The King of Fighters XIII is the latest installment of The King of Fighters fighting game series developed and published by SNK Playmore. The game is set after the events from The King of Fighters XI and is also the conclusion of Ash Crimson’s story arc, which started in The King of Fighters 2003. It follows another King of Fighters tournament secretly hosted by Those From the Past, the organization behind the events from the two previous games that are trying to break the seal from the demon Orochi and take its power.
Platform(s)
Arcade, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS
Release date(s)
Arcade
Japan July 14, 2010
PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360
Japan December 1, 2011
North America November 22, 2011
Europe November 25, 2011
King of Fighters Inside:
King of Fighters XII hit the fighting scene in 2009 with an emphasis on new character design. The big, pixelated sprites were an ocular treat for retro-minded fans, while some found the dated design a messy alternative to slick fighters like Street Fighter IV. Regardless of what you thought about the revamped roster, King of Fighters XII was lacking in content. This sequel welcomes a batch of new fighters and a variety of stages into the fray, and incorporates some modes that should have existed from the start – not the least of which is a substantial story mode. While the additions will likely appease the most frenzied King of Fighter fans, the confounding plot and steep learning curve present a poor jumping-on point for new fighters.
King of Fighters XIII completes the story arc revolving around the nefarious Ash Crimson, which began with 2008’s entry. Only the most rabid fans of the series will have any idea what’s happening in this cockamamie tale. The plot details I gathered from the oodles of text stretched across panning artwork involved paranormal investigators, time paradoxes, and demonic summoning. While one trek through the mercifully short story mode was all you need to get a sense of the absurdity, dedicated gamers can explore divergent paths to earn subtly different narrative experiences.
When you’ve recovered from your confusion-induced nosebleed, a bunch of new modes are available to check out. The most important addition is a sloppy but necessary tutorial. This barebones guide to King of Fighter’s fighting system offers a glimpse at the basics, but you’ll want to turn to the new mission mode to explore each character’s potential combos and get a feel for the game’s timing. Unlike mission modes in other fighting games, King of Fighters XIII boasts the useful addition of a preview of the combo in action. Seeing your character perform the full combo helps perfect the timing and rhythm of complicated moves.
SNK has proven with King of Fighters XIII that it cares about the fans. Nearly every bit of negative feedback about the last game has been addressed here, resulting in distilled fan service in disc form. Devout King of Fighters fans left wanting last time won’t have much to complain about here. And while the tutorial and missions mode offers some guidance for casual players, I can’t recommend this over other superior fighters on the market.
Also see The history of King of Fighters (KOF)
King of Fighters XIII Wallpapers
King of Fighters XIII Trailer
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