A world-class fighting game developed entirely within Japan.

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Thereafter, new titles in the KOF series kept on coming and now currently in its 28th year with its 15th mainline release, the series boasts the greatest number of titles of any other fighting game. Its popularity does not just end in Japan but has widened beyond country boundaries to find a countless fans throughout the world.
And the KOF popularity that grows with each title has influenced other spheres outside the world of games. One prime example is cosplay that has spread like wildfire, owing to the popularity of our charismatic characters. The principal KOF characters at the time were sleekly proportioned and wore stylish costumes that added a new flashy dimension to the Spartan genre. This became a major factor in the sudden rise of popularity in fighting games among previously uninterested female fans in Japan. However, it also proved true worldwide as well and has contributed to the KOF’s unwavering popularity.

The one and only 3-on-3 fighting competition in the world.

The system most worthy of mention among KOF game systems is the realization of team battles among teams of three characters for the first time in fighting game history. Doing away with the tired one-on-one character battle formula, KOF’s match format for the first time ever employed 3-on-3 character team battles providing players with the fresh and complex experience of controlling three characters in a single match.
Match rules are simple and easy to understand. During elimination battles, two teams of three square off, and members change when one is defeated, while the victor remains to continue fighting. The team to finally defeat all the opposing team’s members is the winner. For that reason, the order characters appear can affect the tide of battle, so questions like “Where do I put my best character?” and “What is the make-up of the opposing team?” become crucial to your game strategy. After you lose two characters, a special KOF feature to enjoy is the thrilling developments of gameplay that keep you on your toes and just may allow you to turn the tables to win with your last remaining character.

Team battles. That is what KOF brought into this world,
and it is what the series continues to perfect upon,
to bring the hypest and most exciting matches possible
within fighting games.

This team battle format has earned the full support of fans and players, and has become synonymous with KOF. Throughout the series with certain titles we have made new attempts to change match rules by employing the Striker System and Multi-shift System, but this old standard has prevailed and in THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV, the series saw a shift from 2D to 3D graphics.