In your opinion, what is the deepest KOF?

Chose any of them. The deepest IMO is KOF2k1, with perfected striker system which lends itself to multiple character combonations, and the wire system which has some really cool juggle combos.

KOF2k2 probably would be next, mastering the art of just 3-on-3 and I really can't rate KOF2k3 at all because I have yet to play it. KOF2k3 could be deep, though, and breaks new ground for KOF with the tag system.

So what do you think?

Having not played 2001,2002 or 2003, I have to say KOF 2000.

Because of the Vast Striker combos,o I have to say from 94-00, 00 i the Deepest.

I will prob say '02, still cannot do BC mod right.

uh....I'd say 94....maybe 95...

Maybe just because video games had a bigger impresion on me back then, I dunno.

I would have to say KOF01. I hate the game but its deep as hell. My Fav KOF's would have to be 98,00,03

For sheer depth, disregarding balance, I would have to say either 2k1 or 2k2. The series really reached a period in the gameplay where the options became almost endless.

In 2k1 the variable ratio system for teams with combonations of strikers became innumerable, and the wire attacks added yet another element to the gameplay. Certain characters were brought back, and even more were added. There is a huge roster, which only adds to the depth.

2k2 brought back some old favourites that were completely changed this time around, and introduced the BC mode. While it may not exactly be practical all of the time, the depth of the combos you can do with it is insane. Readjusting to life without strikers was also a bit difficult at first after 3 previous releases with the striker system. This was good for me personally, as I'm not a huge fan of strikers anyway....

All of the KOFs are pretty deep in their own way though, even '94, which is definitly the simplest IMO.

Q-

qube said:

For sheer depth, disregarding balance, I would have to say either 2k1 or 2k2. The series really reached a period in the gameplay where the options became almost endless.

In 2k1 the variable ratio system for teams with combonations of strikers became innumerable, and the wire attacks added yet another element to the gameplay. Certain characters were brought back, and even more were added. There is a huge roster, which only adds to the depth.

2k2 brought back some old favourites that were completely changed this time around, and introduced the BC mode. While it may not exactly be practical all of the time, the depth of the combos you can do with it is insane. Readjusting to life without strikers was also a bit difficult at first after 3 previous releases with the striker system. This was good for me personally, as I'm not a huge fan of strikers anyway....

All of the KOFs are pretty deep in their own way though, even '94, which is definitly the simplest IMO.

Q-

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Yup, he's right, its 2k1 & 2k2, the rest are deep in there own ways but those two in particuler have so much variety to master for each character that its not even funny, anyone who can play 2k1 & 2k2 & use lots of characters, strats, patterns & win at high level is a true kof freak.

Overall, I'd say KOF 2002. The cancelling system is perfect, and it looks a hell of a lot cooler doing a 100% damage combo using 1 character as opposed to the 3-striker chaos that is KOF 2001. Not to say it's a bad game, because it's not, I just prefer 2002.

Interesting, no posts on KOF03? I haven't really played it, so I can't really comment on the deepth of the new tag system.

I would say 2001, mostly because of the striker/ratio system, wire damage and SuperCancelling.

2003 is good, but the engine is too "rough", some movements feel forced, hit boxes, speed and distances feel pretty weird, it still needs to be perfectioned. A good example is seeing how difficult is now to perform a crossup down+C with Kyo with a small jump.

2001 and 2003

I read this post a long time ago and thought a long time about it. I totally got with what you meant by "deep," but it's hard to talk about things like that without arguing semantics, you know? I personally love 2003, but I think kc put it most eloquently:

kc said:

I would have to say KOF01. I hate the game but its deep as hell.

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Yeah...that's how I felt.

That said, I think the new Tag system will outdo the Striker system once it gets a bit more refined. Mushiki called it "rough;" I say he's spot on. 2001 learned from the previous games and modified its Striker system as such, so you'd expect it to be pretty deep. 2003's Tag system, it's pretty good now, and if progress is made on it, it's going to be really fun for KoF.

From the way this thread was started, Big Shady already thought of the new possibilities a Tag system had to offer to depth. You're talking about getting the right man for the right job at the right time, switching in a character that can exploit the weaknesses of your opponent's character while he tries to keep you from tagging in. That's a lot of strategificationizing right there.

However, 2003 goes on to add special nuances like how certain characters takes advantage of a tag-in (Yamazaki can do a simple juggle and link into a DM if the opponent is in mid-air, Griffin can get an extra standing C in before his Justice Hurricane, etc.) Then, certain characters are better at their Tag attack than others, which is important if you don't want your tag interupted. On top of that, you got to consider how your Tag attacks are dependent on your DM gauge, too, so you've got to manage that more carefully now.

The Tag system is still a bit of a Work-In-Progress. The way it was implemented in 2003 is already quite good and I wish it was put in much earlier. It still has a lot of unfulfilled promise, so maybe you should resurrect this topic if 2004 continues to use the Tag system.

2k1 falls in mind. There are many thousands unique teams to be played combining different strikers/players. More comboability, mostly because of the supercancel. Also you can call in numerous strikers at the same time....
But, i still can´t nearly master the counter and armor-modes from 99-2k. And 2k has a whole lot of strikers that 2k1 has not.
There isn´t really a single KOF that i think i can master, or one where i feel i´ve tried everything or seen everything. I´ll still say 2k or 2k1 thought...

KOF2001 no doubt

if by deep you mean buffering times and fluidity; I'd go with '02.

If by deep you mean preciseness and timing exactitude and knowing exactly what to do next in order to be successfull, i'd say '97

If by deep you mean forgiving with a smidgen of nice buffering, I'd say '98.

I know it may be contrary to the opinions of this thread, but I've always found King of Fighters 99 to be quite deep personally. Maybe it has to do with the title being the first to implement the striker system so its made more of an imprint on my mind. Overall, however, I can not deny that King of Fighters 2001 has a great deal of depth to it in many forms. The option of selecting various combinations of one to four members on your team alone makes it quite different. I still feel 99 has a large degree of depth to it when taken seriously.

in my opinion it has to be 98...where you have a clash between the good old extra and this new advanced mode...may b not much with its storyline but i still think its the deepest

Gamplay wise: a tie between 03 and 02, 02 has cool combos, and kof 03 has no infinites, or they might, but it's more flexible to scape them

storywise:99

music:98

Mushiki said:

I would say 2001, mostly because of the striker/ratio system, wire damage and SuperCancelling.

2003 is good, but the engine is too "rough", some movements feel forced, hit boxes, speed and distances feel pretty weird, it still needs to be perfectioned. A good example is seeing how difficult is now to perform a crossup down+C with Kyo with a small jump.

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Basically what he said.

I would say KOF 2001 evenif I haven't played it a lot. So much strikers possibilities to master that your son your grand son will still train on this game to discover new things.