Best King of Fighter?

[Master Terry Bogard]

If you had to choose one, which series is the best KOF?

I have been putting somtime on all of the series, and I have to say that though I like all of them, mine is becoming KOF 95. It was the last of the series to have fighters that were truly individual, in my opinion. Most had diffrent super specials. It's SS was to damaging though. 98 comes in close second. You get to play all the previous fighters form the series except Howard, Krauzer, and MR big

 

[gargoyle7]

For me, its 99 right now, though 96 and and 98 are up there too.

Interesting poll here from my Temple:
http://www.neogeotemple.com/poll.html

Looks like 96 leads the way there

Lee (garg7) http://www.neogeotemple.com

 

[Neo Bomber Man]

My vote still goes to the original, KoF '94, but '96 is in a notably close second place.

By the way in '98, Geese, Krauser, Mr Big, Eiji, Orochi, Goenitz, Orochi Iori, Orochi Leona and Kasumi are all absent from the active roster, though some appear in backgrounds.

The game would have been virtually unbeatable with them included (& say 8 matches, not 6). Oh well, perhaps they'll do something special in 2001/2002 or otherwise?

 

[pedu]

KOF 98 must be the best!
lots of characters and superb graphic

 

[DIY]

in terms of graphics and playablity most of my friends say KOF' 99, but I like KOF 96 b/c to me it feels the most like KOF, but KOF 97 comes close with its cheesy 'outer limits' story line.

 

[NeoZero]

I think KOF 96 is the greatest, because it just has the best overall feel of the series. No one that lives by me plays or owns a NeoGeo System, so I really dont know what casual gamers think of the KOF Series, but my guess would be that most would say, "This game sucks it looks like my OLD Sega Genesis games at home!"

-NeoZero

 

[Gambit]

Personally I loved 98, it had a whole lot of fighters and the graphics and levels are perfect. I also like the cover of the cart better, I know that is petty but it is a great cover of them all in their leisure suits.

 

[Innovator]

For me '98 is the end all be all of the KOFs. It had the characters, the moves, the intros, and the GAMEPLAY. It is the most balanced well thought KOF game (and of all SNK's fighting games) ever and it's battling with SSF2T as baddest 2D fighter of all time.

The only things holding the game back from perfection is missing characters like Eiji (he's never coming back is he?), a few bugs, and some character balance needed to be tweaked some. I also though that the ending pics should been a party setting like cover of the game. Imagine Chin standing victorious over a passed out Ralf and King in drinking contest.

BTW. I haven't played 2000 yet some this could change even though I haven't heard many good things about it.

 

[Asmoday]

I gotta say 96 and 99 are the top two for me, but the order kind of flip flops depending on my mood at the time. I see a lot of people are saying 98 due to character selection, but honestly I feel there is something missing from 98. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it isn't the same. I can play 96, 97, and 99 for hours, but 98 just gets old quickly to me for some reason. 95 is also a great game, but I like the new versions of the characters better and the CPU is a cheap ass in 95 so unless I play a human I don't get very far in that particular one. I have only beaten it a handful of times, and then only with my top 6 or so characters.

 

[lump505]

I think KOF 99 is the best. In 98 many of the characters are not so good such as Lucky.

I do beleive that the strikers in KOF 99 are kinda useless but that is the only downside I can think of.

 

[neonut]

I finally played kof 2000. I probably will get bashed for saying this, but I was kind of disapointed. The arcade where I was had the game set up next to MVC 2 and Dead or Alive 2. And recently bought CVSNK (which is awesome, graphicly superb, but I wish the gameplay was more like snk). KOF 2000 's gameplay was great and I think I like the striker system in 2000, but the graphics need to be updated, I wish snk would do something. I love the games, but I get discouraged when I pay $ 300 for a neo game, then the dc comes out with a game like CvsSNK for $ 53. It always used to be that no game could touch a snk game in every catagory. Just imagine if they had a more powerful board. Don't get me wrong I love my neo... I would just like to see NEO GEO game to continue in the future, and not made by capcom/ naomi ( at TGS CvsSNK 2).

 

[Lou Gojira]

Interesting that you say Lucky isn't a very good character lump505. Personally, I think he's TOO good, and when I play two player games of 98, I tend to have to make myself not use him because he's got every advantage when it comes to being offensive as well as defensive. The characters that I've always had some difficulty with are Chang and Choi (both are too extreme, all speed or all power) Goro, Blue Mary, Shermie, and in 99: K', Maxima, (they're so damn cool though!) and Shin Kyo.

I guess it all depends on your particular style of playing as to which characters you'll be good with.

99 was a great game, but my biggest problem with it was the fact that you only get 5 fights, then it's off to Kryzalid. Of course, it's got one of the coolest backgrounds in video game history (the rain stage), but my vote for the best is still 98.

Now, if only I can get my paws on 2000...

 

[Neo Bomber Man]

Originally posted by Gambit:
I also like the cover of the cart better, I know that is petty but it is a great cover of them all in their leisure suits.

Hey, that's a perfectly good reason for liking the game! I especially went after the Japanese version just so I could see that tiny, little bit extra of the picture that gets cut off on the US insert, which also has the image shrunken down a bit (of course). When one is dealing with SNK art, it can make all the difference! By the way, here is that picture, as a poster from Dreamcast Magazine: http://www.geocities.com/neobomberman/kof98.jpg
I was told that the original Japanese KoF '98 came with it, and up to now have not been able to find that drawing in any artbooks, not to say it doesn't exist though, apart from that poster & the insert.

Well enjoy a change in wallpaper if you will.

 

[Gambit]

Hey cool Bomber Man I don't feel like such a freak now

I do like that picture though, they are actually not fighting in it, its just kinda funny how they are just standing around.

 

[HAOHMARU]

I would say 98' was the best year of KOF.

 

[Dreamh2o]

I have to say KoF98 is the best just because Iv never owned any others, and only played 94 in the arcade... hmn... biased?

 

[The Lone Wolf Ben FF5]

95

 

[Ukyo]

neonut, are you from the Boston area? Are you talkig about "Good Time Arcade"?

 

[Lord Illicious]

KOF 98 is the king even on the DC.

 

[neonut]

It is Goodtimes......( answer to UKYO )The thing that sucks is they have the good games on a real shitty monitor that needs a color adj. and the controls are real worn. HMMM only the neo games controls are worn strange, I guess we all know what people are playing there...Yes 2D is the best............NEONUT

 

[Iori]

OROCHI BLOOD RIOT! 97 ROCKS! 96 is a close second for Mature & Vice. 98 needed a story.

 

[VinylBoy]

The rankings for KOF in my book:
'98, '96, '99, '94, '95, '97

It's still too early for me to decide where the newest version will place... so far, it looks to be high. But there has to be a LOT to it to make it surpass KOF '98 or '96 in my book.

 

[gokusama26]

I have had way too much fun with KoF 98, but KoF 96 is a close second.

 

[thrall]

I only have kof 98 right now, the gameplay and animation are pretty awesome!! pure 2D fun! have kof 99 coming, find it! play it! and ENJOY!! LATER ALL.

 

[Todd]

Id have to place 98 in first followed very close by 99. Hope 2000 will beat them both though. (crossing fingers)