TGS 06: King of Fighters to get face-lift

  • By Hirohiko Niizumi, GameSpot
  • Posted Sep 22, 2006 2:30 pm PT

After more than a decade, SNK is throwing away its old graphics and giving a new look to its familiar fighting franchise.

TOKYO--SNK Playmore's King of Fighters series is one of the longest-running fighting game franchises, but the game's graphics have remained relatively the same since it was introduced more than a decade ago. According to the publisher, that's going to change.

During the 2006 Tokyo Game Show, SNK Playmore arcade project art director Nona appeared on stage and revealed that King of Fighters XII will feature a complete visual overhaul. Only a logo for the game was shown, and Nona explained that the game is still in the middle of development.

"We're throwing out the [character] pixels that we have been using for the past 10 years, and we are going with new graphics," Nona said. "We are hoping to make the ultimate 2D game."

Last week at the Amusement Machine show, SNK Playmore announced that KOFXII will be one of three debut titles on Taito's new Type X2 arcade platform. The publisher is also bringing its KOF: Maximum Impact series to Type X2, as well as a new 3D version of Samurai Showdown, titled Samurai Spirits Sen, which is under development by K2 Ltd., the company behind the PlayStation 2 Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven and Tenchu: Fatal Shadows games, as well as Tenchu: Return from Darkness on the Xbox.

SNK Playmore hasn't announced a release date for KOFXII yet. GameSpot will bring updates on the game as they become available.

68 Comments

  • Miroku15

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 3:26 pm PT

    Dude I could barely understand what the hell you were saying. Take your time when you type. And yeah KOF is awesome and I can't wait till XII comes out. Graphic overhaul FTW!

  • JoseManuel

    Posted Jul 2, 2007 11:06 am PT

    I'm sorry about happened to KOF series. Was the ultimate 2D fighting game in 90's, nothing compares to. A nice work was done when series changed to 3D on KOF 2006 (MI-2 in Japan) but the rest.

    KOF XI was not a sequel but a "new concept" of an old game, reusing old characters and introducing some weird ones. Wasn't bad but we really NEED to see more of Kusanagi and Yagami stories, we need something of continuity, they're so important then Mario or Sonic to me and many other people. Maybe like Capcom done with Street Fighter, returning to the beginning, should be an answer.

    By the way, the KOF XI bosses was the worst. Why don't bring back Rugal, Saisyu Kusanagi, Orochi (the team with), or import villains from other games as a empowered Wolfgang Krauser, an undead Geese Howard. Why not a lost Kyo's clone as K9999?

    I know that is a fighting game but is necessary a new and good saga like Orochi's was.

    I agreed your idea CD_Jock2007, a sequence of SNK Vs Capcom with improvements should be really awesome.

  • BelmontMaster

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:19 pm PT

    I have faith in you SNK to make yet another great KOF game.

  • kira0x

    Posted May 28, 2007 8:50 am PT

    KOF XII? They still have not released KOF XI in America. I wonder if they will have a US release at all...

  • shabulia

    Posted Apr 10, 2007 12:07 am PT

    I hope this is coming to PS2. OH MAN I hope it's coming to PS2!!!

  • ShinAkuma777

    Posted Mar 4, 2007 5:46 pm PT

    aint this comin to the ps3??? and the 3d samurai shodown sounds great hope it doesnt suck

  • ptpattycakes

    Posted Jan 3, 2007 8:50 pm PT

    HOW ABOUT A NEW STREET FIGHTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • CD_Jock2007

    Posted Dec 26, 2006 10:47 am PT

    sounds good but i think snk should make another SvC with there new animation, or at least make another with the old animation. I liked seeing the capcom team redrawn for the first time in years into snk animation

  • audiohominis

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 5:06 pm PT

    SNK’s decision to move their game series from their classic Neo Geo to this new Sammy Atomiswave hardware doesn’t benefit the games other than hindering piracy through emulation. Sure, the new hardware allows for graphics with higher resolution, but what good is that, when the developers are only willing to make the effort to double the resolution of the backgrounds, not the sprites? While backgrounds are extremely crucial, they merely serve as props to the action, whereas the character sprites make the action. Also, this SEGA Dreamcast-based arcade hardware frees the developers of color palette limitations. Color restriction is the mother of the nice crisp precision pixel art – the distinct visual style of retro video games. Removing this restriction will give the developers an excuse to make lazy, background graphics. This is what you should expect from “Neo Geo Battle Coliseum”, “King of Fighters Neo Wave”, “King of Fighters XI”, “Samurai Showdown IV”, and “Metal Slug 6”. SNK is making the same mistake Capcom made with Capcom Fighting Jam/Evolution.

    The results of this “facelift”, aren’t anymore pleasant that the results of Jocelyn Wildenstein’s facelift.

  • rokkuman09

    Posted Sep 24, 2006 7:57 am PT

    It's about time!

  • mithund

    Posted Sep 24, 2006 4:58 am PT

    its about time they overhauled the graphics for the 2D KOF franchise ! Guilty Gear looks soooo much more better.

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Sep 24, 2006 4:21 am PT

    @mike_mgoblue
    It's a moot point since SNK isn't really planning to develop for the PS3 for two to three years (except for maybe a KOF:MI title), as they consider the PS2 to be "good enough." The hardware can handle the game decently enough for most people to be happy, and there are tons of PS2 owners (translated: "potential customers").

  • faridmon

    Posted Sep 24, 2006 2:10 am PT

    nah Guilty Gear is the king of 2D now, KoF is soo late 90's, Metal Rock soundtrack for me.

  • Supreme_Fantasy

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 10:24 pm PT

    It's great!! Awesome.

  • rudyHG

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 9:54 pm PT

    About time. I've been waiting for SNK to get off their asses and rehaul their artwork for a long time now. What with Sammy's fine work with Guilty Gear, the 2D fighting genre is looking mighty healthy.

  • Erbac

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 9:52 pm PT

    I hope the look of the characters is the same, just clearer, better looking sprites. I'm sure SNK won't dissapoint.

  • dEaThAwAiTs013

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 9:42 pm PT

    This sounds pretty cool, I hope they pull it off good.

  • ironwarrior2

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 9:27 pm PT

    That would be Street Fighter IV: Fourth Strike

  • mike_mgoblue

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 9:25 pm PT

    This is excellent news. I can't wait for this game to be released for the Xbox 360!!!

    When a 2D game like this is released RAM because the most important factor--BY FAR!!! The Xbox 360 has 512MB of Unified Ram...You can bet on it that there will be plenty of times when there will be a need for 384MB RAM needed at a time...OR MORE!!!

    The Playstation 3 can never use more than 256MB at a time for Video RAM, but the Xbox 360 can use up to 512MB at a time for Video RAM, thanks to its Unified RAM technology. Let's pray that SNK releases King of Fighters in a way that is optimized for the Xbox 360; that way, it will look the best that any next-generation system can provide!!!

    The important thing to remember is that this is NOT going to be a traditional 2D fighting game. This is going to be a NEW form of 2D fighting game, and it will include 3D aspects. We will be completely surprised by what this game offers. The number one technical aspect that developers requested was RAM when Microsoft was asking for suggestions while developing the Xbox 360. That is why Microsoft included 512MB of Unified RAM with the Xbox 360. We will DEFINITELY see an advantage in a new King of Fighters game developed exclusively for the Xbox 360 that is optimized to take advantage of the Xbox 360 hardware.

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 7:57 pm PT

    @WESLY_SNYPES
    lol - yeah - Capcom needs to make a Street Fighter IV so they can start working towards Street Fighter IV: Third Strike

    As much flak as they get for extending a series out, the end of the series is usually so bloody refined, if not nearly perfect, that it lives on for years after its peers...

  • Enigma2K99

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 7:34 pm PT

    "We're throwing out the [character] pixels that we have been using for the past 10 years, and we are going with new graphics," Nona said. "We are hoping to make the ultimate 2D game."

    Keeerist!!! My mouth hurts from smiling so hard!!!

  • _Sam_

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 6:34 pm PT

    I hope this will improve the games

  • thekey

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 6:01 pm PT

    As long as they don't stiff the 360, I will support it.

  • wyndall2004

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 4:30 pm PT

    Yeah! It's time for Street Fighter 4! Bring back GUILE!!!!!

  • mad_max01

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 2:26 pm PT

    If only Capcom used Guilty Gear X2s engine in their next Street Fighter title.

  • VegetaMaelstrom

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 2:20 pm PT

    Street Fighter IV Capcom! Sooner rather than later. And by sooner I mean before 2015. Get to work on it and I'll get to my salivating for it.

  • WESLY_SNYPES

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 2:02 pm PT

    All we need now is a NEW STREET FIGHTER CAPCOM!!!

  • shinspikes

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 1:29 pm PT

    Finally! They're actually getting off their asses and redrawing the characters. If they say they want the game to be the ultimate fighting game, it had better look much more amazing then SF3 or GG.

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 1:18 pm PT

    @WESLY_SNYPES
    Hopefully it'll be better this time.

  • DoubleDragon1

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 11:02 am PT

    I just hope they don't screw this up. I happen to like the look of KOF personally.

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 10:50 am PT

    I wasted lot of coins playing KoFs

  • gakon5

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 10:19 am PT

    awesome

  • The_Weekend

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 8:41 am PT

    Long overdue ... but the old ones ain't half as bad

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 7:08 am PT

    Thank god. I mean, how much money were they trying to save by not fully upgrade the graphics and portions of the gameplay? cain't wai.

  • WESLY_SNYPES

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 6:18 am PT

    3D Samurai Shodown = BAD

  • crithon

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 5:20 am PT

    I'm excited.... but as you can see by my avatar I'm bias fanboy

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 5:13 am PT

    @IsmirZone
    If a 2d game was ever made that took advantage of modern systems with their high resolutions, deep color palettes, large storage mediums and increadible processing power (imagine real-time Photoshop style filters!), we'd see some *beautiful* games. Things that would make even the best looking 2d games made during the 16bit era pale in comparison (ever see Magician Lord, for example?)...

    While the best thing Sony did with the PS1 was encourage 3d, the worst thing they've done is discourage 2d (partly because that was the Saturn's biggest strength). Even now, if a 2d fighter was available on the PS2 or Dreamcast, I'd pick the Dreamcast version because I know it could handle 2d games better...

    Only in this past generation have 3d game shown the same level of character, personality, and creativity that 2d games had. It's quite an accomplishment to be sure, but I think its time to see what 2d is capable of now...

  • IsmirZone

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 3:53 am PT

    Lets hope this open the door to new 2D games....2D games still have lot to offer.

  • DevilHunterX

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 1:06 am PT

    FINALLY!!!

  • tonyleo01

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 12:33 am PT

    oh snap! about timeeeee!!!

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 9:47 pm PT

    sweet

  • John_of_Fire

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 8:38 pm PT

    Yes yes yes.... I am so happy to hear this. I loved KOF on my Dreamcast but the resolution looked so primitive when played on the newer systems. Neowave was a huge disapointment to me (new hardware same crap.) Now I just hope this comes out on 360. This is a much needed upgrade. I will be waiting for KOF 12.

    chikahiro94- dido.

  • Berserker_2

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 8:33 pm PT

    I love the SNK series. It needs serious investment. I hope XII takes 2D sprites beyond Guilty Gear.

  • fierro316

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 8:23 pm PT

    About friggin time SNK. And I agree with Chikahiro that SF III 3rd Strike is the best 2-D fighter. Maybe we'll play SF IV before the second coming of Christ.

  • WolfSkill5544

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 7:55 pm PT

    It was about time. Since the release of KOF neo wave. KOF XI was better than neo wave, but not much change. I can't wait to see the new face of KOF.

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 7:50 pm PT

    @SpareJesus
    "Hm, 'The Ultimate 2-D Game'? Doesn't Guilty Gear currently have that spot?"
    Nope, that would be Street Fighter III: Third Strike.

    @KoruKinshi
    "Guilty Gear? Ultimate 2-D game? Maybe if you like button mashing."
    Just like MvC2, there's a lot more to Guilty Gear than button mashing. A match between two good players may seem like they're having seizures, but I assure you theres an order and strategy to it. Tragic has an amazing analysis of the Guilty Gear X engine on GameFAQs you might want to look into.

    Is anyone else hoping that a new Mark of the Wolves gets made with hi-res graphics?

  • BombermanGold

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 6:35 pm PT

    OMG you know nothing....
    they already have a 3D KoF...it goes by the name Maximum Impact/2006.

    With that already out of the way, SNK-P can keep doing the regular KoF games however they wish.
    Hi-res 2D graphics might give the series a big boost...
    if ONLY they also port the other games (King of FIghters XI) to the states! (and PS2 preferably!)

  • nintendorocks

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 6:34 pm PT

    Hmm....what what the "ultimate 2-D game" will look like.

  • blackIceJoe

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 6:19 pm PT

    I wonder why 2D and not 3D. 3D I think looks nicer.

  • KoruKinshi

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 5:36 pm PT

    Guilty Gear? Ultimate 2-D game? Maybe if you like button mashing.

    As for me, this is a double edged sword. I'm ecstatic that XII is coming out, but I'm frustrated at the same time since XI came out not too long ago, and I'm seriously enjoying this game. Finally after polishing my skills up, there's a new one?

    *sigh* Arcades slack, I tell you. It took me forever to find a damn machine to play on, and then wait for it to come out on PS2. Now a new one's coming out. It's both a blessing and a curse.

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