Next week marks the 20th anniversary of an incredibly influential and unique fighting game series that’s spawned multiple sequels, spin-offs, crossovers, RPGs, dating sims, card games, rhythm games and - of course - pachislots. The King of Fighters--KOF--is 20 years old, holy shit.

KOF ‘94 released in Japan on August 25th, 1994 to arcades. Originally intended to be a 3-man side-scrolling brawler starring Art of Fighting (AoF) and Fatal Fury/Garou Densetsu (FF) characters, it was switched to a 3-man vs 3-man fighting game, with completely new characters such as Kyo Kusanagi and his Japan Team, and additional cast members from SNK’s history such as Athena, Psycho Soldiers, and Ikari Warriors.

SNK kept on rollin’ around 1995 with the release of KOF95’, introducing multiple gameplay changes such as the standard TEAM EDIT mode (custom teams!), introducing the Orochi Saga (the start of one of the more noteworthy fighting game stories) and Iori Yagami--Kyo’s rival and for some reason a pretty famous musician.

The Pieces were in place with KOF ‘96. More gameplay changes came to this version such as jumping and hopping (low/medium jumps.) and emergency evasion, as well as the orochi saga’s continuation!

Arguably considered one of the best non dream-match games, and the final arc to the Orochi Saga, it came to an end in KOF97 introduced new characters and additional game modes.

Now it comes, and here-we-go! The first dream match of the KOF series starts in KOF’98. Dream Matches doesn’t follow any canon which allows characters that have died in previous titles to make their return here!

KOF ‘99 was the start of the NESTS saga which introduced a brand new cast of characters including the main protagonist of that saga, K’. It also intoduced..Striker Matches.

King of Fighters 2000 introduced the active striker system--a more simplified version of 99’s Striker system.

KOF 2001 marked the end of the NESTS Saga, and the introduction of 4v4 tatical order matches.

Another dream match! And finally a return to KOF’s traditional playstyle. Arguably, alongside ‘98 and XIII, one of the finest KOF titles released!

The Ash Saga begins here in KOF 2003. The Tac. Leader fighting system in ‘03 sets up a team leader for the 3 members you’ve chosen.

KOFXI marks the end of the traditional yearly naming, and in my opinion one of my favorite KOFs because Dream Canceling is introduced here!

After a long absence, on the mark of KOF’s 15th anniversary, KOFXII returns with a brand new engine, beautiful graphics and spritework, and..well..it’s not a very good game.

Finally, we come to KOFXIII! The latest KOF that is essentially the after product of XII’s failure, and introduces the end of the Ash Saga as well as a few simplified changes to the core KOF play.
But this is just the mainline series. With 13 mainline titles and a new one on the way, it’s great to see KOF still prominent in fighting games. Share your favorite stuff about KOF!