What's the best King of Fighters?

[digitalpress]

I'm looking into getting an MVS cart for the store. I did this for Samurai Shodown but that was easy for me as "2" was my clear favorite. I'm not too savvy on this series so I'd like your opinion, which one should I get? Is there a clear "best'?

[Chuplayer]

KOF98 is the best KOF there is. It's got a ton of different characters, two very different "isms," good music, and great gameplay.

KOF99 isn't bad either, and I really enjoyed KOF2000. KOF96 is decent. I really hated KOF97. The rest of them I don't care too much about.

KOF2003 is interesting, but I wouldn't buy it.

[ClubNinja]

95, 97, 98, 99, 00, 02, and 03 all have their followings, but you'll probably hear (sticking my neck out on this one) 98, 99 and 02 the most. Especially for multi-player, which I'm sure is important in the store location. Unfortunately, this topic will be debated until the end of time. In my honest opinion, you can't go wrong with anything 98 and newer.

[GrayFox]

95, 97, 98, 99, 00, 02, and 03 all have their followings, but you'll probably hear (sticking my neck out on this one) 98, 99 and 02 the most. Especially for multi-player, which I'm sure is important in the store location. Unfortunately, this topic will be debated until the end of time. In my honest opinion, you can't go wrong with anything 98 and newer.

I agree with Club here.

Granted, I personally usually go with 98 or 2002, anything above 98 I liked.

[greedostick]

98 or 03 all the way

[klausien]

I agree wholeheartedly with greedostick. KOF '98 or '03 are the best possible choices. '02 is pretty cool too. '98 might be the best of the bunch due mostly to price.

Upon reading the following posts, I have to get 100% behind KOF '98. It is definitely the one you want for the feel of your store.

Neogeoforlife has a decent selection of reviews of the series (and the Neo in general - Fave Neo Geo site).

http://neogeoforlife.com/neo_reviews/the_king_of_fighters_98.php

[CosmicMonkey]

Yeah, I'd say either '98, '02 or '03. Or get Rage of the Dragons instead.

[Vectorman0]

I'm not the biggest fighting game fan, but when I was checking out which ones to get, '98 and '02 seemed to be a couple of the most popular. I couldn't get into either of them, but they were certainly much better than many other fighters I have fooled around with.

[Geddon_jt]

Joe - I think most people hit the nail on the head with KOF '98.
98 is pretty much universally regarded as the top of the series. It's got literally 50 characters to choose from and has the classic SNK/KOF "pre-Playmore" vibe. Looks and plays like a dream too, only gets better the more time you put into it. No striker gimmicks and odd rosters of the later entries. It all comes together in '98.

[Overbite]

98 is probably the best, but 03 is cool for the tag system.

also, 98 doesn't have Vanessa, Hinako, or Malin. 03 dont have Vanessa either

[Damaramu]

Yeah, my vote is for KOF 98. It just feels right. LOL

[Darren870]

Though I love '98 I know a lot of people that hate it and refuse to play it.

[ubersaurus]

KOF XI.

OF course, since it's not on Neo Geo, I'd go with 2002. It's been the most popular game in the series in Japan for years, where they actually play the games on a larger scale.

Please note I haven't kept up on how popular XI is there.

[Arasoi]

KOF 2002 has the most balanced and complex gameplay, KOF 96/97 have some of the best story, KOF 98 gives you the best overall replay value due to its large character roster.

[Nez]

2000 is my fav mostly for the striker system. 99 and 2001 just made the stirker system uneccesary. Plus its got all my favorite charictors, except Yamazaki :/ .

[dreamcaster]

King of Fighters 2002 by a country mile.

[GrayFox]

King of Fighters 2002 by a country mile.

Now that's a long mile.

'02 on Xbox Live for the win.

[dreamcaster]

Unfortunately the PAL version of KoF 2002 on Xbox is slow as hell and lacks a 60Hz mode.

As such I bought the PS2 version of '02. 60Hz, but no online play unfortunately. :/

[Emuaust]

wow thanks for the info dreamcaster, I have the PS2 and
Xbox version and am yet to play the xbox port, I may have
to unload it on some unsuspecting person LOL :evil:

[Gamereviewgod]

I'm in the "98 isn't that great" crowd. They did almost nothing to change it from '97. Music is recycled, almost nothing new gameplay wise, and characters are bland. '99 is my fave. I love the striker system and new characters.

[XianXi]

Yeah, I'd say either '98, '02 or '03. Or get Rage of the Dragons instead.

Same here but dont forget MOTW if you can get one.

[MrSmiley381]

98 is the best. 02 had presentation problems, and 98 has the real feel behind it. 2002 has a few more characters and a deeper system, but 98 is so much more enjoyable.