From King of Fighters 94 to 97,every fighter makes a comeback in this special
title made for the fans!
Overview
During the early 90's SNK released the series predecessor Fatal Fury:KOF.Since then
the series was brought back with more characters and gameplay.KOF 98 raises the bar
on how far such a system could go.(and including some nifty extras for the PSX&DC)
Graphics 10/10
2D has never looked so good.Even so for an aging system,the NEO-GEO MVS pushed the
system even farther. Everything from the background stages,to the characters themselves
catch any gamers attention right away. Details show up from each attack,to a KO.
It is truly a beautiful game.
Gameplay/Controls 10/10
KOF is mostly known for its challening gameplay,tons of moves (some so insane to pull
off,but totally worth it).Using different special attack bars,players have a choice
in how they want to play this title.
+Charge to Max or earning a limit to use till MAX has been reached.
++Charge MAX can also unleash hidden DM moves when used at the right time.
Controls are the best in this series,using just four buttons and a joystick. You tend
to forget about Street Fighter II while playing this.
+A-Light&Medium Punch/B-Light&Medium Kick
+C-Hard Punch/D-Hard Kick
*Use both C&D to use the Charge Mode (but use this wisely since you'll be open to
your opponents attacks.) *Use ABC to use the full Max DM specials.
+++Press Start after choosing your fighters to see if they'll support their teammates.
Sound/Music 10/10
SNK's King of Fighters series is well known for this,from jazzy to rock.Its all here!
The MVS sound quality is exceptional,but this doesnt hamper the gameplay one bit.
Bringing various tunes from past titles in the series,every fan can enjoy their fav tune
once again with new styles aplenty.
+Extra Note:The Arranged Soundtrack CD only contained a few songs since so many were
barrowed from the games earlier titles 94-97.But there's a decent selection of tunes,
but its just a small amount yet some good songs besides that small problem.
Replay Value 10/10
Tons of characters to choose from so there's no limit to how much you can do in this
title.(Plus in the console versions you can also select various fighters EX mode.These
are from past titles,each change the players choice in how they can play the game.)
++Also featured is the connectivity of the NeoGeoPocket&NGPColor to use VIA special
hidden goodies in KOF 98 R-2.
+++If you complete survival mode,you can also select an alternate survival mode the
next time you choose to play.
Overall 10/10
SNK shows its best and possibly last good title in their best franchise ever.1998-1999
changed how SNK would function as both an arcade/console game publisher for various
consoles at the time.(And the NEO-GEO itself). King Of Fighters 1998 proves how well
SNK could produce a game.This is a must have for any gamer in their collection.
- by Robert Turner
