What Are Your "Essential" KOF Games?

[b-blanco]

I think a huge piece of the experience is lost to time. KOF94 was a pretty groundbreaking game. Cross over characters like that, at that scale, had never really been done before. Kyo wasn't even focused on much, Iori wasn't in it. It was all about Fatal Fury versus Art of Fighting with other SNK characters thrown in. I mean the Ikari warriors in a fighting game? That's honestly pretty wild.

I didn't play KOF94 until 1997. I imagine SNK fans who had put hours into FF and AOF up to that point must have shit a brick when they saw KOF94's intro.

So for sure, KOF94 has to be included in the essentials. And then probably 98, 13, and 15. Although I do hesitate to include anything made from SNKP on.

94s still worth playing gameplay it might be dated but the presentation has aged pretty nicely and back in 94 something like this was unheard of.

 

[GutsDozer]

95' will always be my favorite. Then 98, 2000, 99, 2003, and KOF XI if that even counts.

 

[douglas]

lots of love for 95 'round here

 

[Orpheus]

AS stated earlier: anything from the SNK era (94 to 2000) can be considered essential). it could also be said that anything sans 2001, 2003 & those after KOF 13 can be considered such. Hell, as stated before there are those who even consider installmets such as 2001, 203 or KOF 15 one of their personal favorites for certain reasons. As a result I suppose another way to phrase the OP's question would be "which KOF(s) do you have a soft spot for & why"