I am new to KOF. Which are the best?

I'm trying to decide which KOF games to get for my JPN AES system. From reading posts on various boards, I have decided to get '98 and '02. Could someone tell me if I am on the right track, and let me know of any must haves in the series?

I have been playing SVC Chaos (it's the only game that I have right now), and I love it. Thank you for the help!

Greg (strafe)

96 97 98 and 2001, after playing chaos anything before would seem too dated and anything after would probably not tickle your fanct

Too subjective of question to get a definite answer, but personally, these are the KOF's I couldn't live without:

'95
'97
'98
'01 (the most underrated)
'02

My ratings

98
2k3
95
2k1
2k2
97
99
94
2k
96

in descending order. Not everyone would agree, if you love SvC you might like 2k- but I thought both games were crap. Most rate 2k2 near the top, I dislike BC mode- but it's still a good KOF which I play online on Kaillera when none of the others are avaliable. 2k1 I rate higher then most cause I like the char roster and had the best super system of any KOF, but it did have the stupid ratio system.
2k and 99 are better without strikers. I also rate 2k3 higher, because I think its faults are overstated- people expected perfection, and got very good instead. The only great KOF is 98 though, the rest range from crap to very good. 97 is good, those above 97 are very good.


avoid 96 unless you really really like the Boss Team.

KOF '99

If your a fan of the older KOF games, I would recommend '98. If your a fan of the newer KOF games made by Eolith, I would recommend 2002. They are both some of the most enjoyable KOF games done. KOF '95. '96, '97, and 2000 are good too.

Whoever pust KOF 96 should be charged for treachery 96 rocks, I love air guard, the stages, max supers such as Lv1 and Lv3 (lv1 when u have a bar or low on life, low on life & all bar = lv3. Plus all these characters own in this game

Geese Howard
Leona
Kyo Kusanagi
Iori Yagami
Mature

plus teh game has bad azz bosses but they're still cheap.

I will agree KOF 98 owns, its so balanced but its like playin' Alpha Bison or somethin when ya used to CE Bison who owns, and that's how I am with Leona I only liek her in 96 but I like Mature better in 98

G-Product said:

I will agree KOF 98 owns, its so balanced but its like playin' Alpha Bison or somethin when ya used to CE Bison who owns, and that's how I am with Leona I only liek her in 96 but I like Mature better in 98

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Can anyone make sense out of this? I sure can't.

KoF94 and 95 - For the super-tight gameplay and to find out what KoF originally was about.

KoF98 - For the ultimate in pre-2k-KoF perfection,

KoF2k1 - Gameplay combo heaven, best post-2k KoF IMO.

Takumaji said:

KoF94 and 95 - For the super-tight gameplay and to find out what KoF originally was about.

KoF98 - For the ultimate in pre-2k-KoF perfection,

KoF2k1 - Gameplay combo heaven, best post-2k KoF IMO.

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Listen to Tak, the man has great taste.

I know all I'd really need is '95, '98 and '01.

Shame that most people don't actually play '01... they pretty much just wrote it off and went straight to '02.

Average Joe said:

Shame that most people don't actually play '01... they pretty much just wrote it off and went straight to '02.

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Yeah, that's the sad truth. Ppl always talk about strikers and how they'd hate them, but they seem to forget that 2k1 is not a striker-bombing fest like 2k or as half-assed as 99's striker system, it's more refined and requires way more strategy than before, and this tremendously adds to the depth of the whole game. You can also play it totally striker-less and still have fun with all the combo options, wires/counter wires, enhanced super-cancels, etc.

Guess most ppl simply judge the game by its looks. Big mistake.

Takumaji said:

Guess most ppl simply judge the game by its looks. Big mistake.

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To be fair, 2k1 is a really ugly game.

The music, BG's, character artwork... ugh, it's not good.

Only good quality, look-wise, is the new characters and their sprites.

K9999, Foxy, Angel and Igniz -- all very nicely designed and fairly original in their own respective rights (except K9999... but I'm a Akira fanboy, so I look past that.)

But yeah, the game is a blast, because there's so much stuff to learn it can make your head spin -- huge roster, improved striker system, wires, super cancels... it's a lot to take in really, which is a good thing.

Like I said though, it's hard to find people to play this game with.

I've been spending a lot of time on Kaillera (yeah, I know... but it's the only way I get to play against other people) and 95% of the KOF games I play, are either '02 or '98 -- which isn't a bad thing, but even mention the possibility of a '01 match and most people will give you one of these "..." and say "never played '01, let's just play '02."

I have been fortunate to only have played 98, 01, and 02.

98: 100% typical SNK stuff. Scaling cars and other tricks. Nice sprites and well-rounded play. But to me its a bit boring and slow to play.

01: Really fine lookin sprites, nasty BG's and music.

02: Mostly impressed with this one. I remember playing it the same day I played SVC for the first time... I enjoyed 02 more.

So: I rate as 02, 01, 98

And I'm dying to try '03.

Average Joe said:

To be fair, 2k1 is a really ugly game.

The music, BG's, character artwork... ugh, it's not good.

Only good quality, look-wise, is the new characters and their sprites.

K9999, Foxy, Angel and Igniz -- all very nicely designed and fairly original in their own respective rights (except K9999... but I'm a Akira fanboy, so I look past that.)

But yeah, the game is a blast, because there's so much stuff to learn it can make your head spin -- huge roster, improved striker system, wires, super cancels... it's a lot to take in really, which is a good thing.

Like I said though, it's hard to find people to play this game with.

I've been spending a lot of time on Kaillera (yeah, I know... but it's the only way I get to play against other people) and 95% of the KOF games I play, are either '02 or '98 -- which isn't a bad thing, but even mention the possibility of a '01 match and most people will give you one of these "..." and say "never played '01, let's just play '02."

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Well, yeah, let's tell it like it is, most of 2k1's backgrounds look butt ugly, and don't get me started on this lame excuse for a soundtrack. I have to admit that it took me a while to tune in to the game, it wasn't exactly love on first sight, you know... after SNK went belly-up in 2001, I expected a major downfall in quality, and the first things I saw of KoF2k1 seemed to confirm that, but over the course of about three weeks, I completely changed my mind. For me, 2k1 always will have a special place in my personal 2D fighters hall of fame.

I know that 2k1 isn't very popular... even most Neo ppl I know don't own it, some of them bought the DC port (which is awesome btw.), but only for the extras and galleries, that's about it. I still have some good 2k1 matches every now and then, but sometimes I simply fool around with it and try out crazy stuff against the CPU or in practice mode... endless combos, endless possibilities. After nearly three years, I still find out new stuff, that's what I call replay value, man.

K9999 is a mixed bag for me, and Foxy is crap IMO. I immediately liked the two new girls May Lee and Angel because of all their cool new moves (and Angel's crazy chain circle combos), but that Akira guy was a bit too much for me at first. Quite powerful, but too anime-ish. I like some anime stuff, but I don't think KoF is the right place for that... bit late for that rant now that 2k3 is more anime than ever before, but oh well.

Takumaji said:

I know that 2k1 isn't very popular... even most Neo ppl I know don't own it, some of them bought the DC port (which is awesome btw.), but only for the extras and galleries, that's about it. I still have some good 2k1 matches every now and then, but sometimes I simply fool around with it and try out crazy stuff against the CPU or in practice mode... endless combos, endless possibilities. After nearly three years, I still find out new stuff, that's what I call replay value, man.

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2K1 has been pretty much cemented into my home system since the day I got it, and if I wasn't shortly about to sell off my games and home system (thanks to money troubles) it would probably remain that way. Why I like it, is pretty much for the same reasons you said... it's just a really fun game with a slew of great gameplay mechanics that make for a really deep game full of replay value.

And now that I'm getting into fighters more and more, and getting better at them, I'm growing to appreciate its gameplay even moreso than I did before -- still a shame that I can't find people to play against, but I'm enjoying myself, so I see no reason to complain.

Takumaji said:

K9999 is a mixed bag for me, and Foxy is crap IMO. I immediately liked the two new girls May Lee and Angel because of all their cool new moves (and Angel's crazy chain circle combos), but that Akira guy was a bit too much for me at first. Quite powerful, but too anime-ish. I like some anime stuff, but I don't think KoF is the right place for that... bit late for that rant now that 2k3 is more anime than ever before, but oh well.

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I can see the anime thing, with K9999 (who couldn't, it's blatantly obvious...), but my rabid fanboyism towards Akira attaches itself to K9999's design and makes me adore him as well; not just his look either, I love his move set and how he plays as well... just an all around fun (albeit overpowered) character to use.

Same deal with Foxy and Angel, they're just two people I really enjoy using, but May Lee? Just never could get into using her -- don't know why, probably because I can't use her worth a damn, so I kind of don't notice her all that much. She's certainly unique, so I'm not knocking her, it's just that she's not catered to my personal tastes and playstyle is all.

So yeah, it's certainly a shame that more people can't look past 2k1's ugly exterior to see its beautiful gameplay mechanics, but... whatever, as far as I'm concerned that's their loss.

Average Joe said:

Same deal with Foxy and Angel, they're just two people I really enjoy using, but May Lee? Just never could get into using her -- don't know why, probably because I can't use her worth a damn, so I kind of don't notice her all that much. She's certainly unique, so I'm not knocking her, it's just that she's not catered to my personal tastes and playstyle is all.

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I ignored May Lee until I saw the KoF2k1 tourney vid (Korea vs. Japan) of the All about SNK DVD box, all those stance-change combos the Japanese guy pulled off looked so awesome that I fired up my home system and started practising with her. She has some evil juggles, and she's also cheap/buggy as hell, but most of the real mean tricks need lots of practice and skill to use so it's nothing you'd see in every match.

I have bookmarked a nice May Lee thread over at orochinagi, there's some really wicked stuff in there: linky

To be honest, some of those combos make my fingers bleed while trying to pull them off, but there's some b-n-b stuff to be found as well.

This thread has been done a million times.

They are alll good, but esp the even numbers!!! 94, 96, 98, 00, 02!!!!!

El Capitan said:

This thread has been done a million times.

They are alll good, but esp the even numbers!!! 94, 96, 98, 00, 02!!!!!

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Like teh Star Trek movies, heh?

Takumaji said:

I ignored May Lee until I saw the KoF2k1 tourney vid (Korea vs. Japan) of the All about SNK DVD box, all those stance-change combos the Japanese guy pulled off looked so awesome that I fired up my home system and started practising with her. She has some evil juggles, and she's also cheap/buggy as hell, but most of the real mean tricks need lots of practice and skill to use so it's nothing you'd see in every match.

I have bookmarked a nice May Lee thread over at orochinagi, there's some really wicked stuff in there: linky

To be honest, some of those combos make my fingers bleed while trying to pull them off, but there's some b-n-b stuff to be found as well.

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Yeah, I've seen a few high-level tourney videos and combo videos that showed off some of the crazy stuff she can do.

She's certainly a fun character to watch in the right hands, and when I get home I'll see what I can do myself from that nice thread you linked me to.

I've just been wondering. did the former SNK put it's hand on 2001, or was it completely done by Eolith?

i actually have not been able to play 98. but out of the ones i have played i like 2002 the best. I really enjoyed 99 and 2000 (yes i really liked 2000) I think they are all worth it

k'_127 said:

I've just been wondering. did the former SNK put it's hand on 2001, or was it completely done by Eolith?

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I'm quite sure that Eolith got some support by former SNK developers, just look at the credits at the end of the game, there are some familiar names in the list... at least Sha-V san (music/sound), Aooon (visual f/x) and a few others of the former crew worked for the project.

I think it's due to pay some respect to Eolith - yes, their graphics artists may not have had their best day when they slapped together the backs of 2k1 and 2k2, but both games have very good gameplay, and that's really something considering the fact that the KoF series already was seven years old when they took over.

I mean, as a developer, I would have shat my pants to continue working on a series that has calibers like KoF98 in their ranks...

I still don't get why SNKP felt it necessary to take over after 2k2. Overall, 2k3 is a nice game, even tho I don't dig the anime style (see above), but still, I wonder what Eolith would have come up with if they had designed 2k3 as well... personally, I prefer the ratio/striker system of 2k1 over 2k3's tag team stuff, but the tagging itself is fun and lets you do nice combos, so I really can't complain.

I'd buy/play 2k1 but meh, may-lee, foxy, k9999x99?, whoever else they added.

I'm apathetic for change, especially when a new gay looking character enters my fighting game that I can't be assed to use.

Other than that I guess the combo system/engine sounds fun.