Although Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat are seen as the symbols of the fighting game genre, their styles are not guarante?ed hits, with many preferring to venture toward other IPs for their daily dose of adrenaline.
But diving into a new fighting game is not a trivial matter, after all, no one wants to fall in love with a title only to find either a bare-bones experience or no one else playing it. Here are the best fighting games to play right now that are not part of the Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat franchises.
10. Killer Instinct
- Release date: November 22, 2013
- Available on: PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
- Developed by: Double Helix Games (At launch) / Iron Galaxy Studios
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
To start with a well-placed Wind Kick, we have Killer Instinct. Released in 2013 as a reboot, KI earned praise for its action-packed gameplay but divided many given its small roste?r and content approach. Fast forward 10 years and 20 characters later, and the game has grown to be an unquestionable success.
Looking a little more into its combat, Killer Instinct offers an easy-to-pick-up bu??t highly ?technical approach that revolves around the ability to Combo Break. To put it on as few words as possible, the mechanic allows you to interrupt your opponent's offense through a well-timed input. Get the timing wrong, however, and you will be in for one hell of a time.
9. Brawlhalla
- Release date: October 17, 2017
- Available on: Mobile, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch
- Developed by: Blue Mammoth Games
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
Brawlhalla is a live-service platform fighter that plays just like you would expect, you pick a character and then battle your foes until they either fall or are propelled out of the screen. Given its free-to-play status and cross-play/progression features, the game can be seen as the ide??al pick for those looking to play online with friends new to the genre.
Brawhalla is also widely known for its crossover characters. But don't worry, as to avoid turning a F2P game into a pay??-to-win experience, all of them (except Rayman) are presented as skins to already existing and free-to-obtain units.
8. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2016)
- Release date: December 16, 2016 (PS4) / March 7, 2017 (PC / Xbox One)
- Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Series S/X
- Developed by: CAPCOM
- Does it have rollback netcode? No
An enhanced version of the title of the same name, now running at 60fps, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 allows players to pick from a roster of 50 signature characters as they take part in 3v3 battles. In true MvC fashion, air combos are the norm here, and a well-timed assist can change every??thing.
If you can, I recommend playing the game's PC version, as even if its base roster alread??y packs quite a punch, its community has done a phenomenal job by producing a wide array of extra characters.
7. UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes
- Release date: January 24, 2024
- Available on: PS5, PS4, PC, and Switch
- Developed by: French Bread
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
The latest installment in the series and a direct sequel to Exe:Late[cl-r], UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes takes a natural step forward by smoothing its predecessor's?? edges and adding new mechanics to the mix. True to the franchise's fame?, the title also features one of the most diverse rosters in the market.
It's important to point out that, even if visually similar to other sprite-based series like BlazBlue and even its older sibling Melty Blood, UNDER NIGHT is a completely different beast. The reason? The way its Grind Grid system awards co??ntrol, all while penalizing backpedaling and pushing you to be as efficient as possible.
6. Soulcalibur VI
- Release date: October 19, 2018
- Available on: PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
- Developed by: Bandai Namco
- Does it have rollback netcode? No
After the mixed reception of Soulcalibur V, Project Soul decided to bet all of their remaining chips in Soulcalibur VI, a soft reboot of ?the franchise taking place in a new tim??eline.
But although the game ended up failing to meet its publisher's expectations, SC6 succeeded in presenting the most polished version of the franchise's signature combat, now featuring improved animations and getting a breath of fresh air through new mechanics. In true Soulcalibur fashion, you will also find a good amount of single-player content here, be it from its in-dep?th character creation system or its Soul Chronicle and Libra of Soul modes.?
5. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
- Release date: December 11, 2023
- Available on: PS5, PS4, and PC
- Developed by: Arc System Works
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
An updated version of Granblue Fantasy Versus, now featuring new mechanics, improved visuals, and the more than welcome addition of rollback netcode, GBVS RIsing's ability to blend standard fighting and RPG elements makes it one of Ark System Works's most distinct games.
Apart from its story mode bosses, that can be seen in the game's cooldown mechanic. Also featured in the vanilla version, the mechanic does exactly what you might expect and adds different cooldowns to Special Moves/abilities, thus forci??ng players to plan their every move to maximize their damage and options.
4. Dragon Ball FighterZ
- Release date: January 26, 2018 (PC, PS4, Xbox One) / September 27, 2018 (Nintendo Switch)
- Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Series S/X, and Switch
- Developed by: Arc System Works
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
The game responsible for raising the bar when it comes to anime/manga-based titles, Dragon Ball FighterZ takes the already over-the-top approach o??f most tag fighters and turns it up to 8000 by allowing players to both fly across the screen and make use of all of the planet-destroying moves they wish to come out on top.
The above is then paired with a roster featuring faces going from the classic Dragon Ball Z anime adaptation (and its many non-canon movies) to Super and even GT. I?n other words, no matter which season is your favorite, you are sure to meet a representative here.
3. The King of Fighters XV
- Release date: February 17, 2022
- Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Series S/X
- Developed by: SNK Corporation
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
Even if it hurts not seeing KOF as part of the big three, The King of Fighters XV is considered by many as the franchise's best entry point since XIII. After all, long gone are the?? d??ays when your execution needed to be pitch-perfect to land damaging combos.
The game also showcases significant improvements in presentation when compared to XIV, as well as a few new mechanics that premiered both at launch and later in the game's cycle (I'm looking at you??, Advance Strike). The roster also doesn't disappoint and features a total of 59 characters at the time of writing.
2. Guilty Gear Strive
- Release date: June 11, 2021
- Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
- Developed by: Arc System Works
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
The first Guilty Gear game to go mainstream, Guilty Gear Strive is the seemingly final chapter in the Soul Badguy story and?? the most inviting title in the franchise. Truly, what ArcSys managed to accomplish des??erves commendation, as they succeeded in giving the series an overhaul while keeping its soul intact.
But that was not achieved without its losses, as many see the removal of certain moves/mechanics as a tone-down. For me, although I believe GG Strive excelled in adjusting its scope to make sure everything would be up ??to par, I can't say that I don't m?iss the wild Dragon Install Sol combos featured in the older entries.
1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Release date: December 7, 2018
- Available on: Nintendo Switch
- Developed by: Bandai Namco and Sora Ltd
- Does it have rollback netcode? No
The latest in the series that helped coin the term platform fighter, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate takes the first spot in our list given how its easy-to-pick-up mechanics and ??welcoming presentation make the game a guaranteed fit for all, no matter if they are newcomers looking to have fun or seasoned players.
Another huge difference between the game and pretty much all other fighting games in the market lies in its star-filled roster of 82, which features both Ninte?ndo staples and wild crossover characters. Have you ever imagined having Bayonetta and Samus fare off against Joker and Sora? Wel??l, wonder no more.
The post The 10 best fight?ing g??ames that are not Street Fighter, Tekken, or Mortal Kombat appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
Although Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat are seen as the symbols of the fighting game genre, their styles are not guaranteed hits, with many preferring to venture toward other IPs for their daily dos??e of adrenaline.
But diving into a new fighting game is not a trivial matter, after all, no one wants to fall in love with a title only to find either a bare-bones experience or no one else playing it. Here are the best fighting games to play right now that are not part of the Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat franchises.
10. Killer Instinct
- Release date: November 22, 2013
- Available on: PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
- Developed by: Double Helix Games (At launch) / Iron Galaxy Studios
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
To start with a well-placed Wind Kick, we have Killer Instinct. Released in 2013 as a reboot, KI earned praise for its action-packed gameplay but divided many given its small roster and content approach. Fas?t forward 10 years and 20 characters later, and the game has gro??wn to be an unquestionable success.
Looking a little more into its combat, Killer Instinct offers an? easy-to-pick-up but highly technical approach that revolves around the ability to Combo Break. To put it on as few words as possible, the mechanic allows you to interrupt your opponent's offense through a well-timed input. Get the timing wrong, however, and you will be in for one hell of a time.
9. Brawlhalla
- Release date: October 17, 2017
- Available on: Mobile, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch
- Developed by: Blue Mammoth Games
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
Brawlhalla is a live-service platform fighter that plays just like you would expect, you pick a character and then battle your foes until they either fall or are propelled out of the screen. Given its free-to-play status and cross-play/progression features, the game can be seen as the ideal pick for? those looking to play online with friends? new to the genre.
Brawhalla is also widely known for its crossover characters. But don't worry, as?? to avoid turning a F2P game into a pay-to-win experience, all of them ??(except Rayman) are presented as skins to already existing and free-to-obtain units.
8. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2016)
- Release date: December 16, 2016 (PS4) / March 7, 2017 (PC / Xbox One)
- Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Series S/X
- Developed by: CAPCOM
- Does it have rollback netcode? No
An enhanced version of the title of the same name, now running at 60fps, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 allows players to pick from a roster of 50 signature characters as they take part in 3v3 battles. In true MvC fashion, air co?mbos are the norm here, ?and a well-timed assist can change everything.
If you can, I recommend playing the game's PC version, as even if its ba?se roster already packs quite a punch, its community has done a phenomenal job by producing ?a wide array of extra characters.
7. UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes
- Release date: January 24, 2024
- Available on: PS5, PS4, PC, and Switch
- Developed by: French Bread
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
The latest installment in the series and a direct sequel to Exe:Late[cl-r], UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes takes a natural step forward by smoothing its predecessor's edges and adding new mechanics to the mix. True to the franchise's? fame, the title also features one of the most d?iverse rosters in the market.
It's important to point out that, even if visually similar to other sprite-based series like BlazBlue and even its older sibling Melty Blood, UNDER NIGHT is a completely different beast. The reason? The way its Grind Grid system awards control, all while penalizing backpedaling and pushing you to be as effici?ent as possible.
6. Soulcalibur VI
- Release date: October 19, 2018
- Available on: PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
- Developed by: Bandai Namco
- Does it have rollback netcode? No
After the mixed reception of Soulcalibur V, Project Soul decided to bet all of their remaining chips in Soulcalibur VI, a so?ft reboot of the franchise taking place in a new timeline.
But although the game ended up failing to meet its publisher's expectations, SC6 succeeded in presenting the most polished version of the franchise's signature combat, now featuring improved animations and getting a breath of fresh air through new mechanics. In true Soulcalibur fashion, you will also find a good amount of single-player content here, be it from its in-depth character creation?? system or its Soul Chronicle?? and Libra of Soul modes.
5. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
- Release date: December 11, 2023
- Available on: PS5, PS4, and PC
- Developed by: Arc System Works
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
An updated version of Granblue Fantasy Versus, now featuring new mechanics, improved visuals, and the more than welcome addition of rollback netcode, GBVS RIsing's ability to blend standard fighting and RPG elements makes it one of Ark System Works's most distinct games.
Apart from its story mode bosses, that can be seen in the game's cooldown mechanic. Also featured in the vanilla version, the mechanic does exactly what you might expect and a??????????????????????????dds di?fferent cooldowns to Special Moves/abilities, thus forcing players to plan their every move to maximize their damage and options.
4. Dragon Ball FighterZ
- Release date: January 26, 2018 (PC, PS4, Xbox One) / September 27, 2018 (Nintendo Switch)
- Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Series S/X, and Switch
- Developed by: Arc System Works
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
The game responsible for raising the bar when it comes to anime/manga-based titles, Dragon Ball FighterZ takes the already over-the-top approach of most tag fighters and turns it up to?? 8000 by allowing players to both fly across the screen and make use of all of t??he planet-destroying moves they wish to come out on top.
The above is then paired with a roster featuring faces going from the classic Dragon Ball Z anime adaptation (and its many non-canon movies) to Super and even GT. In other words, no matter which season is your favorite, you are sure to ??meet a representative here.
3. The King of Fighters XV
- Release date: February 17, 2022
- Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Series S/X
- Developed by: SNK Corporation
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
Even if it hurts not seeing KOF as part of the big three, The King of Fighters XV is considered by many as the franchise's best entry point since XIII. After all, long gone are the da??ys when your execution needed to be pitch-perfect to land dama??ging combos.
The game also showcases significant improvements in presentation when compared to XIV, as well as a few new mechanics tha?t premiered both at launch and later in the game's cycle (I'm looking at you, Advance Strike). The roster also doesn't disappoint and features a total of 59 characters at the time of writing.
2. Guilty Gear Strive
- Release date: June 11, 2021
- Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
- Developed by: Arc System Works
- Does it have rollback netcode? Yes
The first Guilty Gear game to go mainstream, Guilty Gear Strive is the seemingly final chapter in the Soul Badguy story and the most inviting tit??le in the franchise. Truly, what ArcSys managed to accomplish deserves commendation, as they succeeded in giving the series an overhaul while keeping its soul intact.
But that was not achieved without its losses, as many see the removal of certain moves/mechanics as a tone-down. For me, although I believe GG Strive excelled in adjusting its scope to make sure everything would be up to par, I can't say that I don't? miss the wild Dragon Install Sol combos featured?? in the older entries.
1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Release date: December 7, 2018
- Available on: Nintendo Switch
- Developed by: Bandai Namco and Sora Ltd
- Does it have rollback netcode? No
The latest in the series that helped coin the term platform fighter, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate takes the first spot in our list given how its easy-to-pick-up mechanics and welcoming presentation make the game a guaranteed fit for all, no matter if they are newcomers lookin?g to have fun or seasoned pl??ayers.
Another huge di?fference between the game and pretty much all other fighting games in the market lies in its star-filled roster of 82, which features both Nintendo staples and wild crossover characters. Have you ever imagined having Bayonetta and Samus fare off against Joker and Sora? ??Well, wonder no more.
The post The 10 best fighting games t??hat?? are not Street Fighter, Tekken, or Mortal Kombat appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
Rough timing as always, SNK
SNK has announced that it will be holding an open beta next week in order to test out the rollback netcode update heading toward its world-class punch-up The King of Fighters XIII Global Match. The beta will take p??lace on PS4 from June 5 thr??ough to June 11.
The beta will allow all PS4 owners to check out an updated version of the excellent 2010 sequel, which is the final KoF title to date to feature 2D anim?ation for its super-fast and highly intense gameplay. Several modes will be a??vailable to all, including Practice Lobby, Online Vs. and Customization. Over the course of the six-day beta, SNK will be gathering data to analyze how well the new netcode is sitting.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCJjObBRrk4
It's marvelous that KoF XIII is getting the upgrade, as it is truly one of SNK's greatest releases of all time, and fully deserving a life within this generation and the next. It's frustrating that, as they always seem to do, SNK has picked an odd time to run this King of Fighters XIII beta, literally days after the launch of Capcom's Street Fighter 6. But regardless, this is good news for the KoF faithful, and here's hoping that the love for KoF XIII can prevail in bo??th the online and compet??itive markets.
King of Fighters XIII Global Match is availa?ble now on?? PC. It is coming to PS4 and Nintendo Switch in the near future.
The post King of Fighters XIII Global Match Online bet????a to be held next week appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>Rough timing as always, SNK
SNK has announced that it will be holding an open beta next week in order to test out the rollback netcode update heading toward its world-class punch-up The King of Fighters XIII Global Match. The beta will take place on PS4 from June 5 through to June 11. The beta will allow all PS4 owners to check out an updated version of the excellent 2010 sequel, which is the final KoF title to date to feature 2D animation for its super-fast and highly intense gameplay. Several modes will be available to all, including Practice Lobby, Online Vs. and Customization. Over the course of the six-day beta, SNK will be gathering data to analyze how well the new netcode is sitting. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCJjObBRrk4 It's marvelous that KoF XIII is getting the upgrade, as it is truly one of SNK's greatest releases of all time, and fully deserving a life within this generation and the next. It's frustrating that, as they always seem to do, SNK has picked an odd time to run this King of Fighters XIII beta, literally days after the launch of Capcom's Street Fighter 6. But regardless, this is good news for the KoF faithful, and here's hoping that the love for KoF XIII can prevail in both the online and competitive markets. King of Fighters XIII Global Match is available now on PC. It is coming to PS4 and Nintendo Switch in the near future.The post King of Fighte?rs XIII G??lobal Match Online beta to be held next week appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
ARE YOU OKAY? No, really.
Mediatonic has revealed the newest collaboration for its madcap battle royale title Fall Guys �?SNK superstars Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui from hit slugfest The King of Fighters have had their finely tuned anatomies squished into bizarre bean form, and are coming to the free-to-play title this week.
Mai and Terry, who first found fame in the legendary one-on-one fighter Fatal Fury, have been faithfully recreated in their iconic wardrobe. Mai is rocking her notoriously revealing kunoichi gear while Terry is keeping the spirit of '91 a??live in his denim jeans, sleeveless jacket, and famous baseball cap. I mean, they're certainly faithful recreations, but Good Lord they both look pretty durn weird.
//twitter.com/FallGuysGame/status/15?54452361694875648?s=20&t=yDjdwf4TYKrSqnLkT?2cTkw
In addition to the new skins, Fall Guys fans will be available to purchase a "Shiranui Style of Ninja Arts" nameplate and Terry's famous "C'mon" C'mon!" taunt/emote. The King of Fighters content will be made available in-store between August 4-8 on all platforms, so be sure to move fast i?f you wanna be Buster Wolfing your way through hundreds of other beans �?all embarking on the quest for the coveted crown. Expecting a lot of tumbling, rolling, falling, and slapstick buffooner??y en route.
Fall Guys �?which recently went free-to-play on all platforms �?is currently seeing something of a resurgence in popularity, hitting an impressive milestone of 50 million players just last month. You can check out the simple but surprisingly moreish multiplayer title for yourself right now on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, an??d Nintendo Switch platforms.
The post Fall Guys welcomes King of Fighters’ Mai and Terry in nightmare fashion appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>ARE YOU OKAY? No, really.
Mediatonic has revealed the newest collaboration for its madcap battle royale title Fall Guys �?SNK superstars Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui from hit slugfest The King of Fighters have had their finely tuned anatomies squished into bizarre bean form, and are coming to the free-to-play title this week. Mai and Terry, who first found fame in the legendary one-on-one fighter Fatal Fury, have been faithfully recreated in their iconic wardrobe. Mai is rocking her notoriously revealing kunoichi gear while Terry is keeping the spirit of '91 alive in his denim jeans, sleeveless jacket, and famous baseball cap. I mean, they're certainly faithful recreations, but Good Lord they both look pretty durn weird. //twitter.com/FallGuysGame/status/1554452361694875648?s=20&t=yDjdwf4TYKrSqnLkT2cTkw In addition to the new skins, Fall Guys fans will be available to purchase a "Shiranui Style of Ninja Arts" nameplate and Terry's famous "C'mon" C'mon!" taunt/emote. The King of Fighters content will be made available in-store between August 4-8 on all platforms, so be sure to move fast if you wanna be Buster Wolfing your way through hundreds of other beans �?all embarking on the quest for the coveted crown. Expecting a lot of tumbling, rolling, falling, and slapstick buffoonery en route. Fall Guys �?which recently went free-to-play on all platforms �?is currently seeing something of a resurgence in popularity, hitting an impressive milestone of 50 million players just last month. You can check out the simple but surprisingly moreish multiplayer title for yourself right now on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.The post Fall Guys welcomes King of Fighters’ Mai and Terry in nightmare fashion appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
Get Reeeeeady... GO!
Fans of SNK's foremost fight franchise The King of Fighters are waking up to some surprising and unexpected news this morning, as it appears that The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition is now available to purchase on PS4, mere hours after it popped up on the PEGI ratings board.
Already available on PC via Steam and GOG.com, The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition is (allegedly) the last revision of the classic KoF entry, still considered by many to be the most iconic and definitive release in the storied series. KoF '98 Final Edition, originally released in 2014, feat??ures a fresh rebalance of the game's 64-strong roster of classic characters, along ?with rollback-netcode-powered online play, and a selection of additional modes including Endless, Mission, and Training.
//youtu.be/IkzrUD56DPk
In addition, boutique publisher Pix'n Love has announced that it will open pre-orders on a selection of physical releases next Monday. Options available will include a standard boxed edition of King of Fighters '98 Final Edition on PS4, a Collector's Edition (limited to 2500 copies) with classic Neo Geo-style packaging, and finally, a Deluxe Edition (limited to 200 copies) that also includes an aluminum plate featuring a reproduction of the KoF '98 Final Edition artwork.
All physical releases will launch later in 2022, but if you want in on the limited editions, but sure to put down your pre-order, exclusively on the Pix'n Love store, on Monday, June 27, at 08:00 PT/ 11:?00 ET /16:00 BST.
The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition is available to download now on PS4 and PC.
The post The King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate Match Final Edition drops onto PS4 outta nowhere appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>Get Reeeeeady... GO!
Fans of SNK's foremost fight franchise The King of Fighters are waking up to some surprising and unexpected news this morning, as it appears that The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition is now available to purchase on PS4, mere hours after it popped up on the PEGI ratings board. Already available on PC via Steam and GOG.com, The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition is (allegedly) the last revision of the classic KoF entry, still considered by many to be the most iconic and definitive release in the storied series. KoF '98 Final Edition, originally released in 2014, features a fresh rebalance of the game's 64-strong roster of classic characters, along with rollback-netcode-powered online play, and a selection of additional modes including Endless, Mission, and Training. //youtu.be/IkzrUD56DPk In addition, boutique publisher Pix'n Love has announced that it will open pre-orders on a selection of physical releases next Monday. Options available will include a standard boxed edition of King of Fighters '98 Final Edition on PS4, a Collector's Edition (limited to 2500 copies) with classic Neo Geo-style packaging, and finally, a Deluxe Edition (limited to 200 copies) that also includes an aluminum plate featuring a reproduction of the KoF '98 Final Edition artwork. All physical releases will launch later in 2022, but if you want in on the limited editions, but sure to put down your pre-order, exclusively on the Pix'n Love store, on Monday, June 27, at 08:00 PT/ 11:00 ET /16:00 BST. The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition is available to download now on PS4 and PC.The post The King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate Match Final Edition drops onto PS4 outta nowhere appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
I'm having flashbacks...
During yesterday's Fighting Game Publisher Roundtable presentation, SNK dropped a surprising, TERRIFYING, piece of news. One of the single most difficult, indomitable, and unforgiving fighting game bosses of all-time, Omega Rugal, is joining the roster of The King of Fighters XV on April 14.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO5qI_RyXT0
The originator of The King of Fighters tournament, Rugal is a cruel and merciless man of opulent means, capable of slaying entire teams of warriors with relative ease, and slice 'n' dicing his foes with seemingly psychic (i.e. button-reading A.I.) abilities. While he cost us many a quarter with his 1994 debut, KoF players would not truly feel his wrath until his later upgrades in The King of Fighters '95 and, particularly, in Capcom vs. SNK 2, where he would prove himself one of the most infuriating boss characters in history.
It's not all bad news, as SNK notes that Omega Rugal will be made available to download free of charge for all King of Fighters XV players. This way, we can all be miserable together, as one-by-one our favorite fighters fall �?t??ime and ?time again �?to GENOCIDE CUT-TAH!
I guess we should be grateful for the free DLC, and, to be fair, it just isn't KoF without yer boy Rugal showing up to ruin the party. The aristocratic prick won't be arriving for a few more weeks, so you have plenty of time to get in the lab and har?den your skills before his arriv-GENOCIDE CUT-TAH!
The King of Fighters XV is available now on Play-GENOCIDE CUT-TAH!
The post It’s all over: The notorious Omega Rugal joins The King of Fighters XV in April appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>I'm having flashbacks...
During yesterday's Fighting Game Publisher Roundtable presentation, SNK dropped a surprising, TERRIFYING, piece of news. One of the single most difficult, indomitable, and unforgiving fighting game bosses of all-time, Omega Rugal, is joining the roster of The King of Fighters XV on April 14. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO5qI_RyXT0 The originator of The King of Fighters tournament, Rugal is a cruel and merciless man of opulent means, capable of slaying entire teams of warriors with relative ease, and slice 'n' dicing his foes with seemingly psychic (i.e. button-reading A.I.) abilities. While he cost us many a quarter with his 1994 debut, KoF players would not truly feel his wrath until his later upgrades in The King of Fighters '95 and, particularly, in Capcom vs. SNK 2, where he would prove himself one of the most infuriating boss characters in history. It's not all bad news, as SNK notes that Omega Rugal will be made available to download free of charge for all King of Fighters XV players. This way, we can all be miserable together, as one-by-one our favorite fighters fall �?time and time again �?to GENOCIDE CUT-TAH! I guess we should be grateful for the free DLC, and, to be fair, it just isn't KoF without yer boy Rugal showing up to ruin the party. The aristocratic prick won't be arriving for a few more weeks, so you have plenty of time to get in the lab and harden your skills before his arriv-GENOCIDE CUT-TAH! The King of Fighters XV is available now on Play-GENOCIDE CUT-TAH!The post It’s all over: The notorious Omega Rugal joins The King of Fighters XV in April appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
It's been a very Luong week
Yep, that's Luong from The King of Fighters XV, and yep, that's her Climax Super. I mean, I know SNK basically created Luong as bootleg Juri, but I doubt even Street Fighter's Taekwondo assassin would be quite so bold in her... erm... "suggestiveness". Regardless, it's Saturday, and welcome to Whatcha Been Playing? I'm exhausted. We're all pretty exhausted at the good ship Dtoid. There are a lot of big releases out this month, there is much happening in our real lives, and we all got a surprise Nintendo Direct and a surprise Sony PlayStation... indie... somethin??g. Anyway, we're all working super hard right now.
Knights and Fights
Courtesy of short lead-ins and shifting embargos, my week was a wild collision between two titles: The aforementioned KoF XV, and Team Berzerk's violent tribute to '80s NES adventure, Infernax. As you might have seen from my recent reviews, they are both pretty durn radical, so maybe consider jumping into one or the other. Of course, your February bread might already be buttered �?we still have Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, and many other games en route. But spare a thought for the underdogs too. Many of them will be left trying not to drown among the? AAA heavyweights.
The biggest February in gaming ever?
Anyway, I'm tired and? I need to take a break today. So I'm gonna crash out and, hopefully, you are able to do the same. Either way, don't forget to dive into the comments and let us know what titles are currently in your Top-Tier. This might be your last chance to tell us Whatcha Been Playing before we're swamped with mighty, mighty releases and potential GOTY contenders... It's only February! eep. Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to reading about your current g??aming escapades.
Have a wonderful weekend, from all of u?s at Destructo?id.
The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>It's been a very Luong week
Yep, that's Luong from The King of Fighters XV, and yep, that's her Climax Super. I mean, I know SNK basically created Luong as bootleg Juri, but I doubt even Street Fighter's Taekwondo assassin would be quite so bold in her... erm... "suggestiveness". Regardless, it's Saturday, and welcome to Whatcha Been Playing? I'm exhausted. We're all pretty exhausted at the good ship Dtoid. There are a lot of big releases out this month, there is much happening in our real lives, and we all got a surprise Nintendo Direct and a surprise Sony PlayStation... indie... something. Anyway, we're all working super hard right now.Knights and Fights
Courtesy of short lead-ins and shifting embargos, my week was a wild collision between two titles: The aforementioned KoF XV, and Team Berzerk's violent tribute to '80s NES adventure, Infernax. As you might have seen from my recent reviews, they are both pretty durn radical, so maybe consider jumping into one or the other. Of course, your February bread might already be buttered �?we still have Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, and many other games en route. But spare a thought for the underdogs too. Many of them will be left trying not to drown among the AAA heavyweights.The biggest February in gaming ever?
Anyway, I'm tired and I need to take a break today. So I'm gonna crash out and, hopefully, you are able to do the same. Either way, don't forget to dive into the comments and let us know what titles are currently in your Top-Tier. This might be your last chance to tell us Whatcha Been Playing before we're swamped with mighty, mighty releases and potential GOTY contenders... It's only February! eep. Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to reading about your current gaming escapades. Have a wonderful weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
ClonesClonesClonesClonesClones...
You might remember, last week, we spotlit a video exploring the deep lore of SNK's The King of Fighters franchise �?/em> Well, superfan NeoGeoNow has returned with the second video in the series, detailing KoF's visually splendid but somewhat dreary se?c??ond act, most commonly known as "The NESTS Saga."
Spanning The King of Fighters '99, The King of Fighters '00, and The King of Fighters 2001, The NESTS Saga was, much like Capcom's Street Fighter III, an effort ?to kick off a new generation of characters, teams, and mechanics. Summarised, the story concerns a hi-tech syndicate (the titular NESTS) and its plan to dominate the world via the collection of "Battle Data" from the world's greatest fighters, which will be used to create a super-soldier army. Additionally, the villains build a battle data-powered "Death Star"-style cannon. Oh, and t??hey build clones... endless... interminable clones...
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbiEgVvbQ-k
While The NESTS Saga is a tad uninspired, resulting in repetitive storytelling and a really stinky run of boss characters, what this era of KoF does bring to the table is some solid catwalk-strutting. Over the course of KoF '99 �?KoF '01, we get some of the franchise's coolest, trendiest, most cosplay-friendly characters. From slick bad boy K' and ice-loli Kula Diamond, to secret agent Vanessa, the gorgeous pairing of Diana and Foxy, and wrestling fan Angel, The NE?STS Saga was most certainly fashion-forward, even if its story-telling aspects were a little backward.
You can check out Neo Geo Now's previous video on The King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga right here. We can probably expect their next video to cover the latter-day tales of "The Sacred Treasure"s, which features my swooneriffic boy toy Ash Crimson and classy lassy Elisabeth Blanctorche. All of this knowledge will help to get the curious among you up to speed for The King of Fighters XV, which launches February 17 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platform??s.
The post Fan-made King of Fighters video looks at The NESTS Saga’s fashionistas appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>ClonesClonesClonesClonesClones...
You might remember, last week, we spotlit a video exploring the deep lore of SNK's The King of Fighters franchise �?/em> Well, superfan NeoGeoNow has returned with the second video in the series, detailing KoF's visually splendid but somewhat dreary second act, most commonly known as "The NESTS Saga." Spanning The King of Fighters '99, The King of Fighters '00, and The King of Fighters 2001, The NESTS Saga was, much like Capcom's Street Fighter III, an effort to kick off a new generation of characters, teams, and mechanics. Summarised, the story concerns a hi-tech syndicate (the titular NESTS) and its plan to dominate the world via the collection of "Battle Data" from the world's greatest fighters, which will be used to create a super-soldier army. Additionally, the villains build a battle data-powered "Death Star"-style cannon. Oh, and they build clones... endless... interminable clones... //www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbiEgVvbQ-k While The NESTS Saga is a tad uninspired, resulting in repetitive storytelling and a really stinky run of boss characters, what this era of KoF does bring to the table is some solid catwalk-strutting. Over the course of KoF '99 �?KoF '01, we get some of the franchise's coolest, trendiest, most cosplay-friendly characters. From slick bad boy K' and ice-loli Kula Diamond, to secret agent Vanessa, the gorgeous pairing of Diana and Foxy, and wrestling fan Angel, The NESTS Saga was most certainly fashion-forward, even if its story-telling aspects were a little backward. You can check out Neo Geo Now's previous video on The King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga right here. We can probably expect their next video to cover the latter-day tales of "The Sacred Treasure"s, which features my swooneriffic boy toy Ash Crimson and classy lassy Elisabeth Blanctorche. All of this knowledge will help to get the curious among you up to speed for The King of Fighters XV, which launches February 17 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.The post Fan-made King of Fighters video looks at The NESTS Saga’s fashionistas appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
A guy, some clones, and a god walk into a bar...
We're just a few weeks away from the launch of the great-looking King of Fighters XV and, quite honestly, the buzz around it is far bigger than many of the legendary franchise's more-recent entries. Cottoning on to the fact that the new sequel might be attracting new fans, SNK superfan NeoGeoNow is releasing a series of videos to get folks up to speed on KoF's surprisingly deep and complex lore.
It's no Kingdom Hearts, but with over 100 fighters, three arcs, and over 12 g??ames, there's a lot to cover.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bDEzFGI_f4
This first video looks at the first King of Fighters arc, known to devotees as "The Orochi Saga." Spanning The King of Fighters '94, The King of Fighters '95, The King of Fighters '96, and The King of Fighters '97, this narrative concerns rival poster boys Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami. While the two resident hunks are in a deeply embittered rivalry, they are b?rought together by the mysterious Chizuru Kagura in order to p??revent the return of the terrifying, world-destroying demon, Orochi.
Of course, this is just a brief overview of King of Fighters' lore. Back in the day, each and every team and character has their own plotline, running through each and every game. Seriously, I used to have them all printed out and stored in a ring binder because I'm a massive fucking nerd. However, these new videos, clearly the result of many hours of hard work, will offer you the bullet-point version of KoF's decades-long lore.
No doubt the next lore video will look at the interminable NESTS saga, covering The King of Fighters '99 to The King of Fighters 2001. Great new characters and fab?? fashion, but clones, clones, and more clones.
The King of Fighters XV launches February 17 on PlayStation, PC??, and Xbox platform??s.
The post SNK fan vi?deo explains labyrinthine lore ahead of The King of Fighters XV appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>A guy, some clones, and a god walk into a bar...
We're just a few weeks away from the launch of the great-looking King of Fighters XV and, quite honestly, the buzz around it is far bigger than many of the legendary franchise's more-recent entries. Cottoning on to the fact that the new sequel might be attracting new fans, SNK superfan NeoGeoNow is releasing a series of videos to get folks up to speed on KoF's surprisingly deep and complex lore. It's no Kingdom Hearts, but with over 100 fighters, three arcs, and over 12 games, there's a lot to cover. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bDEzFGI_f4 This first video looks at the first King of Fighters arc, known to devotees as "The Orochi Saga." Spanning The King of Fighters '94, The King of Fighters '95, The King of Fighters '96, and The King of Fighters '97, this narrative concerns rival poster boys Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami. While the two resident hunks are in a deeply embittered rivalry, they are brought together by the mysterious Chizuru Kagura in order to prevent the return of the terrifying, world-destroying demon, Orochi. Of course, this is just a brief overview of King of Fighters' lore. Back in the day, each and every team and character has their own plotline, running through each and every game. Seriously, I used to have them all printed out and stored in a ring binder because I'm a massive fucking nerd. However, these new videos, clearly the result of many hours of hard work, will offer you the bullet-point version of KoF's decades-long lore. No doubt the next lore video will look at the interminable NESTS saga, covering The King of Fighters '99 to The King of Fighters 2001. Great new characters and fab fashion, but clones, clones, and more clones. The King of Fighters XV launches February 17 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.The post SNK fan video e??xplains labyrinthine lore ahead of The King of Fighters XV appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
Marking the Wolves
The King of Fighters XV hasn't even hit the ring yet, but that hasn't stopped SNK from rolling out details of the incoming?? slugger's post-release DLC. The publisher has announced that four additional teams will be added to the new fighter over the course of 2022, equating to a whopping 12 additional characters.
Currently, we only know the identity of the first two trios. Team Garou, as the name suggests, features three beloved characters from the excellent Neo Geo fighter Garou: Mark of the Wolves. This team consists of the stoic martial arts master Gato, the spunky pirate lass B. Jenet, and badass tearaway teen Rock Howard. Team Garou will arrive in March, a scant month after KoF XV's launch. Come on.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlyzD75j0JM
Team South Town, meanwhile, features three of Fatal Fury's most notorious and dangerous villains, namely the ??animalistic Ryuji Yamazaki, the bo-staff swinging Billy Kane, and the feared overlord of South Town himself, the mighty Geese Howard. Team South Town will launch at some point in May 2022. Two fu??rther teams will then join the roster in summer and fall 2022.
While it definitely should be noted that "month two DLC" is a stinky marketing tactic, I won't deny that The King of Fighters XV is shaping up to have the greatest roster in the franchise's three-decade history. The main players from every arc are all present and correct �?many facing each other down for the very first time. And mixing in the Garou crew only bolsters the fighters' overa?ll star pow??er.
Will we finally, finally see the return of the M.I.A. King of Fighters '94 "sports" team?
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyUAGcecGuc
The King of Fighters XV launches February 17 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. There are multiple editions available, and players picking up the Deluxe Edition will bag themselves both Team Garou and Team South Town, as well as classic costumes for Terry Bogard and Leona Heidern.
The post King of Fighters XV DLC includes B. Jenet, B?illy? Kane, Rock and Geese Howard appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>Marking the Wolves
The King of Fighters XV hasn't even hit the ring yet, but that hasn't stopped SNK from rolling out details of the incoming slugger's post-release DLC. The publisher has announced that four additional teams will be added to the new fighter over the course of 2022, equating to a whopping 12 additional characters. Currently, we only know the identity of the first two trios. Team Garou, as the name suggests, features three beloved characters from the excellent Neo Geo fighter Garou: Mark of the Wolves. This team consists of the stoic martial arts master Gato, the spunky pirate lass B. Jenet, and badass tearaway teen Rock Howard. Team Garou will arrive in March, a scant month after KoF XV's launch. Come on. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlyzD75j0JM Team South Town, meanwhile, features three of Fatal Fury's most notorious and dangerous villains, namely the animalistic Ryuji Yamazaki, the bo-staff swinging Billy Kane, and the feared overlord of South Town himself, the mighty Geese Howard. Team South Town will launch at some point in May 2022. Two further teams will then join the roster in summer and fall 2022. While it definitely should be noted that "month two DLC" is a stinky marketing tactic, I won't deny that The King of Fighters XV is shaping up to have the greatest roster in the franchise's three-decade history. The main players from every arc are all present and correct �?many facing each other down for the very first time. And mixing in the Garou crew only bolsters the fighters' overall star power. Will we finally, finally see the return of the M.I.A. King of Fighters '94 "sports" team? //www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyUAGcecGuc The King of Fighters XV launches February 17 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. There are multiple editions available, and players picking up the Deluxe Edition will bag themselves both Team Garou and Team South Town, as well as classic costumes for Terry Bogard and Leona Heidern.The post King of Fighters XV DLC includes B. Jenet, Billy Kane, Rock and Ge??ese Howard appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
You were expecting anybody else?
Kotobukiya has released the first images of the first King of Fighters figurine to join its long-running Bishoujo line �?As we have previously reported, fiery kunoichi Mai Shiranui will be the first in a series of figurines based on SNK's legendary fighting game The King of Fighters '98: The Slugfest.
As you can see from t?his first painted prototype, the beloved ninja gal is looking mighty fine, resplendent in her sculpted for??m. Like all of the figures in Kotobukiya's Bishoujo line, Ms. Shiranui is a 1/7 scale figure and is expected to stand in the region of about seven to eight inches tall. As is always the case with this line, the figurine is based on original artwork drawn by the fantastic artist Shunya Yamashita.
It was always worth putting good money on the possibility that Mai would be first in the new sub-series �?She's easily one of SNK's most popular characters ever, if not the most popular. Surprisingly, however, the second figure will not be Athena Asamiya, or Blue Mary, or even Chizuru Kagura. No, the second figure will be a feminized Terry Bogard, much like the character that appeared in SNK Tag Team Heroines. You can check out the preliminary artwork for our boy... umm... girl, right here.
Kotobukiya's Bishoujo Mai Shiranui is expected to be available for pre-order?? soon, with the figurine launching in late-2022. If recent Bishoujo release trends are to be followed, then we can expect her to retail somewhere in the region of $100�?20.
The post Mai Shiranui shines as Kotobukiya’s first King of Fighters Bishoujo appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>You were expecting anybody else?
Kotobukiya has released the first images of the first King of Fighters figurine to join its long-running Bishoujo line �?As we have previously reported, fiery kunoichi Mai Shiranui will be the first in a series of figurines based on SNK's legendary fighting game The King of Fighters '98: The Slugfest. As you can see from this first painted prototype, the beloved ninja gal is looking mighty fine, resplendent in her sculpted form. Like all of the figures in Kotobukiya's Bishoujo line, Ms. Shiranui is a 1/7 scale figure and is expected to stand in the region of about seven to eight inches tall. As is always the case with this line, the figurine is based on original artwork drawn by the fantastic artist Shunya Yamashita.
It was always worth putting good money on the possibility that Mai would be first in the new sub-series �?She's easily one of SNK's most popular characters ever, if not the most popular. Surprisingly, however, the second figure will not be Athena Asamiya, or Blue Mary, or even Chizuru Kagura. No, the second figure will be a feminized Terry Bogard, much like the character that appeared in SNK Tag Team Heroines. You can check out the preliminary artwork for our boy... umm... girl, right here.
Kotobukiya's Bishoujo Mai Shiranui is expected to be available for pre-order soon, with the figurine launching in late-2022. If recent Bishoujo release trends are to be followed, then we can expect her to retail somewhere in the region of $100�?20.The post Mai Shiranui shines as Kotobukiya’s first King of Fighters Bishoujo appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
The lengths I'll go to for tradition...
Koch Media has announced that the Omega Collector's Edition of The King of Fighters XV �?previously confirmed for Europe �?will be made available to Nor?th American players. Pre-orders will open soon ahead of the launch of the fist-throwing sequel, which launches on PC and consoles Fe??bruary 17.
The King of Fighters XV Omega Collector's Edition includes a boxed copy of The King of Fighters XV on PS4, PS5, or Xbox One, as well as an exclusive slipcase, a 119-page art book, a double-CD soundtrack, and three art lithographs featuring SNK stars Iori Yagami, Terry B??ogard, and the incomparable Mai Shiranui. A price is yet to be revealed. The clock's kinda tickin??g down, SNK...
In addition, this edition includes bonus character skins for Terry Bogard, based on his great Garou: Mark of the Wolves getup, and my gurl Leona Heidern, rocking her far superior classic military costume. These costumes are also available in th??e Day One standard edition (for Terry) and the $85 Digital Deluxe Edition (for Leona). Ugh. I guess I'm forking out those extra buckeroos. Anything for my running buddy.
The King of Fighters XV launches February 17 on PlayStation, PC, and ?Xbox One.
The post The King of F?ighters XV Omega Edition confirmed fo?r North America appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>The lengths I'll go to for tradition...
Koch Media has announced that the Omega Collector's Edition of The King of Fighters XV �?previously confirmed for Europe �?will be made available to North American players. Pre-orders will open soon ahead of the launch of the fist-throwing sequel, which launches on PC and consoles February 17. The King of Fighters XV Omega Collector's Edition includes a boxed copy of The King of Fighters XV on PS4, PS5, or Xbox One, as well as an exclusive slipcase, a 119-page art book, a double-CD soundtrack, and three art lithographs featuring SNK stars Iori Yagami, Terry Bogard, and the incomparable Mai Shiranui. A price is yet to be revealed. The clock's kinda ticking down, SNK...
In addition, this edition includes bonus character skins for Terry Bogard, based on his great Garou: Mark of the Wolves getup, and my gurl Leona Heidern, rocking her far superior classic military costume. These costumes are also available in the Day One standard edition (for Terry) and the $85 Digital Deluxe Edition (for Leona). Ugh. I guess I'm forking out those extra buckeroos. Anything for my running buddy.
The King of Fighters XV launches February 17 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox One.The post The King ?of Fighters XV Omega Edition confirmed for North America appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
Put a little Bogard in your weekend
Fighting game fans certainly have a big weekend ahead. Not only is Nexon debuting its shrouded-in-mystery fighter DNF Duel, but also receiving the open beta treatment is SNK's great King of Fighters XV, which returns for a second round of free-to-play pugili??sm. The beta goes live on PS4 and PS5 today and will run until Monday, December 20. ?Ho-Kay!
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=97a5ydi-c70
The second King of Fighters XV beta, much like the first, will give players the opportunity to check out the game's Training and Tutorial modes, and battle it out in both online and offline Vs. play. Both PlayStation crossplay and rollback netcode are in full effect, and will hopefully provide as similarly smooth an experience as I received during the initial beta. SNK has swapped out the roster of playable characters, giving fans a chance to check out Meitenkun, Antonov, K�? Blue Mary, Ryo Sakazaki, Terry Bogard, as well as newcomers Krohnen a??nd the super cool Isla. Just download the game client and you should be ready to rock.
The King of Fighters XV, currently in development for PC and console platforms, sees the long-running franchise fully embrace its new 2.5D universe. While the visual style is a bit of a shock to the system, the fact remains that the gameplay is faithful to the KoF's of yore, featuring fast-paced, challenging, and deep combat, with an emphasis on a variety of meter mechanics and precise space control. The King of Fighters XV promises to be the biggest entry in the series to date, with a whopping roster of characters, a full Story Mode, top-qual?ity online play, and ports to numerous platforms.
The King of Fighters XV launches on PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox One on February 17. You can check out my thoughts on the first beta right here.
The post The King of F??ighters XV second be??ta kicks off on PlayStation today appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>Put a little Bogard in your weekend
Fighting game fans certainly have a big weekend ahead. Not only is Nexon debuting its shrouded-in-mystery fighter DNF Duel, but also receiving the open beta treatment is SNK's great King of Fighters XV, which returns for a second round of free-to-play pugilism. The beta goes live on PS4 and PS5 today and will run until Monday, December 20. Ho-Kay! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=97a5ydi-c70 The second King of Fighters XV beta, much like the first, will give players the opportunity to check out the game's Training and Tutorial modes, and battle it out in both online and offline Vs. play. Both PlayStation crossplay and rollback netcode are in full effect, and will hopefully provide as similarly smooth an experience as I received during the initial beta. SNK has swapped out the roster of playable characters, giving fans a chance to check out Meitenkun, Antonov, K�? Blue Mary, Ryo Sakazaki, Terry Bogard, as well as newcomers Krohnen and the super cool Isla. Just download the game client and you should be ready to rock. The King of Fighters XV, currently in development for PC and console platforms, sees the long-running franchise fully embrace its new 2.5D universe. While the visual style is a bit of a shock to the system, the fact remains that the gameplay is faithful to the KoF's of yore, featuring fast-paced, challenging, and deep combat, with an emphasis on a variety of meter mechanics and precise space control. The King of Fighters XV promises to be the biggest entry in the series to date, with a whopping roster of characters, a full Story Mode, top-quality online play, and ports to numerous platforms. The King of Fighters XV launches on PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox One on February 17. You can check out my thoughts on the first beta right here.The post The King of Fighters XV second beta kicks off on PlayStat?ion to??day appeared first on Destructoid.
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HO-KAY!
It's a one-two combo of KoF news today, as SNK not only revealed brand new character "Krohnen" for its upcoming release King of Fighters XV, but a??lso announced a second open beta, ??scheduled to take place as soon as next weekend.
The open beta will once again take place on PlayStation platforms, and will run from Friday, December 17 until Monday, December 20. Players will be able to take the new sequel for a few rounds in the ring, checking out offline Vs. and online unranked matches, as well as the title's tutorial and training mode. Both crossplay and rollback netcode will be enabled. To shake things up, SNK is changing out the roster of selectable characters, allowing players to "Se?lect teh Ordah" from a team comprised of Krohnen, Isla, Meitenkun, Antonov, K�? Blue Mary, Ryo Sakazaki, and the incomparable Terry Bogard.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs84Liqy2wg
But wait, you might ask, who is "Krohnen"? Well, that's part two of today's news, as Krohnen is a brand new character to the King of Fighters universe, making his debut in King of Fighters XV. As you can see from his trailer above, Krohnen is something of a bad-boy biker rebel, most certainly up for the ruck. Die-hard KoF enthusiasts will recognize both his moveset, as well as elements of his design, as those of the lawsuit-baiting K'9999, who made his Tetsuo-like debut in KoF 2002 before lawyers came a'?knockin'??. It appears that Krohnen is a revamped version of this character.
The King of Fighters XV launches on PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox One on February 17. You can check out my thoughts on the most recent beta right here. While some still struggle to accept the franchise's 2.5D style, the gameplay remains sound, as to whether King of Fighters XV will find space within the crowded fighting game market. We'll have? to wait and see.
The post King of?? Fighters XV reveals newcomer Kroh??nen and new beta dates appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>HO-KAY!
It's a one-two combo of KoF news today, as SNK not only revealed brand new character "Krohnen" for its upcoming release King of Fighters XV, but also announced a second open beta, scheduled to take place as soon as next weekend. The open beta will once again take place on PlayStation platforms, and will run from Friday, December 17 until Monday, December 20. Players will be able to take the new sequel for a few rounds in the ring, checking out offline Vs. and online unranked matches, as well as the title's tutorial and training mode. Both crossplay and rollback netcode will be enabled. To shake things up, SNK is changing out the roster of selectable characters, allowing players to "Select teh Ordah" from a team comprised of Krohnen, Isla, Meitenkun, Antonov, K�? Blue Mary, Ryo Sakazaki, and the incomparable Terry Bogard. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs84Liqy2wg But wait, you might ask, who is "Krohnen"? Well, that's part two of today's news, as Krohnen is a brand new character to the King of Fighters universe, making his debut in King of Fighters XV. As you can see from his trailer above, Krohnen is something of a bad-boy biker rebel, most certainly up for the ruck. Die-hard KoF enthusiasts will recognize both his moveset, as well as elements of his design, as those of the lawsuit-baiting K'9999, who made his Tetsuo-like debut in KoF 2002 before lawyers came a'knockin'. It appears that Krohnen is a revamped version of this character. The King of Fighters XV launches on PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox One on February 17. You can check out my thoughts on the most recent beta right here. While some still struggle to accept the franchise's 2.5D style, the gameplay remains sound, as to whether King of Fighters XV will find space within the crowded fighting game market. We'll have to wait and see.The post ??King of Fighters XV reveals newcomer Krohnen and ?new beta dates appeared first on Destructoid.
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Making Kyo Humble
As some of you fine followers may know, yer boy Moyse is a long-time King of Fighters player, dating all the way back to the heady days of 1994. Additionally, my oft-used online pseudonym of "OrochiLeona" is based on one of my "most-played" video game characters of all time, the inimitable Leona Heidern. You might also know that, after literal decades of dedicated 100 MEG SHOCK! suppo??rt, developer SNK and? I are unfortunately going through something of an extended separation... And honestly, I don't how it's going to end.
Regardless, I thought it important as a lifelong KoF player �?and an internet scribe �?that I jump on the weekend's beta for the newest entry in the now 27-year-old fighting game franchise, The King of Fighters XV. Coming after a lengthy delay of over one year, the new sequel promises to be the biggest, best, and most feature-filled entry in the series to date. Lofty goals indeed. I jumped into this highly truncated edition (eight characters, three stages, and a mere handful of modes), to see how KoF XV might squar??e up in the ninth generation of fighting games... REEEADDDDY?... GO!
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pgEWn6E4ms
To immediately address the polygonal elephant in the room, I personally don't have too much of an issue with the series' move to 2.5D gameplay, as well as slightly janky 3D models. Do I prefer the pixel stylings of yesterday? Of course I do. And do I wish the beautiful, hand-drawn visuals of KoF XIII would return? Absolutely. However, I'm pragmatic about this. The simple fact is that The King of Fighters only continues to exist at all because it made the transition to "mo?dern" visuals.
SNK would not have found the cash, the backers, or the non-dedicated fan eyes necessary to continue producing its gorgeous hand-drawn 2D fighters. Bankruptcy and full studio closure beckoned time and again for an entire decade, and SNK had to be seen to be "moving forward," especially in the eyes of investors. Could the classic 2D style make a return eventually? Perhaps, and I really hope it does. But, realistically, KoF "evolved" (at least in the eyes of the money-men), in order to survive. And for now, at least, it has to be accepted that this is The King of Fighters. For better or worse.
Playing on PS5, the new character models are pretty slick, well designed, and nicely animated. It can't be denied that the textures occasionally look a little "flat" not even matching up to the quality of the now five-year-old Street Fighter V. But, for the most part, SNK's venture into the 2.5D universe is acceptable, with colorful, attractive characters that still "pop" thanks to their dazzling fashions, wild hair, colorful getups, and explosive movesets. Street Fighter might be for The World Warriors, but The King of Fighters has always been?? for the catwalk. New gal Dolores is an example o??f this mandate.
Those who have put time into the underplayed and underappreciated King of Fighters XIV will immediately be at home with KoF XV's general gameplay and performance. For those yet to try the newer KoF titles, The visuals might be hugely? different, but the fight itself maintains the speed, flow, and dyn??amism of even its pixel iterations. Charitably, Kof XIV and XV provide a mere coat of paint over the engine of the classic games, and while the segue from 2D to 2.5D has never been 1:1 from a flow standpoint, it's far closer than many would give it credit for.
The King of Fighters XV retains the deep mechanics of its many predecessors, with Dashing, Hops, H?yper Hops, Hyper Jumps, and the classic, four-button setup all in effect. Also returning are the five-stage meter; the power-boosting MAX Mode; Climax and Hyper Climax moves; and the C+D... (sorry, old habits die hard)... HP+HK "Blow Back" attack, which sends the o??pponent reeling into the corner, while offering a short opening for dash-in combos.
The single button "Rush" combos return from KoF XIV, while the all-new "Shatter Strike" mechanic (QCF + HP+HK) allows players to crumple the opponent at the cost of meter �?think a fully charged Focus Attack from Street Fighter IV. In terms of defense, evasive roll returns, as does fall break, guard crush, and Blow Back out of blockstun, letting a fighter spend bar to reverse the pressure of an onslaught. Almost all of these mechanics will be immediately familiar to KoF fans.
KoF XV makes for fast-paced, intense, and often dizzying gameplay, as is the series trademark. The King of Fighters has always been a fighter that can quickly overwhelm new players, (and even the in-game tutorial might be a tad over-complicated for absolute beginners). Regardless, KoF XV already appears to be an exciting and pulse-pounding slugfest, ready to rushdown your favorite team o' three all over again. Of course, the best players have already found 100% combos, wonky hitboxes, and other issues. But this is why ??we have beta??s, and there are still a few months to iron out the missteps.
The crux of this beta was to test the global performance of King of Fighters XV's much-vaunted rollback netcode, with connections defined by a five-level scale of quality. Over the course of the weekend, I had the best part of around 50 online fights. At Lvl. 3 connectivity or less, I didn't see many major lock-ups, but I definitely felt hefty frames of input lag �?enough to affect a player's sense of control, and definitely not tight enough for KoF's unforgiving input windows.
Happily, however, all fights I had at connectivity Lvls. 4 and 5 were uniformly great. These battles were slick, responsive, and reliable, with maybe three to five screen freezes in total, all of which only occurred during "busier" moments, such as character intros or the highly cinematic Hyper Climax moves. In my experience with the beta, The King of Fighters XV has very solid and very reliable, if not quite excepti??onal, netc??ode. Lvl. 4 provides a smooth, speedy, trustworthy connection.
Whether The King of Fighters XV will be a smash success will come down to three distinct factors: The strength of its gamepl??ay, the strength of its netcode, and the strength of its community. After just a handful of hours with a limited edition of the final game, I can speculatively speak to the gameplay �?I think it's g??onna be great. In regards to netcode, I had a very solid experience with strings of reliable, stress-free matches. As for the community? Ay, there's the rub...
The King of Fighters XV is shaping up to be a fine title, a worthy chapter in the franchise's storied legacy. However, it is on the players and the Fighting Game Community as to whether the title lives or dies, whether it's a flash in the pan, or runs proudly on the competitive circuit for season, after season. I'm here to tell you that The King of Fighters XV is currently looking pretty damn good. Whether it reaches its potential within compet?itive fighting games... That's your call.
The King of Fighters XV launches February 17 on PlayStation, Xbox One, and PC.
The post The King of Fighters XV: Impressions?? on a fast, faithful, and solid slugfest appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>Making Kyo Humble
As some of you fine followers may know, yer boy Moyse is a long-time King of Fighters player, dating all the way back to the heady days of 1994. Additionally, my oft-used online pseudonym of "OrochiLeona" is based on one of my "most-played" video game characters of all time, the inimitable Leona Heidern. You might also know that, after literal decades of dedicated 100 MEG SHOCK! support, developer SNK and I are unfortunately going through something of an extended separation... And honestly, I don't how it's going to end. Regardless, I thought it important as a lifelong KoF player �?and an internet scribe �?that I jump on the weekend's beta for the newest entry in the now 27-year-old fighting game franchise, The King of Fighters XV. Coming after a lengthy delay of over one year, the new sequel promises to be the biggest, best, and most feature-filled entry in the series to date. Lofty goals indeed. I jumped into this highly truncated edition (eight characters, three stages, and a mere handful of modes), to see how KoF XV might square up in the ninth generation of fighting games... REEEADDDDY?... GO! //www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pgEWn6E4ms To immediately address the polygonal elephant in the room, I personally don't have too much of an issue with the series' move to 2.5D gameplay, as well as slightly janky 3D models. Do I prefer the pixel stylings of yesterday? Of course I do. And do I wish the beautiful, hand-drawn visuals of KoF XIII would return? Absolutely. However, I'm pragmatic about this. The simple fact is that The King of Fighters only continues to exist at all because it made the transition to "modern" visuals. SNK would not have found the cash, the backers, or the non-dedicated fan eyes necessary to continue producing its gorgeous hand-drawn 2D fighters. Bankruptcy and full studio closure beckoned time and again for an entire decade, and SNK had to be seen to be "moving forward," especially in the eyes of investors. Could the classic 2D style make a return eventually? Perhaps, and I really hope it does. But, realistically, KoF "evolved" (at least in the eyes of the money-men), in order to survive. And for now, at least, it has to be accepted that this is The King of Fighters. For better or worse. Playing on PS5, the new character models are pretty slick, well designed, and nicely animated. It can't be denied that the textures occasionally look a little "flat" not even matching up to the quality of the now five-year-old Street Fighter V. But, for the most part, SNK's venture into the 2.5D universe is acceptable, with colorful, attractive characters that still "pop" thanks to their dazzling fashions, wild hair, colorful getups, and explosive movesets. Street Fighter might be for The World Warriors, but The King of Fighters has always been for the catwalk. New gal Dolores is an example of this mandate.
Those who have put time into the underplayed and underappreciated King of Fighters XIV will immediately be at home with KoF XV's general gameplay and performance. For those yet to try the newer KoF titles, The visuals might be hugely different, but the fight itself maintains the speed, flow, and dynamism of even its pixel iterations. Charitably, Kof XIV and XV provide a mere coat of paint over the engine of the classic games, and while the segue from 2D to 2.5D has never been 1:1 from a flow standpoint, it's far closer than many would give it credit for.
The King of Fighters XV retains the deep mechanics of its many predecessors, with Dashing, Hops, Hyper Hops, Hyper Jumps, and the classic, four-button setup all in effect. Also returning are the five-stage meter; the power-boosting MAX Mode; Climax and Hyper Climax moves; and the C+D... (sorry, old habits die hard)... HP+HK "Blow Back" attack, which sends the opponent reeling into the corner, while offering a short opening for dash-in combos.
The single button "Rush" combos return from KoF XIV, while the all-new "Shatter Strike" mechanic (QCF + HP+HK) allows players to crumple the opponent at the cost of meter �?think a fully charged Focus Attack from Street Fighter IV. In terms of defense, evasive roll returns, as does fall break, guard crush, and Blow Back out of blockstun, letting a fighter spend bar to reverse the pressure of an onslaught. Almost all of these mechanics will be immediately familiar to KoF fans.
KoF XV makes for fast-paced, intense, and often dizzying gameplay, as is the series trademark. The King of Fighters has always been a fighter that can quickly overwhelm new players, (and even the in-game tutorial might be a tad over-complicated for absolute beginners). Regardless, KoF XV already appears to be an exciting and pulse-pounding slugfest, ready to rushdown your favorite team o' three all over again. Of course, the best players have already found 100% combos, wonky hitboxes, and other issues. But this is why we have betas, and there are still a few months to iron out the missteps.
The crux of this beta was to test the global performance of King of Fighters XV's much-vaunted rollback netcode, with connections defined by a five-level scale of quality. Over the course of the weekend, I had the best part of around 50 online fights. At Lvl. 3 connectivity or less, I didn't see many major lock-ups, but I definitely felt hefty frames of input lag �?enough to affect a player's sense of control, and definitely not tight enough for KoF's unforgiving input windows.
Happily, however, all fights I had at connectivity Lvls. 4 and 5 were uniformly great. These battles were slick, responsive, and reliable, with maybe three to five screen freezes in total, all of which only occurred during "busier" moments, such as character intros or the highly cinematic Hyper Climax moves. In my experience with the beta, The King of Fighters XV has very solid and very reliable, if not quite exceptional, netcode. Lvl. 4 provides a smooth, speedy, trustworthy connection.
Whether The King of Fighters XV will be a smash success will come down to three distinct factors: The strength of its gameplay, the strength of its netcode, and the strength of its community. After just a handful of hours with a limited edition of the final game, I can speculatively speak to the gameplay �?I think it's gonna be great. In regards to netcode, I had a very solid experience with strings of reliable, stress-free matches. As for the community? Ay, there's the rub...
The King of Fighters XV is shaping up to be a fine title, a worthy chapter in the franchise's storied legacy. However, it is on the players and the Fighting Game Community as to whether the title lives or dies, whether it's a flash in the pan, or runs proudly on the competitive circuit for season, after season. I'm here to tell you that The King of Fighters XV is currently looking pretty damn good. Whether it reaches its potential within competitive fighting games... That's your call.
The King of Fighters XV launches February 17 on PlayStation, Xbox One, and PC.The post The King of Fighters XV: Impressions on a fast, faithful, a??nd?? solid slugfest appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
SELECT THE ORDER
[Update: A reminder for KoF fans that the beta kicks later this afternoon. The client is now available to download from the PlayStation Store. There is a separate client for PS4 and PS5, though crossplay will be available.]
For fans of the mighty King of Fighters franchise, (which, of course, includes yer boy), this weekend will be a pretty big one, as SNK launches the open beta of the next entry in this legendary franchise, The King of Fighters XV. The beta goes live on PlayStation platforms from Novemb?er 19, and is available to pre-load now in both its PS4 and PS5 iterations.
The King of Fighters XV open beta will offer up offline Vs. Training, and Tutorial modes, as well as online lobby matches and unranked Vs. battles. Players will be able to select from a limited roster of characters which includes Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, Shun'ei, Chizuru Kagura, Yashiro Nanakase, Chris, Shermie, and the super sexy newcomer, Dolores. There's no sign of my main gal Leona.? But that's cool. All in good time. Crossplay between PS4 and PS5 platforms will also be live.
For North American players, the open beta kicks off Friday, November 19 at 19:00 PT / 22:00 ET and will run until Monday, November 22 at 07:00 PT / 10:00. For European sluggers, the KoF XV beta goes live on Saturday, November 20 at 04:00 CET until Monday, November ??22 at 16:00 CET. During this time, online connectivity might be sporadic as SNK monitors game stability and tests for bugs and glitches across the board. I won't pretend that SNK and myself are not still embroiled in a pretty hefty lovers' tiff. But I'm interested to see what?? the new release brings, and so I'll see you in the ring.
The King of Fighters XV launches February 17, 2022 on PlayStation, X??box Series X/S, and PC.
The post (Update) King?? of Fighters XV open beta kicks off November 19, download now live on PlayStation appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>SELECT THE ORDER
[Update: A reminder for KoF fans that the beta kicks later this afternoon. The client is now available to download from the PlayStation Store. There is a separate client for PS4 and PS5, though crossplay will be available.] For fans of the mighty King of Fighters franchise, (which, of course, includes yer boy), this weekend will be a pretty big one, as SNK launches the open beta of the next entry in this legendary franchise, The King of Fighters XV. The beta goes live on PlayStation platforms from November 19, and is available to pre-load now in both its PS4 and PS5 iterations. The King of Fighters XV open beta will offer up offline Vs. Training, and Tutorial modes, as well as online lobby matches and unranked Vs. battles. Players will be able to select from a limited roster of characters which includes Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, Shun'ei, Chizuru Kagura, Yashiro Nanakase, Chris, Shermie, and the super sexy newcomer, Dolores. There's no sign of my main gal Leona. But that's cool. All in good time. Crossplay between PS4 and PS5 platforms will also be live. For North American players, the open beta kicks off Friday, November 19 at 19:00 PT / 22:00 ET and will run until Monday, November 22 at 07:00 PT / 10:00. For European sluggers, the KoF XV beta goes live on Saturday, November 20 at 04:00 CET until Monday, November 22 at 16:00 CET. During this time, online connectivity might be sporadic as SNK monitors game stability and tests for bugs and glitches across the board. I won't pretend that SNK and myself are not still embroiled in a pretty hefty lovers' tiff. But I'm interested to see what the new release brings, and so I'll see you in the ring. The King of Fighters XV launches February 17, 2022 on PlayStation, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.The post (Update) King of Fighte?rs XV open beta kicks off November 19, download now?? live on PlayStation appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
READDDDY... GO!
SNK, in association with developer Code Mystics, has announced that the much-vaunted rollback netcode will be implemented in the PC release of The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match - Final Edition. The update will roll out on the Steam p??latform this winter, following a series of incoming beta tests to ascertain its stability.
Final Edition is a revamped version of 2008 release The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match, which itself is a revamped version of the classic arcade hit The King of Fighters '98. Final Edition features all?? of the hard-hitting team-based combat of the original game, spruced up with a fresh balance update, online play, and a selection? of additional modes including Practice, Challenge, Endless, and the all-new custom "Ultimate Mode".
This news of the rollback update will please KoF's dedicated community, who still hold a candle for what is, quite easily, one of the most enduring entries in the long-running King of Fighters series. The addition of rollback netcode should provide a solid foundation to keep KoF '98 and its players throwing down for years to come, or at least in anticipation of the upcoming sequel King of Fighters XV, which will finally launch in early 2022. We'll be sure to let you know when the new?? netcode update finally drops.
The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match - Final Edition is available now on PC via Steam.
//twitter.com/SNKPofficial/status/14?43441727134572550?s=20
The post Rollback netcode headed to King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate Match on PC appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>READDDDY... GO!
SNK, in association with developer Code Mystics, has announced that the much-vaunted rollback netcode will be implemented in the PC release of The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match - Final Edition. The update will roll out on the Steam platform this winter, following a series of incoming beta tests to ascertain its stability. Final Edition is a revamped version of 2008 release The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match, which itself is a revamped version of the classic arcade hit The King of Fighters '98. Final Edition features all of the hard-hitting team-based combat of the original game, spruced up with a fresh balance update, online play, and a selection of additional modes including Practice, Challenge, Endless, and the all-new custom "Ultimate Mode". This news of the rollback update will please KoF's dedicated community, who still hold a candle for what is, quite easily, one of the most enduring entries in the long-running King of Fighters series. The addition of rollback netcode should provide a solid foundation to keep KoF '98 and its players throwing down for years to come, or at least in anticipation of the upcoming sequel King of Fighters XV, which will finally launch in early 2022. We'll be sure to let you know when the new netcode update finally drops. The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match - Final Edition is available now on PC via Steam. //twitter.com/SNKPofficial/status/1443441727134572550?s=20The post Rollback netcode headed to King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate Match on PC appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
Kinda takes 'Pocket' out of the equation though
Happy Days. SNK has surprise dropped its Switch compendium Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 on PC, bringing a slew of great but hard-to-obtain handheld titles to the Steam platform. Available right?? n?ow at a limited-time price of $32.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZTNBnlAt9c
As a quick reminder, Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is comprised of all of the re-released titles from SNK's awesome-but-underplayed handheld, bundled together in one handy collection. Included in the package are hits Samurai Shodown! 2, King of Fighters R-2, SNK Gals�?Fighters, Fatal Fury: First Contact, The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny. Exclusive to the compilation are cutesy golf sim Big Tournament Golf, RPG Dark Arms: Beast Buster, and both Metal Slug: 1st Mission and Metal Slug: 2nd Mission.
It should be noted, however, that the brilliant SNK vs Capcom: Match of the Millennium is NOT included in the Steam release, and has been broken? out to be sold separately...
...Thanks for that.
As well as the fully-restored versions of these ace games, there's also a fun gallery featuring 3D recreations of the original game packaging, monochromatic display options, and support for local two-player co-op. This latter feature was difficult to enjoy back in 2000 when you were the only person you knew who actually owned a Neo Geo Pocket Color console. Some of these titles are real gem??s, however, and the fact they have been collated and archived for new audiences is a genuinely important motion?? for video game history. If you have the dollarydoos to spare, consider checking them out.
Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is available? now on PC for $31.99. The price will rise t?o $39.99 October 6.
The post Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 now av??ailable on PC appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>Kinda takes 'Pocket' out of the equation though
Happy Days. SNK has surprise dropped its Switch compendium Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 on PC, bringing a slew of great but hard-to-obtain handheld titles to the Steam platform. Available right now at a limited-time price of $32. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZTNBnlAt9c As a quick reminder, Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is comprised of all of the re-released titles from SNK's awesome-but-underplayed handheld, bundled together in one handy collection. Included in the package are hits Samurai Shodown! 2, King of Fighters R-2, SNK Gals�?Fighters, Fatal Fury: First Contact, The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny. Exclusive to the compilation are cutesy golf sim Big Tournament Golf, RPG Dark Arms: Beast Buster, and both Metal Slug: 1st Mission and Metal Slug: 2nd Mission. It should be noted, however, that the brilliant SNK vs Capcom: Match of the Millennium is NOT included in the Steam release, and has been broken out to be sold separately... ...Thanks for that. As well as the fully-restored versions of these ace games, there's also a fun gallery featuring 3D recreations of the original game packaging, monochromatic display options, and support for local two-player co-op. This latter feature was difficult to enjoy back in 2000 when you were the only person you knew who actually owned a Neo Geo Pocket Color console. Some of these titles are real gems, however, and the fact they have been collated and archived for new audiences is a genuinely important motion for video game history. If you have the dollarydoos to spare, consider checking them out. Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is available now on PC for $31.99. The price will rise to $39.99 October 6.The post Neo Geo Pocket?? Color Selection Vol. 1 now available on PC appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
Mai Shiranui joins the massive roster of Kotobukiya gals
While I've long since reduced my compulsive purchasing of video game/anime/pop-culture related merch, one line that still gets me to open my wallet now and again is Kotobukiya's "Bishoujo" range. While I've ditched much of the toys, collectibles, and figures I've bagged over the years, I still have a neat shelf sporting the likes of Street Fighter's Juri, Poison, and Cammy. Tekken's Lucky Chloe and Asuka, Marvel's Kamala Khan and Wasp, and many other awesome superstars. You can see some of them in this silly video.
But lordy, I'm going to need more room, as Kotobukiya has finally secured the King of Fighters '98 license, essentially confirming that the fighting femmes of my favorite franchise are all about to receive the Kotobukiya treatment. Case in Point, fiery kunoichi Mai Shiranui, who was revealed this weekend as the first KoF star to be immortalized in Kotobukiya form. No date was offered for Ms. Shiranui's arrival, but we did get an ?awesome concept art mock-up, done by the awesome Shunya Yamashita. I'm sure the final piece will look suitably fantastic.
Given that the Kotobukiya license is for KoF '98 in particular, this suggests that Mai will potentially be followed by characters such as Yuri Sakazaki, Shermie, Blue Mary, Athena Asamiya, King, Chizuru, Mature & Vice, and perhaps my personal favorite, the indomita??ble Leona Heidern.
There's usually quite a wait from promo art to prototype, and?? then prototype to pre-order, and then pre-order to launch. So we can expect more details on Mai and pals in mid-2022. I am doomed to buy them all. Every single one. C'est la vie.
//twitter.com/Kotobukiya_EN/st??atus/1431784666588225537?s=20
The post Kotobukiya reveals the first King of Fighters? Bishoujo figur??e. No prizes for guessing who. appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>Mai Shiranui joins the massive roster of Kotobukiya gals
While I've long since reduced my compulsive purchasing of video game/anime/pop-culture related merch, one line that still gets me to open my wallet now and again is Kotobukiya's "Bishoujo" range. While I've ditched much of the toys, collectibles, and figures I've bagged over the years, I still have a neat shelf sporting the likes of Street Fighter's Juri, Poison, and Cammy. Tekken's Lucky Chloe and Asuka, Marvel's Kamala Khan and Wasp, and many other awesome superstars. You can see some of them in this silly video. But lordy, I'm going to need more room, as Kotobukiya has finally secured the King of Fighters '98 license, essentially confirming that the fighting femmes of my favorite franchise are all about to receive the Kotobukiya treatment. Case in Point, fiery kunoichi Mai Shiranui, who was revealed this weekend as the first KoF star to be immortalized in Kotobukiya form. No date was offered for Ms. Shiranui's arrival, but we did get an awesome concept art mock-up, done by the awesome Shunya Yamashita. I'm sure the final piece will look suitably fantastic. Given that the Kotobukiya license is for KoF '98 in particular, this suggests that Mai will potentially be followed by characters such as Yuri Sakazaki, Shermie, Blue Mary, Athena Asamiya, King, Chizuru, Mature & Vice, and perhaps my personal favorite, the indomitable Leona Heidern. There's usually quite a wait from promo art to prototype, and then prototype to pre-order, and then pre-order to launch. So we can expect more details on Mai and pals in mid-2022. I am doomed to buy them all. Every single one. C'est la vie. //twitter.com/Kotobukiya_EN/status/1431784666588225537?s=20The post Kotobukiya reveals the first King of Fighters Bishoujo figur??e. No prizes for guessing who. appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
Bumper release features 39 characters, rollback netcode, and more
SNK has finally offered up a release date for its upcoming epic slugfest The King of Fighters XV. The team-based fighter will finally launch on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox One on February 17, 2022, following on from its recent delay.
The long-time developer/publisher also released a slew of new details for the fighter, including the long-anticipated confirmation that KoF XV will support rollback netcode for what hopes to be the franchise's best online capabilities to date. SNK also announced that all previous protagonists from the KoF series storied history will be returning to the ring, so fans can expect the?? likes of Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, Chizuru Kagura, K', and my returning husba??ndo, Ash Crimson. Swoonsville. SNK suggests that the new story mode will see all previous arcs come to an "explosive climax".
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o7Ip64-Sio
A feature-packed release will include a roster of around 39 fighters, with six further characters expected as post-release DLC. King of Fighters XV will feature typical Arcade and Vs. modes, as well as a full Story Mode, training options, online tournament options, a gallery mode, and an all-new "DJ" mode featuring an incredible 300 tracks picked from the entire King of Fighters saga. ?A brand new animated short �?from anime veteran Masami Oba??ri �?will also be featured.
In all honesty, it looks as if SNK is going all-out to make King of Fighters XV the most prestigious entry in the franchise's almost 30-year lifespan. The King of Fighters is my favorite fighting game series of all time, and while SNK and I definitely are going through something of a... marriage counseling crisis... I won't deny that KoF XV is looking great.
Pre-orders are now live on a selection of KoF XV releases. The standard edition will launch on all platforms for $60, with day one purchases bagging a Garou: Mark of the Wolves skin for Terry Bogard. The $85 Digital Deluxe edition includes a copy of the game, a season pa??ss for the six DLC characters plus an exclusive "classic" skin for my favorite character, Leona Heidern... Thanks for that. The DLC season pass will be available separately for an eyebrow-raising $30.
The post King of Fighters XV arrives Feb 17 and it’s looking crazy impressive appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>Bumper release features 39 characters, rollback netcode, and more
SNK has finally offered up a release date for its upcoming epic slugfest The King of Fighters XV. The team-based fighter will finally launch on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox One on February 17, 2022, following on from its recent delay. The long-time developer/publisher also released a slew of new details for the fighter, including the long-anticipated confirmation that KoF XV will support rollback netcode for what hopes to be the franchise's best online capabilities to date. SNK also announced that all previous protagonists from the KoF series storied history will be returning to the ring, so fans can expect the likes of Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, Chizuru Kagura, K', and my returning husbando, Ash Crimson. Swoonsville. SNK suggests that the new story mode will see all previous arcs come to an "explosive climax". //www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o7Ip64-Sio A feature-packed release will include a roster of around 39 fighters, with six further characters expected as post-release DLC. King of Fighters XV will feature typical Arcade and Vs. modes, as well as a full Story Mode, training options, online tournament options, a gallery mode, and an all-new "DJ" mode featuring an incredible 300 tracks picked from the entire King of Fighters saga. A brand new animated short �?from anime veteran Masami Obari �?will also be featured. In all honesty, it looks as if SNK is going all-out to make King of Fighters XV the most prestigious entry in the franchise's almost 30-year lifespan. The King of Fighters is my favorite fighting game series of all time, and while SNK and I definitely are going through something of a... marriage counseling crisis... I won't deny that KoF XV is looking great.
Pre-orders are now live on a selection of KoF XV releases. The standard edition will launch on all platforms for $60, with day one purchases bagging a Garou: Mark of the Wolves skin for Terry Bogard. The $85 Digital Deluxe edition includes a copy of the game, a season pass for the six DLC characters plus an exclusive "classic" skin for my favorite character, Leona Heidern... Thanks for that. The DLC season pass will be available separately for an eyebrow-raising $30.The post King of Fighters XV arrives Feb 17 and it’s looking crazy impressive appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>
(Not Pictured)
SNK Corporation has a brand new CEO in the form of former Sega Japan president Kenji Matsubara. Matsubara's employment as the long-time developer/publisher marks the next step in SNK's ef??forts to expand both its growth oppo?rtunities and its global reach as SNK enters its fifth decade of operation.
"We will aim for further increase in corporate value under [Matsubara's] leadership," said SNK of its new head honcho. "With the appointment of Kenji, we promise that?? SNK is positioning itself for a new phase of growth and development."
Matsubara has a storied career in the industry and experience with major players. The 59-year-old spent nine years as president and CEO of publisher Koei Tecmo, as well as two years working in the same capacity at mobile giant Zynga. Matsubara joined Sega as Chief Technological Officer in 2014, eventually becoming Chief of Operations and finally company president, before resigning from the role in 2020 for what he ci?ted as "personal reasons."
Matsubara brings a lot of heavyweight experience to SNK, which is currently in the process of increasing its output and worldwide presence. The studio's next releases will be The King of Fighters XV, which will launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and PC in 2022, and the recently revealed Metal Slug Tactics, currently in development fo??r PC for an undisclosed date.
The post For??mer Sega President Kenji Matsubara takes on role on new SNK CEO appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>(Not Pictured)
SNK Corporation has a brand new CEO in the form of former Sega Japan president Kenji Matsubara. Matsubara's employment as the long-time developer/publisher marks the next step in SNK's efforts to expand both its growth opportunities and its global reach as SNK enters its fifth decade of operation. "We will aim for further increase in corporate value under [Matsubara's] leadership," said SNK of its new head honcho. "With the appointment of Kenji, we promise that SNK is positioning itself for a new phase of growth and development." Matsubara has a storied career in the industry and experience with major players. The 59-year-old spent nine years as president and CEO of publisher Koei Tecmo, as well as two years working in the same capacity at mobile giant Zynga. Matsubara joined Sega as Chief Technological Officer in 2014, eventually becoming Chief of Operations and finally company president, before resigning from the role in 2020 for what he cited as "personal reasons." Matsubara brings a lot of heavyweight experience to SNK, which is currently in the process of increasing its output and worldwide presence. The studio's next releases will be The King of Fighters XV, which will launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and PC in 2022, and the recently revealed Metal Slug Tactics, currently in development for PC for an undisclosed date.The post Former Sega President Kenji Matsubara takes o??n role on new SNK CEO appeared first on Destructoid.
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SNK's team fighting franchise returns in early 2022
SNK has announced an Xbox edition of its delayed slugfest, The King of Fighters XV. The latest entry in the ??studio'??s excellent fighting franchise will be made available for PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X when it launches in the first quarter of 2022. Oddly, there is no mention of an Xbox One edition. Global distribution will be handled by Koch Media.
"We are delighted to be working again with SNK and excited to support them with our loc??al publishing offices around the world," said Koch Media's Stephan Schmidt in a press statement. "It is particularly thrilling to be able to work on such a legendary fighting game franchise. I’m convinced that we’ll achieve great things together for the digital and physical release of this title."
The King of Fighters XV will once again see a massive h?ost of the publisher's hardest nuts gather in teams of three to square off in h?ard-hitting combat. Series veterans such as Kyo Kusanagi, Ryo Sakazaki, Leona Heidern, Mai Shiranui, and Terry Bogard are all present and correct, joined by some of the series' more recent roster additions, including the sleep-addled Meitenkun and the delectable Juri-lite, Luong. Also returning to the ring is the sinister Team Orochi, comprised of Yashiro Nanakase, Chris, and everybody's favorite fashionista, Shermie.
King of Fighters XV launches in 2022 on ?PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and P??C via Steam and Epic Games Store.
//twitter.com/SNKPoffic??ial/status/1412426113482039297?s=20
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]]>SNK's team fighting franchise returns in early 2022
SNK has announced an Xbox edition of its delayed slugfest, The King of Fighters XV. The latest entry in the studio's excellent fighting franchise will be made available for PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X when it launches in the first quarter of 2022. Oddly, there is no mention of an Xbox One edition. Global distribution will be handled by Koch Media. "We are delighted to be working again with SNK and excited to support them with our local publishing offices around the world," said Koch Media's Stephan Schmidt in a press statement. "It is particularly thrilling to be able to work on such a legendary fighting game franchise. I’m convinced that we’ll achieve great things together for the digital and physical release of this title." The King of Fighters XV will once again see a massive host of the publisher's hardest nuts gather in teams of three to square off in hard-hitting combat. Series veterans such as Kyo Kusanagi, Ryo Sakazaki, Leona Heidern, Mai Shiranui, and Terry Bogard are all present and correct, joined by some of the series' more recent roster additions, including the sleep-addled Meitenkun and the delectable Juri-lite, Luong. Also returning to the ring is the sinister Team Orochi, comprised of Yashiro Nanakase, Chris, and everybody's favorite fashionista, Shermie. King of Fighters XV launches in 2022 on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. //twitter.com/SNKPofficial/status/1412426113482039297?s=20The post King of Fighters XV is coming to Xbox Series X, but ??seemingly not Xbox One or Switch appeared first on Destructoid.
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SNK sequel needs more time in training
SNK has announced that its upcoming tag-team scrapper The King of Fighters XV will no longer meet its expected 2021 release date. In a very brief message on its official blog, the developer state?d that it has rescheduled the sequel's lau?nch to the first quarter of 2022.
"The development timeline we set out to reach in the beginning has been affected by the ever-still rising cases of ??COVID-19 within Japan" explains SNK. "We have made the ultimate decision in the end that the product’s quality must come ?first, and so with that decision comes an altered release window."
"We sincerely ask for your kind patience and understanding as our development teams continue to work hard on KoF XV as we draw closer to its release."
The 15th mainline entry in what has become the old-school studio's flagship fighting franchise, The King of Fighters XV will once again see a huge roster of combatants �?representing SNK's storied history in the fight game �?team up for a global 3-on-3 tournament. The roster will include a bevy of series veterans such as Kyo Kusanagi, Leona Heidern, and Mai Shiranui, as well as some latter-day KoF stars like Shun'ei and Meitenkun.
KoF XV will retain the modern 2.5D style of its predecessor, and will feature both internally produced rollback netcode, as well as what SNK is calling the most fun and engaging story mode in KoF history.
The King of Fighters XV will now launch in Q1 2022 on unsp?ecified platforms.
??//twitter.com/SNKPofficial/status/1399908628815962113?s=2??0
The post T?he King of Fighters XV pus?hes back bell time to early 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>SNK sequel needs more time in training
SNK has announced that its upcoming tag-team scrapper The King of Fighters XV will no longer meet its expected 2021 release date. In a very brief message on its official blog, the developer stated that it has rescheduled the sequel's launch to the first quarter of 2022. "The development timeline we set out to reach in the beginning has been affected by the ever-still rising cases of COVID-19 within Japan" explains SNK. "We have made the ultimate decision in the end that the product’s quality must come first, and so with that decision comes an altered release window." "We sincerely ask for your kind patience and understanding as our development teams continue to work hard on KoF XV as we draw closer to its release." The 15th mainline entry in what has become the old-school studio's flagship fighting franchise, The King of Fighters XV will once again see a huge roster of combatants �?representing SNK's storied history in the fight game �?team up for a global 3-on-3 tournament. The roster will include a bevy of series veterans such as Kyo Kusanagi, Leona Heidern, and Mai Shiranui, as well as some latter-day KoF stars like Shun'ei and Meitenkun. KoF XV will retain the modern 2.5D style of its predecessor, and will feature both internally produced rollback netcode, as well as what SNK is calling the most fun and engaging story mode in KoF history. The King of Fighters XV will now launch in Q1 2022 on unspecified platforms. //twitter.com/SNKPofficial/status/1399908628815962113?s=20The post The King of Fighte?rs XV pushes back bel??l time to early 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.
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Pocket-sized Rawkit Lawnchair
I'm going to cover this news even though the??y didn't include Leona in the promotional shot. Harumph.
SNK has released Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 on Nintendo Switch. The retro compilation is now available to download from the Nintendo eShop? for around $40, which is less? than these titles would cost you if you picked them up today in their original form.
The compilation brings together great titles from SNK excellent but ill-fated handheld from the early '00s. Included in the package are the previously released Samurai Shodown! 2, King of Fighters R-2, SNK Gals' Fighters, Fatal Fury: First Contact, The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny, and the brilliant SNK vs Capcom: Match of the Millennium. New to this compilation are cutesy golf sim Big Tournament Golf, RPG Dark Arms: Beast Buster, and both Metal Slug: 1st Mission and Metal Slug: 2nd Mission.
Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 includes 3D models of each game's original packaging and cartridge, and players also have the option ?of displaying the Neo Geo Pocket titles with their original monochromatic visuals. I'm very happy to s??ee all of these games archived for future generations, given the increasing rarity of some of the releases.
While the NGPC console was most certainly under-played and under-purchased at launch, it's heartening to see these great games return for some deserved time in the spotlight. Good stuff.
The post Neo Geo Pocket Color Se??lection Vol.1 out now on Switch, includes Metal Slug titles appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>Pocket-sized Rawkit Lawnchair
I'm going to cover this news even though they didn't include Leona in the promotional shot. Harumph.
SNK has released Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 on Nintendo Switch. The retro compilation is now available to download from the Nintendo eShop for around $40, whi?ch is less than these titles would cost you if you picked them up today in their original form.
The compilation brings together great titles from SNK excellent but ill-fated handheld from the early '00s. Included in the package are the previously released Samurai Shodown! 2, King of Fighters R-2, SNK Gals' Fighters, Fatal Fury: First Contact, The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny, and the brilliant SNK vs Capcom: Match of the Millennium. New to this compilation are cutesy golf sim Big Tournament Golf, RPG Dark Arms: Beast Buster, and both Metal Slug: 1st Mission and Metal Slug: 2nd Mission.
Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 includes 3D models of each game's original packaging and cartridge, and players also have the option of displaying the Neo Geo Pocket titles with their original monochromatic visuals. I'm very happy to see all of these games archived for future generations, given the increasi??ng rarity of some of the releases.
While the NGPC console was most certainly under-played and under-purchased at launch, it's heartening to see these great games return for some deserved time in the spotlight. Good stuff.
The post Neo Geo Po??cket Color Selection Vol.1 out now on Switch, includes Metal Slug tit?les appeared first on Destructoid.
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A collection of rare titles at an affordable price
SNK has announced that it will be compiling its recent Neo Geo Pocket Color re-releases for an all-in-one compilation for Nintendo Switch. The publisher did not announce a release date nor a price for the Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection, with more information ar??riving "in the coming weeks."
The compilation will include the six previously released NGPC titles. This includes Samurai Shodown! 2, SNK Gals' Fighters, King of Fighters R-2, Fatal Fury: First Contact, The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny, and finally the just-released SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium. All of the above titles are currently available for around $8 each, it remains to be seen whether the compilat??ion will offer the set at a discount.
Regardless of the price, many of the above titles - particularly SVC: MotM and Gals' Fighters - can rarely be found in the original NGPC format outside of expensive boutique outlets and online auctions, so it's been one of the recent years' small victories to see these very slick, cool, and hugely underplayed titles made available to fans at affordable prices once again. The Neo Geo Pocket Color might not have been a success, but the creativity utilized in order to shrink down SNK's huge library of fighters to pocket-size deserves to be preserved for current and future gener?ations. Hopefully more NGPC t??itles are en route.
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]]>A collection of rare titles at an affordable price
SNK has announced that it will be compiling its recent Neo Geo Pocket Color re-releases for an all-in-one compilation for Nintendo Switch. The publisher did not announce a release date nor a price for the Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection, with more information arriving "in the coming weeks."
The compilation will include the six previously released NGPC titles. This includes Samurai Shodown! 2, SNK Gals' Fighters, King of Fighters R-2, Fatal Fury: First Contact, The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny, and finally the just-released SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium. All of?? the above titles are currently available for ar?ound $8 each, it remains to be seen whether the compilation will offer the set at a discount.
Regardless of the price, many of the above titles - particularly SVC: MotM and Gals' Fighters - can rarely be found in the original NGPC format outside of expensive boutique outlets ?and online auctions, so it's been one of the recent years' small victories to see these very slick, cool, and hugely underplayed titles made available to fans at affordable prices once again. The Neo Geo Pocket Color might not have been a success, but the creativity utilized in order to shrink down SNK's huge library of fighters to pocket-size deserves to be preserved for current and future generations. Hopefully more NGPC titles are en route.
The post Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection? compilation headed to Switch, includes SvC: Match?? of the Millennium appeared first on Destructoid.
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Come for Iori's abs, stay for the rollback netcode
SNK has released one of the finest fighting games ever made, The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, on PS4 via the ??PlayStation S??tore. A global physical release will follow later in Spring.
Originally released in 2009 on PS2 (before later being ported to Xbox 360 and PC via Steam), KoF 2002 UM is a remake of the ninth entry in the crossover fighting franchise, released in arcades and on consoles in 2002, naturally. Unlimited Match features what stands to date as the largest roster in KoF history, with an amaz?ing 66 characters taken from the series' previous entries, as well as exclusive character "Nameless" - a replacement for the lawsuit-baiting K9999.
The new PS4 release includes online and offline Vs. modes, training and survival modes, and a new replay system. Most importantly, KoF 2002 UM for PS4 features rollback netcode for its online play, which developer Code Mystics hopes will provide an optimum experience for KoF fans returning to the g??lobal community to further their decades-long feuds.
While King of Fighters fans will have their own subjective opinions in regards to series favorites, King of Fighters 02 UM is absolutely one of the franchise's best entries, with fantastic character artwork, a great soundtrack, and an incredible roster of characters. KoF 02 UM sits alongside KoF XIII as two of the long-runn?ing series' absolute highlights. The only thing missing here is muh boy Ash Crimson. But you can't al??ways have it all...
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]]>Come for Iori's abs, stay for the rollback netcode
SNK has released one of the finest fighting games ever made, The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, on PS4 via the PlayStation Store. A global physical release will follow later in Spring.
Originally released in 2009 on PS2 (before later being ported to Xbox 360 and PC via Steam), KoF 2002 UM is a remake of the ninth entry in the crossover fighting franchise, released in arcades and on consoles in 2002, naturally. Unlimited Match features what stands to date as the largest roster in KoF history, with an amazing 66 characters taken from the series' previous entries, as well as?? exclusive character "Nameless" - a replacement for the lawsuit-baiting K9999.
The new PS4 release includes online and offline Vs. modes, training and survival modes, and a new replay system. Most importantly, KoF 2002 UM for PS4 features rollback netcode for its online play, which developer Code Mystics hopes will provide an optimum experience for KoF fans returning to ??the global community to further their decades-long feuds.
While King of Fighters fans will have their own subjective opinions in regards to series favorites, King of Fighters 02 UM is absolutely one of the franchise's best entries, with fantastic character artwork, a great soundtrack, and an incredible roster of characters. KoF 02 UM sits alongside KoF XIII as tw?o of the long-running series' absolute highlights. The only thing missing here is muh boy Ash Crimson. But?? you can't always have it all...
The post The excellent King?? of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match now available on PS4 appeared first on Destructoid.
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Are you adequately prepared to Rock (Howard)?
To this day, SNK's 1999 release Garou: Mark of the Wolves stands as one of the greatest fighting games ever made, period. Launched amidst a run of fairly interchangeable King of Fighters releases, the ninth - and to date final - episode in the Fatal Fury saga remains etched in the?? annals of video game history.
So it's no wonder that since its genre-shaking release, fight fans have been calling for a sequel, or even just a remaster, which will allow new gene??rations of players to feast upon the luscious visuals, beautiful animation, cool sounds, and deep, satisfying gameplay that sees Terry Bogard, B. Jenet, Tizoc and Hotaru throwing fists in the climax of South Town's battle for dominance.
Lizardcube, the retro-lovin' studio responsible for throwbacks such as Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap and last year's amazing Streets of Rage 4 clearly hold Garou in similarly high regard, releasing this stunning mockup, which hypothetically imagines what could be should its talented team of artists and designers be let loose on the Fatal Fury universe. The image features Garou's baggy-jacketed protagonist Rock Howard, preparing to throw down with "Boss Fur??" against a typically detailed SNK-style backdrop.
The image is splashed in the luscious hand-drawn art style and vivid colors that typify Lizardcube's games – the same aesthetic that helped make Streets of Rage 4 such a smash among fighting game fans. In addition, Lizardcube released a time-l??apse video of the artwork's patient creation at the hands of its own Ben Fiquet. This condensed clip is a testament to the painstaking effort and talent that goes into creating a single image, let alone an entire game.
As for "Garou 2"... Well, it's been over two decades now, and although some of the legendary fighters' characters have popped up in latter-day SNK releases, it seems that any hopes of an actual sequel remain filed alongside Capcom vs. SNK 3, Darkstalkers 4 and many?? other titles that – for the foreseeable future at least &?ndash; remain little more than dreams of what might be.
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]]>Are you adequately prepared to Rock (Howard)?
To this day, SNK's 1999 release Garou: Mark of the Wolves stands as one of the greatest fighting games ever made, period. Launched amidst a run of fairly interchangeable King of Fighters releases, the ninth - and to date final - episode in the Fatal Fury saga remains etched in the annals of video game history.
So it's no wonder that since its genre-shaking release, fight fans have been calling for a sequ??el, or even just a remaster, which will allow new generations of players to feast upon the luscious visuals, beautiful animation, cool sounds, and deep, satisfying gameplay that sees Te??rry Bogard, B. Jenet, Tizoc and Hotaru throwing fists in the climax of South Town's battle for dominance.
Lizardcube, the retro-lovin' studio responsible for throwbacks such as Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap and last year's amazing Streets of Rage 4 clearly hold Garou in similarly high regard, releasing this stunning mockup, which hypothetically imagines what could be should its talented team of artists and designers be let loose on the Fatal Fury universe. The image features Garou's baggy-jacketed prot?agonist Rock Howard, preparing to throw down with "Boss Fur" against a typically detailed SNK-style backdrop.
The image is splashed in the luscious hand-drawn art style and vivid colors that typify Lizardcube's games – the same aesthetic that helped make Streets of Rage 4 such a smash among fighting game fans. In addition, Lizardcube released a time-lapse video of the ar??twork's ??patient creation at the hands of its own Ben Fiquet. This condensed clip is a testament to the painstaking effort and talent that goes into creating a single image, let alone an entire game.
As for "Garou 2"... Well, it's been over two decades now, and although some of the legendary fighters' characters have popped up in latter-day SNK releases, it seems that any hopes of an actual sequel remain filed alongside Capcom vs. SNK 3, Darkstalkers 4 and many other titles that – for the foreseeable future ??a?t least – remain little more than dreams of what might be.
The post Garou: Mark of the Wolves 2 mockup is Lizardcube’s stylish imagining of an SNK classic appeared first on Destructoid.
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And Fatal Fury: First Contact is headed to Nintendo Switch
Once again, the spoileriffic Game Rating and Administration Committee of Korea has spilled the beans on some rad retro titles headed to modern platforms. According to the new site listings, SNK is currently in the process of bringing the excellent King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match to PS4, a port of Code Mystics' PC re-release.
The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match gathers together an amazing 65 characters - all pulled from the classic Neo Geo fighting franchise - for an almighty three-on-three throwdown to establish who truly is the greatest scrapper on the planet (spoilers: Leona Heidern). With the PC edition having recently received a very welcome rollback netcode update, this PS4 port will hopefully further secure the community for this amazing title for years? to come??.
And speaking of SNK classics, the ratings board has also revealed the next title coming to the Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection on Nintendo Switch. Originally released in 1999 for the nifty handheld console, Fatal Fury: First Contact is a cute adaptation of SNK classic Real Bout Fatal Fury 2, and sees ?Terry, Andy, Mai, Geesem and chums duking it out in pint-sized pugilistic action.
Neither title has be?en dated, but these ratings all but guarantee th?eir launch in the near future.
The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited M?atch dated for PS4 in Kore??a [Gematsu]
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]]>And Fatal Fury: First Contact is headed to Nintendo Switch
Once again, the spoileriffic Game Rating and Administration Committee of Korea has spilled the beans on some rad retro titles headed to modern platforms. According to the new site listings, SNK is currently in the process of bringing the excellent King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match to PS4, a port of Code Mystics' PC re-release.
The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match gathers together an amazing 65 characters - all pulled from the classic Neo Geo fighting franchise - for an almighty three-on-three throwdown to establish who truly is the greatest scrapper on the planet (spoilers: Leona Heidern). With the PC edition having recently received a very welcome rollback netcode update, this PS4 port wi??ll hopefully further secure the community for this amazing title for years ?to come.
And speaking of SNK classics, the ratings board has also revealed the next title coming to the Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection on Nintendo Switch. Originally released in 1999 for the nifty handheld console, Fatal Fury: First Contact is a cute adaptation of SNK classic Real Bout Fatal Fury 2, and sees Terry, Andy, Mai, Geesem and chums duking it ??out in pint-sized pugilistic action.
Neither title has been dated, but these ratings all but guarantee their launch ??in th??e near future.
The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match dated for P?S4 in Korea [Gematsu]
The post The Ki??ng of Fighters 2002: Un??limited Match for PS4 pops up on Korean ratings board appeared first on Destructoid.
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KOF library currently discounted on PC
One of the greatest fighting games of all time just got that little bit better. Developer Code Mystics has released a new update for the Steam port of The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match, adding rollback netco?de to the three-on-three ?tag-fighting classic.
Originally released for PlayStation in 2009, KOF02 UM can be considered a celebration of sorts for the legendary SNK franchise's halcyon days. Boasting an incredible roster of over 65 characters, KOF02 UM compiles the greatest fighters from The King of Fighters '94-'02 in one mighty battlebowl. On a personal note, ??it's one of my personal favorites in the franchise, and a regular "go-to" whenever I settle down for some 2D punchin'.
Now available on PC via Steam, the new update will make online play smoother than ever before, boosting performance for dedicated KOF fans across the globe. This technical upgrade will hopefully help prolong the life and community for? one of the most top-t?ier titles in the history of 2D fighting games.
In related news, Steam has discounted its entire library of KOF releases, with discounts applied to The King of Fighters '02 Unlimited Match, The King of Fighters '97: Global Match, The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match, as well as modern entries The King of Fighters XIII and The King of Fighters XIV. So if you f??ancy a solid dose of 2D fighting action, bag yourselves a??ny of the above. They're all excellent scrappers.
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]]>KOF library currently discounted on PC
One of the greatest fighting games of all time just got that little bit better. Developer Code Mystics has released a new update for the Steam port of The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match, adding rollback netcode to the three-on-three tag-fighting classic.
Originally released for PlayStation in 2009, KOF02 UM can be considered a celebration of sorts for the legendary SNK franchise's halcyon days. Boasting an incredible roster of over 65 characters, KOF02 UM compiles the greatest fighters from The King of Fighters '94-'02 in one mighty battlebowl. On a ?personal note, it's one of my personal favorites in the fr?anchise, and a regular "go-to" whenever I settle down for some 2D punchin'.
Now available on PC via Steam, the new update will make online play smoother than ever before, boosting performance for dedicated KOF fans across the globe. This technical upgrade will hopefully help prolong the life and community ??for ?one of the most top-tier titles in the history of 2D fighting games.
In related news, Steam has discounted its entire library of KOF releases, with discounts applied to The King of Fighters '02 Unlimited Match, The King of Fighters '97: Global Match, The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match, as well as modern entries The King of Fighters XIII and The King of Fighters XIV. So if you?? fancy?? a solid dose of 2D fighting action, bag yourselves any of the above. They're all excellent scrappers.
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No Memory Card slot though...
UNICO, in association with SNK, has revealed the MVSX Home Arcade, a tabletop arcade unit that recalls? SNK's glory days in the 1990s coin-op scene. Stylised like a classic MVS cabinet, the MVSX Home Arcade comes pre-loaded with 50 classic SNK/Neo-Geo titles.
The MVSX Home Arcade stands 25 inches high and 15.4 inches wide and features two-player controls, stereo speakers, and a 17-inch LCD screen - running in classic 4:3 format and at a resolution of 1280 x 1024. Pre-loaded with the staples of the SNK catalogue, the MVSX includes multiple titles from the King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Samurai Shodown, Last Blade, Sengoku, World Heroes, and Metal Slug franchises, along with several sporting classics. All of the included games can be played in MVS or AES mode, and screen filters can be ?applied for that traditional?? arcade scanlines effect.
Now for the damages. The MVSX Home Arcade will launch worldwide in October/November 2020 priced at around $450 USD. For an additional $50, customers will receive an extended base unit, transforming the MVSX into a mini five-foot arcade cabinet. Pre-orders are expected to open in September. It should also be clarified that the MVSX is an emulation unit, and as such is not compatible with actual MVS carts.
For more information on the MVSX Home Arcade, as well as a full list of included titles, visit the official website. As an old-school, dyed-in-the-wool SNK head. I thi?nk this looks like a cool device, provided the emulation software holds up. Also, as it's r??eleasing in next-gen season, it's definitely out of my budget. Regardless, that's a fantastic list of games.
The post MVSX Home Arcade comi??ng this fall, packed with 50 SNK classics appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>No Memory Card slot though...
UNICO, in association with SNK, has revealed the MVSX Home Arcade, a tabletop arcade unit that recalls SNK's glory days in the 1990s coin-op scene. Stylised like a classic MVS cabinet, the MVSX Home Arcade comes pre-loaded with 50 classic SNK/Neo-Geo titles.
The MVSX Home Arcade stands 25 inches high and 15.4 inches wide and features two-player controls, stereo speakers, and a 17-inch LCD screen - running in classic 4:3 format and at a resolution of 1280 x 1024. Pre-loaded with the staples of the SNK catalogue, the MVSX includes multiple titles from the King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Samurai Shodown, Last Blade, Sengoku, World Heroes, and Metal Slug franchises, along with several sporting classics. All of the included games can be played in MVS or AES mode, and screen filters can be applied for that traditional arcade scanlines effect.
Now for the damages. The MVSX Home Arcade will launch worldwide in October/November 2020 priced at around $450 USD. For an additional $50, customers will receive an extended base unit, transforming the MVSX into a mini five-foot arcade cabinet. Pre-orders are expected to open in September. It should also be clarified that the MVSX is an emulation unit, and as such is not compatible with actual MVS carts.
For more information on the MVSX Home Arcade, as well as a full list of included titles, visit the official website. As an old-school, dyed-in-the-wool SNK head. I think this looks like a cool device, provided the emulation software ?holds up. Also, as it's releasing in next-gen season, it's definitely out of my budget. Regardless, that's a fantastic list of games.
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Portable Punch-ups
Today will see two more classic Neo Geo Pocket Color titles make a grand comeback on the Nintendo Switch platform. As announced by publisher SNK, both The King of Fighters R-2 and Samurai Shodown! 2 will be made available to download from the eShop??, priced a?t around $8 each.
Originally released back in 1999, The King of Fighters R-2 is an excellent conversion of SNK's iconic team-fighting series, and sees Kyo, Iori, Leona, Mai, Terry and friends shrink down for pint-sized pugilism. This is no Game Boy Street Fighter II - the NGPC fighting games? are neat experiences, which feature cute, pleasing visuals, smooth controls, and offer a solid d??ose of fun on the run.
The second release, Samurai Shodown! 2, was a little harder to get hold of in the west when it launched back in '99. A conversion of Samurai Shodown 64: Warrior's Rage, the NGPC version features both the storyline and roster of the Hyper Neo-Geo 64 sequel. Offered out as a pre-order bonus for the Switch release of Samurai Shodown, SS!2 was the first NGPC game to ev??er see an official re-r??elease.
The King of Fighters R-2 and Samurai Shodown! 2 are available to purchase today from the Nintendo eShop. Both titles include local multiplayer. A third NGPC release, SNK Gals' Fighters, is already available, with more titles ?are expected throughout the rest of 2020.
The post Neo Geo Pocket classics King of Fighters R-2 and Samurai Shodown! 2 now ??available on Switch appeared first on Destructoid.
]]>Portable Punch-ups
Today will see two more classic Neo Geo Pocket Color titles make a grand comeback on the Nintendo Switch platform. As announced by publisher SNK, both The King of Fighters R-2 and Samurai Shodown! 2 will be made available to download from the eShop, priced at around $8 each.
Originally released back in 1999, The King of Fighters R-2 is an excellent conversion of SNK's iconic team-fighting series, and sees Kyo, Iori, Leona, Mai, Terry and friends shrink down for pint-sized pugilism. This is no Game Boy Street Fighter II - the NGPC fighting games are neat experiences, which feature cute, pleasing visuals, smooth controls, and offer a solid dose of fun on the run.
The second release, Samurai Shodown! 2, was a little harder to get hold of in the west when it launched back in '99. A conversion of Samurai Shodown 64: Warrior's Rage, the NGPC version features both the storyline and roster of the Hyper Neo-Geo 64 sequel. Offered out as a pre-order bonus for the Switch release of Samurai Shodown, SS!2 was the first NGPC game to ever se?e an official re-relea?se.
The King of Fighters R-2 and Samurai Shodown! 2 are available to purchase today from the Nintendo eShop. Both titles include local multiplayer. A third NGPC release, SNK Gals' Fighters, is already available, with more titles?? are expected throughout the rest of 2020.
The post Neo Geo Pocket cla??ssics King of Fighters R-2 and Samurai Shodown! 2 now available on Switch appeared first on Destructoid.
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