisabeth Blanctorche
 * Duo Lon
 * Shen Woo

Japan Team

 * Kyo Kusanagi
 * Benimaru Nikaido
 * Goro Daimon

Yagami Team

 * Iori Yagami
 * Mature
 * Vice

Fatal Fury Team

 * Terry Bogard
 * Andy Bogard
 * Joe Higashi

Kim Team

 * Kim Kaphwan
 * Raiden
 * Hwa Jai

Psycho Soldier Team

 * Athena Asamiya
 * Sie Kensou
 * Chin Gentsai

Art of Fighting Team

 * Ryo Sakazaki
 * Robert Garcia
 * Takuma Sakazaki

Ikari Warriors Team

 * Leona Heidern
 * Ralf Jones
 * Clark Still

Women Fighters Team

 * King
 * Mai Shiranui
 * Yuri Sakazaki

K' Team

 * K'
 * Kula Diamond
 * Maxima

Single Entry

 * Ash Crimson

Sub-Boss

 * Saiki

Final Boss

 * Evil Ash

Console/Climax Exclusive Characters

 * Billy Kane
 * Saiki (Normal form) - Does not appear in iOS and Android versions

DLC EX Characters

 * Pre-KOF XII/XIII Iori Yagami (Classic Iori)
 * NESTS saga Kyo Kusanagi
 * Mr. Karate (in his Honki ni Natta form) - Does not appear in the iOS and Android versions

Cosplay
Several alternate colors for the cast are homages to characters in other games or media. The list below charts costume outcomes from the alternate color options.

Stages
Note: Seven new stages have been included (with two being boss stages). Changes to old stages from The King of Fighters XII and gimmicks are listed below as follows:
 * Japan Stage - Sumo wrestlers in front, with the Miyajima island and Mount Fuji in the background.
 * India Stage - Yellow colored stage, beautifully animated 3D elephants in the immediate background and the Taj Mahal in the distance.
 * Britain Stage - 1994 type Britain stage with the Big Ben in the background. The weather starts off foggy, but sun shines by the fourth round.
 * London Stage - 1994 type Britain stage taking place in a clock tower instead of the city streets. Associated with Billy.
 * Brazil Stage - Lush-green colored jungle stage that was intended to be in The King of Fighters XII. Hard falls cause objects such as fruits or snakes to fall from the trees.
 * Egypt Stage - Now green/yellow colored in what appears to be an indoor palace. Green light reflects off of players when the stage's fires are lit.
 * China Stage - Night time setting with glowing amber lamps. A hard fall on the side of the stage causes a dog to jump out and bark.
 * France Stage - Sunset setting with the Arc de Triumph and the Eiffel tower in the background.
 * USA Stage - Area above a city with speakers, monitors, and caution tape scattered around; a red, white, and blue sign reading "THE KING OF FIGHTERS" sits above the fighting area. A cage drops in the background in some rounds, and various floats can be seen in the sky.
 * Rose Stadium - Orange/brown colored coliseum with a blue rose bed in the middle and some castles in the background.
 * Sky Noah Stage - An airship floating high above ground, featuring the Bernstein family lounging and doing their business. Multiple terminals and high-tech consoles are strewn across the stage. Stage reminiscent of KOF 2003.
 * Desert Stage (Ancient Ruins) - A simple desert with several boulders and cracked surface. A few hints of ruins from ancient civilization are shown.
 * Dojo Stage (Kyokugenryu Dojo) - A dojo set in a room, holding several Japanese paraphernalia hanging on the walls. There are posters of the Art of Fighting teams, and students in gis are watching the team battle each other.
 * Pao Pao Cafe Stage - A colorful stage with exotic plants and decorations with musicians in the center, with patrons watching over the battle on the left and right behind windows.
 * Coliseum Rooftrop Stage - The fighters are on the edge of a colosseum, where light is illuminating the center from behind, where fireworks are being shot in the distance. Associated with Ash.
 * Southtown Stage - A back alley in the depths of the Southtown, where graffiti is plastered across the brick walls, a random hoodlum is sitting by the opening of one of them, and a broken car with damaged windows.
 * Burnt Remains Stage - A lush meadow with trees in the background, also containing the ruins of a European castle with moss and vine decorated on its walls.
 * Temple Stage - An eastern temple in Japan, dimly lit by torches planted alongside the structure. It has a memorial site to the left, which unmarked stones.
 * Abandoned Factory Stage - An abandoned factory reminiscent of the Rival Team's Stage in KOF '95. The sun setting provides light for the background as a smoldering power plant is seen from behind, along with a trash pile and a King of Fighters-labelled truck.
 * Esaka Stage - A scaffolding connecting to a series of apartment buildings and a train station in Esaka, along with the SNK headquarters in the background. Numerous high school students are cheering on the fight, with a digital billboard promoting the KOF tournament with different fighters. This stage is similar to the Psycho Soldier Team and Hero Teams stage from KOF '96.
 * BOSS STAGE: Rose Stadium Ashed - The coliseum and castles have been warped into a destroyed version, and the ground is covered in what seems to be cooled magma. Occupying the back of the stadium where the screen once was is a large portal. Above the stadium, lighting and swirling clouds rage in a reddish sky. Associated with Evil Saiki.
 * BOSS STAGE: Rose Stadium Misted - The entire stage is almost completely white, with vague shadows of the foundation of Rose Stadium visible. Associated with Evil Ash.

Trivia

 * Originally unused sound files for the English dub were found in the arcade version of the game through datamining but were eventually removed in home console versions.