You suck, you got my hopes up. I was hoping we'd see a giant ass dream match using all the sprites from 96 to XI. They really need to do that. Give it either 98UM or 02UM's system, maybe toss in dream cancels from XI. Awesome [tornado fang]ing game it would be.
'94/'95 - Sucked. Clunky as hell.
'96 - Series finds its stride. Goenitz was difficult and a dick with his everywhere tornados, but he was beatable.
'97 - Great game. The Orochi Team and the final boss were great. Orochi got Rugal's genocide cutter and Goenitz's anywhere-on-screen attack, but it was an awesome battle.
'98 - Make Some Noise! Everything great about the last four games combined and the return of Omega Rugal, who was tough but beatable. Easily one of my favorites.
'99 - Weird changes to the system. Back roll snaps you forward, striker system. Not as good as 97, but good. It also has the only decent boss of the NESTS sage, Krizalid.
2000 - Unmemorable. Cloned Zero was a bullshit boss.
2001 - [tornado fang]. This. Game. Two things came out of it: Yuri gets a Raging Demon rip off and the striker system hits it's peak. Zero returns from the last game, even CHEAPER with [tornado fang]ing SPAMMING STRIKERS and THEN.. THEN! This mother [tornado fang]er. Igniz. The worst boss I had ever faced in my life. Are you [tornado fang]ing joking? This guy was complete bullshit. After beating this game once I didn't touch it in god knows how long. [tornado fang] Igniz.
2002 - Another dream match. Drops the Striker System, goes back to a '97 style system, return of Rugal. Beefed up. Worse than his '98 incarnation. At least he's beatable. Nothing like [tornado fang]ing Igniz.
2003 - Something about this game just feels refreshing after coming out of that slop that was the NESTS saga. Like, just thinking about it, 2001 is all dark in my head and then 2003 is a ray of sunshine. Love the tag out system, definitely made the gameplay more interesting and more hectic. Two final bosses depending on performance. Adelheid, Rugal's kid, is tough but beatable. Love him. Mukai brings back another "HIT YOU ANYWHERE" attack, and it's annoying at times, but like Goenitz, he's beatable. Thank god, too. Igniz was such a bad taste in my mouth.
XI - The only appearance of a new favorite, Oswald. Great character. Improves everything of 2003, but then you get to the bosses. Mother. [tornado fang]er. First you got Shion, KoF's Bridget. Androgyny incarnate. They designed him as a woman and then go "No, it's a dude". Shion makes ASH look manly. And he is BULLSHIT. However, once you get used to him, he's beatable. And then.. My. God. What were you thinking, SNK? The absolute most bullshit final boss in all of King of Fighters, Magaki. You know what Bullet Hell is? Welcome to the fighting game version of it. This guy will spam projectiles everywhere. He will explode in your face everytime you get near him and he will not hesitate to use his full screen super the moment you drop your gaurd. He is bullshit. I hate him.
Not played XII, no need to. I'll play the complete version, XIII. I hope it'll be fantastic. I love this series.
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