| Series | Position in the series | Saga/Story Arc | Chapter | Is it canonical? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The King of Fighters | 13th | Tales of Ash | 3rd | Yes |
| The King of Fighters XIII | Team Stories | Move List | Gallery | Soundtrack | Achievements | Credits | Trivia | DLC |
- "Dear Sir or Madam, it's 2010, and with much pride and pleasure, we would like to announce our annual King of Fighters Tournament. Former participants and persons who have received this invitation may join teams, and will face off in heated 3-on-3 combat to decide this year's champion team. We look forward for your participation! Sincerely, R."
- —Arcade Movie Intro
The King of Fighters XIII (ザ・キング・オブ・ファイターズ
The game is the final chapter of the "Tales of Ash" story arc, started in The King of Fighters 2003.
The mobile versions of the game were released on July 7, 2011, and a downloadable application for social networks was released on October 17, 2011. Additionally, an iOS version of the game, titled The King of Fighters-i-, featuring a reduced character roster, was released on July 7, 2011; an update of this version that includes six more characters was released on September 8, 2011. This same version was later ported to the Android platform on March 22, 2012, as The King of Fighters Android. An updated version featuring 12 new characters and other modes was released on iOS-based devices on May 3, 2012, called The King of Fighters-i 2012. This same version was released on Android on September 3, 2013, as The King of Fighters-A 2012.
A new version of the game, including the characters introduced on the console ports, as well as new revisions, was released in Japanese arcades on April 26, 2012, under the name The King of Fighters XIII Climax (ザ・キング・オブ・ファイターズ
On EVO Japan 2023, The King of Fighters XIII Global Match was announced for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. This version features Rollback Netcode and improved online functionality. It is unknown if this version will be available on other platforms. Two Open Beta Tests were released: the first between June 5 through 11, 2023, and the second between July 31 through August 6, 2023, for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. This version was released on November 16, 2023.
Eisuke Ogura returns as the main character illustrator.
Development[]
SNK Playmore announced The King of Fighters XIII in February 2010. There was a preview of the game that was held on March 25, 2010, in Akihabara. The game design director, Kei Yamamoto, stated that he wanted the game to be played by the fans of the series who would be able to use their experience from prior titles. Additionally, however, he did not want the game to be too similar to its predecessors, though he and his staff's aim for the game was to capture the charm from prior titles such as the readdition of gameplay rules from older titles. The gameplay was also modified to have faster battles, to be more enjoyable to gamers. Yamamoto labelled the theme of the game as "KOF-ism" (KOFイズム), referring to returning back to the heart of the series. The main objective of the game's new features was to appeal to the audience that prefers quick combos. SNK Playmore president Ryo Mizufune expressed excitement for the game's release, commenting that they wanted to release a game that would surpass fans' expectations and could become as popular as The King of Fighters '98. They listened to fans' suggestions during development of the game to incorporate them.
The staff in charge wanted to pay attention to the number of details given to the game's graphics. Regarding the story, they paid attention to its flow, mentioning the final version was not significantly different from the first one. Because the prior game, The King of Fighters XII, suffered from various technical issues, developers also worked in fixing them to improve the gameplay. However, the initial arcade version of the game suffered from four notable bugs, which led to special rules forbidding players to use them at Japan's Tougeki – Super Battle Opera fighting game tournament. An updated version 1.1 was later released for arcades, fixing all the bugs and issues from the original game.
When it came to choosing characters for this title, developers wanted to include ones that would give a notable contrast and balance between teams rather than popularity with fans, expanding the "KOF-ism" theme. Characters like Kyo Kusanagi were made to fight at short distances, rather than like his original forms from the series' first two games, where he relied on attacks performed from distance, to emphasize the balance within the cast. The first Neo Max technique made by the staff was Kyo's. As a result, subsequent Neo Max attacks were made to be consistent with Kyo's Neo Max in their style and damage. While Kyo often wears different outfits for each story arc, he was given a more masculine appearance for The King of Fighters XIII. Artist Eisuke Ogura expressed pressure in drawing this incarnation of Kyo, as it had to live up to a long reputation he has had ever since his introduction.
Returning characters such as the K' Team were adjusted so that they would play in a similar fashion to prior titles, which resulted in several revisions of mechanics. King and Mai Shiranui were made based on their Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury incarnations, respectively, rather than their The King of Fighters incarnations. Ogura stated that designing Ash's final form was conceived shortly after he saw early designs of Saiki. Following this, Ogura tried drawing Ash's possessed form in The King of Fighters XIII in a way which showed that, while the enemy's body is Ash's, the one fighting is Saiki, as represented by his black flames. Despite early pressure about that, once seeing Saiki's similarities with Ash, Ogura managed to draw the Evil Ash easily. The idea behind this character was to give off the vibe of a repulsive person.
SNK Playmore worked to make characters with alternate versions comparable, as they aimed for neither a superior nor an inferior Kyo within the cast, giving the players the decision when choosing which version of the character they would prefer to play. Iori's flame wielding persona was developed to generate a contrast between him and the regular Iori.
Story[]
Magaki was slain by Shion's spear, and Shion vanished into the dimensional rift. Then other members of the group Heidern was tracking suddenly appeared and vanished, as if to mock Heidern and his team. Who are "Those From the Distant Land," and why are they so persistent in their pursuit of the power of Orochi?
Meanwhile, Ash Crimson, having obtained Kagura's power, chose to ignore Elisabeth's cautions and took on Iori Yagami's power.
Yata was defeated, and Yasakani has fallen. Only one of the Three Sacred Treasures remains: the Sword of Kusanagi. However, Kyo Kusanagi suffered a major injury at the hands of Yagami, who had been overtaken by the power of the revitalized Orochi.
Time has passed...
With these recent incidents, it was feared that the next King of Fighters tournament would never happen. However, thanks to an unheard-of amount of promotion by a mysterious party, the KoF will be held on an unprecedented scale. The new mixed martial arts tournament is on the world stage, and the mass media has been giving it coverage like never before.
Fighters all across the world begin to receive invitations... all sent from "R"!
Gameplay[]
Gameplay of Athena vs. Raiden
- Special moves now have "EX Special Moves" versions, which require a stock of super meter to perform, and which function similarly to Darkstalkers' or Street Fighter III's EX special moves. You can also perform EX supers for two stocks, reviving the Max Desperation Moves of older KOFs. EX Attacks can perform tasks such as adding invincibility, boosting attack speed, adding more hits, and other factors.
- Some EX moves pay homage to other attacks a character has previously had; for example, K's EX Crow Bites resembles his Heaven's Drive Desperation Move from 2003-XI and Neo Geo Battle Coliseum, and EX Iori's EX Oniyaki resembles his Orochi version's Oni Honoo in the vs. Capcom series.
Gameplay of Mai vs. Yuri
- A feature called the "Drive Cancel" allows players to unlimitedly cancel their character's moves to their whim. The ability to do so relies on the "Hyper Drive Gauge" that's above the power gauge, gradually draining it as the players cancel their moves.
- "Hyperdrive Mode" (abbv. as "HD Mode") is a tricky feature that can only be done once the Hyper Drive Gauge is at maximum. It's possible for players to perform an unlimited amount of Drive Cancels at the precise moment the gauge is filled. Although the effect is short and temporary, the feature allows otherwise unlinkable techniques to be used in one combo. Drive Cancels and Hyper Drive Mode are both callbacks to the systems introduced in The King of Fighters 2002, such as the Free Cancel and the MAX Activation, respectively. The Drive Cancel done outside HD Mode is similar to the Free Cancel done in KOF Neowave (a rebalanced version of 2002 pre-dating Unlimited Match), via the Super Cancel mode (where MAX Activation does not exist).
- When a player is in Hyper Drive Mode and has two power stocks available, or in normal state and with three power stocks, they can perform a powerful technique called a "Neo Max Super Special Move", a revival of the MAX2 of 2002, Neowave, and 2002 Unlimited Match. Players can also link/cancel into a Neo Max technique during a combo off of a special or even both a normal and EX Super Special Moves, which is dubbed a "Max Cancel". Unlike MAX2s, they can be done at any health level.
- Not only does everyone gain a Neo Max, but almost all characters now gain new attacks, or regain old ones, left out of KOF XII.
- Throw attacks are now back to being back or forward + Hard Punch or Hard Kick like in past games, but are more like KOF 2003 and XI (in that all characters only have one throw, and the button used determines if they switch sides or not).
Order Select of Team Japan vs. Ryo, Robert and Iori in the arcade version
- The Story Mode returns with a scoring system. When fighting against a CPU opponent, players are challenged to complete a random objective during stages, called Target Actions. Completing these can award bonus points at the scoring screen. Meeting certain actions can also reward players the next round by filling up their power gauge or Hyper Drive Gauge. Objectives include goals such as completing a certain amount of hits within one combo, successfully hitting the CPU with a desperation technique (including EX and Neo Max Desperation Moves or specials), or being asked to perform a certain attack within 10 seconds.
- A complete story consists of eight stages, six being spent against teams and two being saved for the final matches.
- During a fight against a CPU opponent, players can be awarded a big boost of extra points if they end a match with a Regular, EX or Neo Max Super Special Move. It also triggers a special splash screen for their victory blow.
- The "zoom" effect seen in The King of Fighters XII has been removed, and general gameplay speed has been improved greatly.
- Pre-fight exchanges similar to those in SNK vs Capcom: SVC Chaos are also present in the game. These unique conversations also exist in mirror matches (when two players play with the same character), and they only appear in Single Player mode.
- Aside from the regular team music from the game, players can also listen to the characters' themes from previous KOF games, such as "Queen" from KOF XI for Elisabeth and "KDD-0075" from KOF XI for K'.
- King and Yuri can have their tops ripped off (as in Art of Fighting 1, Art of Fighting 2, The King of Fighters '94 and The King of Fighters '95) when K.O.'d by Special, EX and/or Super Special Moves. This continues to occur in the following mainline titles in the series.
Characters[]
Overview[]
The entire roster from The King of Fighters XII (including the two console exclusive characters) returns in The King of Fighters XIII, arranged in the usual teams of three members. With the exception of Robert, Ralf, Chin, Mai, Kim and Raiden, who receive new voice actors, all of the voice cast remains the same as the previous games and/or past story arcs. This game is the last with this old voice cast. Hwa Jai and Saiki (both versions) share the same voice actor with Ash Crimson, and Billy remains with the same voice actor from The King of Fighters 2003. Of this, only Ash, Athena, Benimaru, King and Kula remain with their voice actors in future games (Athena with the same voice actress since KOF '98/UM).
It is noted that an earlier build of KOF XIII had featured English voice acting, retaining the same voice cast from KOF XII, with a few new cast members that voiced for some of the characters who were not in the previous game, such as Mai. However, in the final build of KOF XIII, the English voice option was completely omitted and only the Japanese voices remain.
Both Mukai and Botan return. Rose returns and is also the sponsor of this year's tournament, along with her older brother, Adelheid. All of the remaining members from Those from the Past group have their faces revealed, and are being led by Saiki.
When the game designer was asked about his personal thoughts for this new cast in an interview, he remarked that he isn't always looking forward to adding popular characters from other series. As before with KOF XII, the overall goal for the cast was to create contrasts and variations between each character for an interesting balance between teams. Whenever possible, he believes the characters in The King of Fighters should be reenacting a classic fist-to-fist battle rather than one that relies too much on additional weaponry. Lately, the desire to stay true to this theme in an interesting manner has decided who gets to appear in KOF.
The characters added to the roster (between originals and of other franchises) are:
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Raiden, from the Fatal Fury series, appears again from The King of Fighters XII and makes his canonical debut in the series. He is a pro wrestler and former criminal who joins Kim Kaphwan in his Rehabilitation Project. His face persona is Big Bear, who appears as an alternative costume in this game. |
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Hwa Jai, also from the Fatal Fury series, makes his debut in the KOF series. He is another criminal, and once a Muay Thai champion, who also joins Kim's Rehabilitation Project. |
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Saiki, the sub-boss of the game, is the leader of Those from the Past group, and Ash's ancestor. He is a being that has been described as the Western emissary of Gaia. He desires to gather life energy throughout the tournament to reawaken Gaia's will, and to use the entity for his own means. He appears in two forms: his Human Version (only in Domestic Platforms and Climax Versions) and Awakened Version, which appears as the sub-boss. |
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Evil Ash, the final boss of the game, is a version of Ash after killing and absorbing both Saiki and Mukai's powers. |
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Mr. Karate, the final opponent in the first Art of Fighting, debuts as a new character. However, he has no relevance in the plot of the game. He enters the tournament alone. This version of Mr. Karate is his serious side, who was an optional final boss in SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos. |
Most of the team formations are the classic formations seen in past mainline KoF games. The teams are as follows:
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After two tournaments leading his team with shady purposes, Ash Crimson enters this KOF tournament as a solo participant, getting closer and closer to his ancestor, Saiki, and his group, whose main objective is to steal the power of Orochi to dominate the world. |
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With the main objective of stopping her friend, Ash Crimson, the noblewoman, Elisabeth Blanctorche, joins with Ash's former team partners, the Hizoku ninja, Duo Lon, and the street fighter, Shen Woo, forming the new Rivals Team (in this case, the Hero Team, due to the protagonist's intentions). |
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The classic Japan Team is remade after 13 years. Consequently, Kyo Kusanagi returns to his original team after 9 years, Benimaru Nikaido leaves the Rivals Team, and Goro Daimon returns to the tournament also after 9 years. |
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The ninja, Andy Bogard, and the Muay Thai champion, Joe Higashi, return to the Fatal Fury Team (the first, after 9 years, and the second, after 7 years). As a result, the team returns with its classic formation. |
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Takuma Sakazaki, the patriarch of the Kyokugenryu Karate style, returns to the tournament after 9 years, along with his main disciples, Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia, reforming the Art of Fighting Team. This is another team which returns with its classic formation. |
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After recovering from her crisis with the weakening of the Orochi seal, Leona Heidern returns to the Ikari Warriors Team after 7 years, along with Ralf Jones and Clark Still. The team returns with its second classic formation, established in The King of Fighters '96. |
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The Kung Fu master, Chin Gentsai, returns to Team Psycho Soldier after 7 years, along with his main disciples, Athena Asamiya and Sie Kensou. This is another team which returns with its classic formation. |
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The bartender, King, and the Karate student, Yuri Sakazaki, leave the Art of Fighting Team and join with Mai Shiranui, who was absent since the 10th tournament. They reform the classic lineup of the Women Fighters Team. |
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Kim Kaphwan leaves the Fatal Fury Team and recruits two new outlaws to his Rehabilitation Project: the wrestler, Raiden, and the Muay Thai fighter, Hwa Jai,(which, in the past, were servants of Geese Howard), forming a new iteration of the Kim Team. |
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Iori Yagami summons his victims in The King of Fighters '96 and Orochi Hakkesshu's servants, Mature and Vice, forming the classic formation of the Yagami Team again after 14 years. The women reappear physically in this world as ghosts after becoming aware that their master's power is in danger. |
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The K' Team continues with the entry formed in KOF XI. |
- Note: Billy Kane, from the Fatal Fury series, returns after 7 years from his last appearance. However, he has no relevance in the plot of the game. Like Mr. Karate, he enters the tournament alone.
Official Team Roster[]
Elisabeth Team (A.K.A. Rivals Team or Deuteragonist Team)[]
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Japan Team (A.K.A. Kyo Team)[]
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Fatal Fury Team (A.K.A. Garou Densetsu Team)[]
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Art of Fighting Team (A.K.A. Kyokugenryu Team)[]
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Ikari Warriors Team (A.K.A. Ikari Team)[]
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Psycho Soldier Team (A.K.A. Athena Team)[]
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Women Fighters Team[]
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Kim Team[]
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Yagami Team[]
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K' Team[]
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Mid-Bosses[]
Initial Mid-Boss[]
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DLC Mid-Bosses[]
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Sub-Boss[]
Saiki (Awakened Form) - Doesn't appear in mobile versions |
Final Boss[]
Evil Ash - Doesn't appear in mobile versions |
Downloadable EX Forms[]
- Note: These variants are all included in the PC Editions (Steam/GOG).
NESTS Style Kyo Kusanagi (A.K.A. NESTS Kyo) (Based on his KOF '98 moveset) |
Iori who has Recovered His Flames (A.K.A. Classic Flames Iori) (Based on his KOF '95-XI moveset) |
Mr. Karate (Serious Form from SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos) - Doesn't appear in the mobile versions |
Mid-Bosses Table[]
- Note 1: All mid-bosses appear under specific conditions.
- Note 2: There are two methods to unlock Billy and Saiki: defeating either of them for the first time, or via purchasing the DLC.
| Mid-Boss(es) | Conditions | <Availability |
|---|---|---|
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Score 4,000,000 points by the end of Stage 5 in Arcade Mode. | Arcade, Console & Mobile |
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Perform at least 2 Target Actions per match in Arcade Mode. | Arcade, Console & Mobile |
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Perform at least 5 Target Actions per match in Arcade Mode. | Arcade & Console |
Special Edit Teams[]
- Note: By completing Arcade Mode with these teams, some special illustrations are unlocked.
KOF Heroes Team[]
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Kyo Kusanagi |
K' |
Ash Crimson |
Teenage Girls Team[]
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Athena Asamiya |
Kula Diamond |
Yuri Sakazaki |
Drink Team (A.K.A. Drunken Team)[]
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King |
Chin Gentsai |
Hwa Jai |
Sidekick Team[]
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Benimaru Nikaido |
Andy Bogard |
Robert Garcia |
Glamorous Team[]
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Elisabeth Blanctorche |
Mai Shiranui |
King |
Giants Team[]
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Goro Daimon |
Maxima |
Raiden |
KOF 2003 Heroes Team[]
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Ash Crimson |
Duo Lon |
Shen Woo |
Wrestlers Team[]
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Goro Daimon |
Clark Still |
Raiden |
Mature Team[]
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Mature |
Vice |
Leona Heidern |
Secondary Hero Team[]
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Benimaru Nikaido |
Kim Kaphwan |
Joe Higashi |
Mushroom Hair Team[]
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Kyo Kusanagi |
Kim Kaphwan |
Sie Kensou |
SNK Heroes Team[]
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Kyo Kusanagi |
Terry Bogard |
Ryo Sakazaki |
[]
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Iori Yagami |
Benimaru Nikaido |
Leona Heidern |
Sweet Team[]
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Ash Crimson |
Kula Diamond |
Yuri Sakazaki |
White Hair Team[]
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K' |
Ash Crimson |
Chin Gentsai |
Ancient Martial Arts Team[]
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Kyo Kusanagi |
Iori Yagami |
Takuma Sakazaki |
South Town Outlaw Team[]
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Billy Kane |
Raiden |
Hwa Jai |
Billy Team[]
- Note: To earn the special illustration, the player must defeat the final boss with Billy.
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Billy Kane |
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Saiki Team[]
- Note: To earn the special illustration, the player must defeat the final boss with Saiki.
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Saiki (Human Form) |
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NPC Characters[]
- Botan - appears in cutscenes
- Shroom & Rimelo - appear in cutscenes
- Adelheid Bernstein - appears in cutscenes and background cameo in Sky Noah Stage
- Rose Bernstein - appears in cutscenes and background cameo in Sky Noah Stage
- Foxy & Diana - appear in Kula's Neo Max and in one of her win poses
Stage Cameos[]
The King of Fighters series[]
- Rugal Bernstein (KOF '94) - in Sky Noah Stage
- Heidern (KOF '94) - in Sky Noah Stage, during the 3rd round
- Rodem (KOF '94) - in Sky Noah Stage
- Malin (KOF 2003) - in the Dojo Stage
- Bao (KOF '99) - in Pao Pao Cafe Stage
- Heavy D!, Lucky Glauber & Brian Battler (KOF '94) - in the Abandoned Factory Stage
- Candy Diamond (KOF 2000) - in Abandoned Factory Stage
- Vanessa, Seth & Ramón (KOF 2002 Team Agents & KOF 2000) - in France Stage
- Shermie (KOF '97) - in France Stage
- Lin (KOF 2000) - in China Stage
- Baitang (KOF 2000) - in China Stage
- Chris (KOF '97) - in England Stage
- Shingo Yabuki (KOF '97) - in Japan and Esaka Stages
- Hinako Shijo (KOF 2000) - in Japan Stage
- Chang Koehan (KOF '94) - in India Stage
- Cosplayer Kyoko (KOF '94) - in Esaka Stage
Fatal Fury series[]
- Marco Rodrigues (Garou: MOTW) - in the Dojo and Brazil Stages
- Richard Meyer (Fatal Fury: King of Fighters) - in Pao Pao Cafe Stage
- Kain R. Heinlein (Garou: MOTW) - in Burnt Remains Stage
- Wolfgang Krauser (Fatal Fury 2) - in Clock Tower Stage
- Laurence Blood (Fatal Fury 2) - in Clock Tower Stage
- Axel Hawk (Fatal Fury 2) - in Clock Tower Stage
- Lilly Kane (Fatal Fury: King of Fighters) - in Clock Tower Stage
- Duck King (Fatal Fury: King of Fighters) - on a helicopter in USA Stage
- P-chan (Fatal Fury: King of Fighters) - in the USA Stage
- Tung Fu Rue (Fatal Fury: King of Fighters) - in China Stage
- Li Xiangfei (RBFF 2) - in China Stage
- B. Jenet (Garou: MOTW) - in England Stage
- Ryuji Yamazaki (Fatal Fury 3) - in England Stage, on a poster
- Cheng Sinzan (Fatal Fury 2) - in India Stage
- Tizoc (The Griffon Mask) (Garou: MOTW) - in Brazil Stage
Art of Fighting series[]
- Wang Koh-San (AOF 3) - in Desert Stage
- Eiji Kisaragi (AOF 2) - in the Dojo Stage
- Kasumi Todoh (AOF 3) - in the Dojo Stage
- Mr. Big (AOF 1) - in South Town and USA Stages
- Karman Cole (AOF 3) - in South Town Stage
- Jack Turner (AOF 1) - in South Town Stage, on a poster
- Ryuhaku Todoh (AOF 1) - in Japan Stage
Samurai Shodown series[]
- Haohmaru (SamSho I) - in Esaka Stage
- Nakoruru (SamSho I) - in Japan Stage
- Hanzo Hattori (SamSho I) - in Coliseum Rooftop Stage
- Charlotte Christine de Colde (SamSho I) - in Burnt Remains Stage
- Shiki (SamSho 64) - in Temple Stage
- Galford D. Weller (SamSho I) - in USA Stage
- Cham Cham (SamSho II) - in Brazil Stage
Metal Slug series[]
- Marco Rossi (MS 1) - in Egypt Stage
- Mars People (MS 2) - in Egypt Stage
- Fiolina Germi (MS 2) - in Egypt Stage
The Last Blade series[]
- Shinnosuke Kagami (LB 1) - in Burnt Remains Stage
- Moriya Minakata (LB 1) - in Temple Stage
Savage Reign/Kizuna Encounter series[]
- Sho Hayate (Savage Reign) - in Dojo Stage
Other Games[]
- Rocky (Robo Army) - in Abandoned Factory Stage
Story/Arcade Cameos[]
The King of Fighters series[]
- Heidern
- Whip
- Chang Koehan
- Choi Bounge
- Shingo Yabuki
- Malin
- Momoko
- Bao
- Ramón
- Vanessa
- Seth
- Hinako Shijo
- Chizuru Kagura
- Oswald
- Mukai
- Adelheid Bernstein
- Rose Bernstein
- Botan
- Shion
- Magaki
- Orochi
Fatal Fury/Wolves series[]
- Blue Mary
- B. Jenet
- Tizoc (The Griffon)
- Li Xiangfei
- Hotaru Futaba
- Duck King
- Richard Meyer
- Kim Dong Hwan
- Kim Jae Hoon
Art of Fighting series[]
Cosplay & Alternate Colors[]
Several alternate colors for the cast are homages to characters in other games or media. The list below charts costume outcomes from the alternate color options.
Normal Colors[]
| Character | Original Character(s) | Normal Color Number |
|---|---|---|
| Ash Crimson | The Joker from DC Comics' Batman series | Color #10 |
| Elisabeth Blanctorche | Herself (KOF XI) | Color #10 |
| Duo Lon | Xiao Lon from the KOF Maximum Impact series, TATARI/The Night of Wallachia from Type-Moon's Tsukihime/Melty Blood series, Himself (negative colors) | Color #3, Color #5, Color #10 |
| Kyo Kusanagi | Himself (during the NESTS saga) | Color #10 |
| Benimaru Nikaido | Roronoa Zoro from Toei's One Piece series, Duke Edwards from Burning Fight | Color #3 |
| Terry Bogard | Robert Garcia | Color #10 |
| Andy Bogard | Son Goku from the Dragon Ball series, Eiji Kisaragi from the Art of Fighting series | Color #9, Color #8 |
| Ryo Sakazaki | Shin Akuma and Ryu from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Mr. Karate II from Buriki One | Color #8, Color #6, Color #5 |
| Robert Garcia | Terry Bogard | Color #10 |
| Takuma Sakazaki | Shin Akuma from Capcom's Street Fighter series | Color #10 |
| Leona Heidern | Gamora from Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy series, Nightcrawler from Marvel's X-Men series | Color #8, Color #10 |
| Ralf Jones | Himself (KOF 2000~XI) | Color #10 |
| Clark Still | Himself (KOF '99~XI) | Color #10 |
| Athena Asamiya | Herself (KOF XII), Sasara Kusugawa from To Heart 2, Ninon Beart from the Maximum Impact series | Color #10, Color #7, Color #5 |
| Sie Kensou | Duo Lon | Color #10 |
| King | Kula Diamond | Color #10 |
| Yuri Sakazaki | Mina Majikina and Iroha from theSamurai Shodown series, Yamanaka Ino and Sakura Haruno from theNaruto series | Color #5, Color #6, Color #7, Color #8 |
| Kim Kaphwan | Son Goku from the Dragon Ball series | Color #10 |
| Raiden | Venom from Marvel's Spider-Man series, Himself (from theFatal Fury series), Tiger Mask (Japanese wrestler) | Color #10, Color #2, Color #9 |
| Hwa Jai | The Hulk from Marvel's Hulk series, Adon from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Joe Higashi | Color #7, Color #2, Color #4 |
| Iori Yagami | Himself (KOF '95~XI), Kula Diamond, Terry Bogard (MOTW version) | Color #10, Color #7, Color #4 |
| Mature | Iori Yagami, Herself (ghost) | Color #4, Color #10 |
| Vice | Iori Yagami, Herself (ghost) | Color #4, Color #10 |
| K' | Dante from Capcom's Devil May Cry series, Two-Face from the DC Comics Batman series, Homage to Mattel's card game Uno | Color #4, Color #8, Color #10 |
| Kula Diamond | Iori Yagami (KOF '95~XI), Whip, C.C. from Sunrise's Code Geass, Herself (ice doll) | Color #4, Color #3, Color #9, Color #10 |
| Maxima | Iron Man from Marvel's Iron Man series, EVA-01 from GAINAX's Neon Genesis Evangelion | Color #4, Color #8 |
| Billy Kane | A minstrel from "The Minstrel Show" | Color #10 |
| Saiki (Human Form) | Elisabeth Blanctorche, Ash Crimson, Himself (Awakened Form), Remy from Capcom's Street Fighter series | Color #2, Color #4, Color #10 |
| Evil Ash | Himself (Normal Version) | Color #4 |
Alternate Colors[]
| Character | Original Character(s) | Alternate Color Number |
|---|---|---|
| Elisabeth Blanctorche | Herself (KOF XI) | Color #1 |
| Kyo Kusanagi | Himself (during the Orochi saga), Iori Yagami (KOF '95~XI) | Color #1, Color #10 |
| Takuma Sakazaki | Mr. Karate, Ryo Sakazaki | Color #1, Color #10 |
| Yuri Sakazaki | Herself (with braid), Cammy White from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Mignon Beart from the Maximum Impact series | Color #1, Color #10, Color #7 |
| Raiden | Big Bear (his babyface persona from Fatal Fury 2), Zangief from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Hulk Hogan (retired American wrestler), Winnie the Pooh from Disney's The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh series | Color #1, Color #4, Color #9, Color #10 |
| Hwa Jai | Oro from Capcom's Street Fighter series | Color #9 |
| K' | Kula Diamond, Kamen Rider Double, Samus Aran from Nintendo's Metroid, Gill from Capcom's Street Fighter series (or Kikaider from Kikaider series) | Color #3, Color #4, Color #1 |
Custom Colors[]
Beside that, some custom colors resemble other characters or media, depending on the player's choices (and exclusive for the five spaces after the 10th color). Below, the list:
| Character | Original Character(s) | Custom Color Number |
|---|---|---|
| Ash Crimson | Awakened Saiki, Ronald McDonald (McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain mascot), Green Lantern from DC Comics’ namesake series, Elisabeth Blanctorche, Matt Miller from Volition's Saints Row series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Elisabeth Blanctorche | Raven from DC Comics' Titans series, Kain R. Heinlein from Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Demitri Maximoff from Capcom's Darkstalkers series, Miles Edgeworth from Capcom's Ace Attorney, The Joker from DC Comics' Batman series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Duo Lon | Lee Pai Long from the Art of Fighting series, Hsien-Ko from Capcom's Darkstalkers series, Ron, Tessa from Capcom's Red Earth series, Foxy | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Shen Woo | Yashiro Nanakase, Rody Birts from Art of Fighting 3, Reiji Oogami from The King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood, Victor von Gerdenheim from Capcom's Darkstalkers series, Soiree Meira from theMaximum Impact series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Kyo Kusanagi | Kusanagi, Trunks Briefs from the Dragon Ball series, Rock Howard from Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Dio Brando from the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Dante from Capcom's Devil May Cry series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Benimaru Nikaido | Vegeta from the Dragon Ball series, Jean Pierre Polnareff from the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Magaki (Awakened Form), Basara from theSamurai Shodown series, Adelheid Bernstein | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Goro Daimon | The Hulk from Marvel's Hulk series, Hakan from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Mukai, Himself (KOF 2002/UM D color), Grant from Garou: Mark of the Wolves | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Terry Bogard | Ash Ketchum from the Pokémon series, Waluigi and Mario from Nintendo's Super Mario series, Marco Rossi from the Metal Slug series, Jotaro Kujo from the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Andy Bogard | Himself (KOF 2001/2002 [UM]), his EX/Shadow Version from Real Bout Fatal Fury Special, Bardock from the Dragon Ball series, Naruto Uzumaki from the Naruto series, Sub-Zero from Warner's Mortal Kombat series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Joe Higashi | Himself (Real Bout Fatal Fury Special), Adon from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Viewtiful Joe from Capcom's Viewtiful Joe series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #5 |
| Ryo Sakazaki | Gene from Clover Studio's God Hand series, Son Goku and Son Gohan from the Dragon Ball series, Oni Akuma from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Jon Talbain from Capcom's Darkstalkers series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Robert Garcia | Himself (during the NESTS saga), Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, Young Geese from Art of Fighting 2, Charlie Nash from Capcom's Street Fighter series | Color #1, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Takuma Sakazaki | Homer Simpson from The Simpsons series, Geese Howard from the Fatal Fury series, Ichigo Kurosaki from the Bleach manga series, Ryu from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Piccolo from the Dragon Ball series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Leona Heidern | Orochi Leona, Blue Mary from the Fatal Fury series, Sonya Blade from Warner's Mortal Kombat series, She-Hulk from Marvel's She-Hulk series | Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Ralf Jones | Monkey D. Luffy from Toei's One Piece series, Guile and Balrog from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Roman Reigns (American wrestler), Axel Stone from SEGA's Streets of Rage series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #5, Color #3, Color #4 |
| Clark Still | Bret Hart (former Canadian-American wrestler), Barry Duffman from The Simpsons series, Wario from Nintendo's Super Mario series, John Crawley from theArt of Fighting series, Dandy-J from Waku Waku 7 | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Athena Asamiya | Kisarah Westfield from Aggressors of Dark Kombat, Ingrid from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Kagome Higurashi from the InuYasha manga series, Super-Girl from DC Comics' Super-Girl series, Lilith Aensland from Capcom's Darkstalkers series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Sie Kensou | Beast Boy from DC Comics' Teen Titans series, Majin Buu and Trunks Briefs from the Dragon Ball series, Spider-Man from Marvel's Spider-Man series, Bruce Lee (late actor and martial artist) | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Chin Gentsai | Himself (during the Orochi Saga), Aladdin from Disney's Aladdin series, Gen from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Chiaotzu from the Dragon Ball series, Papa Smurf from The Smurfs film series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| King | Rugal Bernstein, Dudley from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Herself (KOF '98 [UM]/'99), Robert Garcia (KOF XI), Vanessa | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Mai Shiranui | Starfire from DC Comics' Titans, Mina Majikina and Genan Shiranui from the Samurai Shodown series, Kasumi from Koei Tecmo's Dead or Alive series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #5, Color #3, Color #4 |
| Yuri Sakazaki | Tifa Lockhart from Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII, Power Girl from DC Comics' Super Girl series, Black Orchid from the Killer Instinct series, Sakura Haruno from the Naruto series, Ángel | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Kim Kaphwan | Kim Jae Hoon and Kim Dong Hwan from Garou: Mark of the Wolves, May Lee Jinju, Himself (Real Bout Fatal Fury Special), Broly from the Dragon Ball series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Raiden | Killbane from Voillon's Saints Row series, The Flash from DC Comics' Flash series, Patrick Star from the Spongebob Squarepants series, Kang Jae-Mo from Rage of the Dragons, Carnage from Marvel's Spider-Man series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Hwa Jai | Sagat from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Kratos from the God of War series, Yellow Bastard from the Sin City series, Viewtiful Joe from Capcom's Viewtiful Joe series | Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Iori Yagami | Robert Garcia (Art of Fighting 3 and KOF '96~'98/UM), The Joker from DC Comics' Batman series, Noriaki Kakyoin from the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #5 |
| Mature | Omega Rugal (KOF '98/UM), Ramón, Lance Vance from Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series, The Joker from DC Comics' Batman series, Rose from Capcom's Street Fighter series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Vice | Poison Ivy and Joker from DC Comics' Batman series, Pierce Washington from Vollion's Saints Row series, Sonny Forelli from Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series, Ryo Sakazaki (Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition) | Color #1, Color #3, Color #2, Color #4, Color #5 |
| K' | Yashiro Nanakase, K9999, Johnny Gat from Voillon's Saints Row series, Gill from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Alba Meira from the Maximum Impact series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Kula Diamond | K', Morrigan Aensland from Capcom's Darkstalkers series, Storm and Mystique from Marvel's X-Men series, Samus Aran from Nintendo's Metroid series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #5, Color #4 |
| Maxima | Iron Man from Marvel's Iron Man series, Kenshiro from the Fist of the North Star manga series, Rocky from Robo Army, Thanos from Marvel's Avengers series, Hellboy from the Hellboy series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Billy Kane | Donatello from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, Himself (KOF 2003), Ralf Jones (KOF '99), Lord Raptor from Capcom's Darkstalkers series, Rolento from Capcom's Street Fighter series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Saiki (Human Form) | Remy and M. Bison from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Shin from Fist of the North Star, Valmont from the Jackie Chan Adventures series, Shion | Color #1, Color #3, Color #2, Color #4, Color #5 |
| NESTS Kyo | Himself (KOF 2000 C+D Color), KOF XIV Beta Outfit, Shingo Yabuki, Slayer from Arc System Works' Guilty Gear series, Ben Tennyson from Cartoon Network's Ben 10 series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Flames Iori | Orochi Iori, Another Iori (KOF 2000 Iori's Striker), Slash from Waku Waku 7, Jedah Dohma from Capcom's Darkstalkers series, Vergil from Capcom's Devil May Cry series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
| Mr. Karate | Akuma from Capcom's Street Fighter series, Bishamon from Capcom's Darkstalkers series, The Green Goblin from Marvel's Spider-Man series, Tam Tam from the Samurai Shodown series, Doctor Doom from Marvel's The Fantastic Four series | Color #1, Color #2, Color #3, Color #4, Color #5 |
Stages[]
- Note: In the Versus Mode, the stages can be selected by the player, something which was last seen in the console version of KOF 2001.
New Stages[]
Arcade/Story/Versus/Practice Stages[]
Stages used in all game modes.
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Grand Sumo Autumn Tournament, Matsumoto, Japan | The fight occurs in a ring, with sumo wrestlers in front, the Miyajima Shrine, Matsumoto Castle, and Mount Fuji in the background, and matsuri floats on both sides of the stage. |
|
Maharaja Plaza, Agra, India | The city of Agra, taking place during a sunset. A yellow stage, it has beautifully animated 3D elephants in the immediate background and the Taj Mahal in the distance. |
|
Bus Terminal, London, England | A stage set in the London streets, with Big Ben in the background. The weather starts off foggy, but the sun shines by the fourth round. In the background are crowds of people, guards and iconic British double-decker buses. |
|
Sunny Forest, Amazon Forest, Brazil | The Amazon Forest. A lush-green jungle stage that was intended to be in The King of Fighters XII.[citation needed] Hard falls cause objects such as fruits or snakes to fall from the trees. |
|
Skyscraper, New York City, USA | An area above the city of New York, with speakers, monitors, and caution tape scattered around; a red, white, and blue sign reading "THE KING OF FIGHTERS" sits above the fighting area. A cage drops in the background in some rounds, and various floats can be seen in the sky. Also visible is the Empire State Building. Similar to Muscle Power's stage in the first World Heroes. Note: In the 3rd round, a helicopter, with a reporter at the door, appears for a few seconds, before disappearing overhead. |
Versus/Practice Stages[]
Stages used only in Versus and Practice Modes.
| Stage | Stage Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Sky Noah (KOF 2003) | An airship floating high above ground, featuring the Bernstein family lounging and doing their business. Multiple terminals and high-tech consoles are strewn across the stage. The stage is reminiscent of The King of Fighters 2003. |
|
Hegra, Saudi Arabia (Ancient Ruins) | The ancient city of Hegra, in the Arabian Desert, next to the Masmak Fort and the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Features ancient ruins, rocks and dust, beside a dry and broken dirt floor. Similar to the Desert Stage in The King of Fighters 2000. Note: Like in KoF 2000, this stage has a sandstorm. But, unlike the seventh KoF entry, it dissipates as the rounds go by. |
|
Kyokugenru Dojo, South Town (Art of Fighting 2) | A dojo with the American and Japanese flags and various Japanese paraphernalia hanging on the walls. There are posters of the Art of Fighting teams, and students in gis are watching the battle. The characters seen in the background are Marco Rodriguez, the unnamed student seen in both his Garou: Mark of the Wolves ending and in The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match (Art of Fighting Team Stage), and Sho Hayate from Savage Reign. |
|
Pao Pao Cafe, South Town (Fatal Fury: King of Fighters) | A colorful stage with exotic plants and decorations, with musicians in the center, and patrons watching over the battle on the left and right behind windows. |
|
Alley, South Town | A dingy back alley in the depths of South Town, with graffiti plastered across brick walls, a random hoodlum sitting in a doorway, and a dilapidated car. Similar to Mickey Rogers' stage in the first Art of Fighting game. |
|
Burnt Remains | The ruins of a European castle, whose walls are partially covered in moss and vines, surrounded by a lush meadow and trees, with a cobblestone road in front. |
|
Mr. Karate Temple (Art of Fighting) | An eastern temple in Japan, dimly lit by torches planted alongside the structure. It has memorial sites on both its left and right, with unmarked stones. |
|
Abandoned Factory Stage (The King of Fighters '95) | An abandoned factory, reminiscent of the Rival Team's Stage in The King of Fighters '95. The setting sun provides light for the background, as a smoldering power plant is seen from behind, along with a trash pile, a KOF-labelled truck, and a vehicle junkyard. |
|
Esaka Passageway, Osaka, Japan (The King of Fighters '96) | A scaffolding connecting to a series of apartment buildings and a train station in Esaka, with the SNK headquarters visible in the background. Numerous high school students are cheering on the fight, and there's a digital billboard promoting the KOF tournament with different fighters on it. Note: The blue sign seen on the right of the stage is written with real life train stations located in Osaka: Minamikata Station, Higashimikuni Station, and Esaka Station, beside the Shuto Expressway. |
Mid-Boss & Boss Stages[]
- Note: All stages can be unlocked in Story Mode, after beating the character associated with each.
| Stage | Stage Name | Team/Character | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Observatory, Colosseum Rooftop | Ash Crimson | The fight takes place in low visibility on the roof of Rose Stadium, while light illuminates the center of the stadium, and fireworks are being shot in the distance. |
|
Clock Tower, London, England | Billy | The fight takes place inside of a clock tower instead of the city streets. Clock gears, a workshop with tools, and pipes can be seen in the background. The London skyline is also visible outside of the windows, highlighting Big Ben in the background. |
|
Vessel Room Stage | Human Saiki | A room of an evil palace. Small craters all over the stage, emanating an evil lava, besides two staircases, an energy ball in the center of a hole, and a terrace can be seen. Similar to Magaki's stage in The King of Fighters XI. |
|
Rose Stadium Ashed — The Gate of Fate | Awakened Saiki | The colosseum and castles have been warped into a destroyed version, and the ground is covered in what seems to be cooled magma. Occupying the back of the stadium where the screen once was is the Gate of Fate. Above the stadium, lightning and swirling clouds rage in a reddish sky due to a stoppage in time. |
|
Rose Stadium Misted — Diabolosis, Oblivion | Evil Ash | The entire stage is almost completely white, with vague shadows of the foundation of Rose Stadium visible as the Gate of Fate opens wider. |
KOF XII's Reimagined Stages[]
Stages from The King of Fighters XII, which return with new versions.
| Stage | Stage Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Rose Stadium | An orange/brown colored colosseum, at night. Features a bed of blue roses and a fountain in the middle, and some castles in the background. This stage appears before the Sub-Boss Fight. |
|
Sacred Ceremony, Giza, Egypt | A large hall in an indoor palace in the Egyptian city of Giza. Dozens of people are engaged in worship, and there are snake statues wrapped around the pillars of the room. Torches are visible in the foreground, and green light reflects off of players when the stage's fires are lit. In the final rounds, the light turns red. A pyramid shaped object engraved with hieroglyphics, which emanates a green light, is visible in the background. |
|
Water Market by Night, Zhouzhuang, China | The city of Zhouzhuang, at night. Features small shops, glowing amber lamps, people cheering, fruits, and some animals. A hard fall on the side of the stage causes a dog to jump out and bark. |
|
Madames' Evenings, Paris, France | The city of Paris, on an autumn evening. The fight takes place on the Avenue de Champs-Élysées, the most famous street of the French capital city. The Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower can be seen in the background. Also features various people sitting at tables watching the fight. |
Type-B Music[]
Some theme songs played in the game are past themes of certain characters or teams. These themes are available only on domestic platforms, and can be accessed in the sound options of the game. Below, the list:
| Music | Related Team/Character in this game | Game/Series Source |
|---|---|---|
| Queen | Elisabeth Team | The King of Fighters XI (Rivals Team Theme) |
| ESAKA ~Acid Remix~ | Japan Team | The King of Fighters XI (EX Kyo's Theme) |
| Street Dancer | Fatal Fury Team | The King of Fighters XI (Fatal Fury Team Theme) |
| After a Long Absence | Art of Fighting Team | The King of Fighters XI (Art of Fighting Team Theme) |
| Smell of Gunpowder | Ikari Warriors Team | The King of Fighters XI (Ikari Warriors Team Theme) |
| Pure ~At Good Old Days~ | Psycho Soldier Team | The King of Fighters XI (Psycho Soldier Team Theme) |
| I'm Hot For You! | Women Fighters Team | The King of Fighters 2003 (Women Fighters Team Theme, Arranged Version) |
| Seoul Road | Kim Team | The King of Fighters '96 (Korea Justice Team Theme, Arranged Version) |
| Arashi no Saxophone (Stormy Saxophone) -KOF XI- | Yagami Team | The King of Fighters XI (Iori's Theme) |
| KDD-0075 | K' Team | The King of Fighters XI (K' Team Theme) |
| Joker | Ash Crimson | The King of Fighters XI ("Hero" Team Theme) |
| Goodbye Esaka -NEO GEO Version- | NESTS Kyo | The King of Fighters 2000 (Kyo's Theme) |
| Arashi no Saxophone 2 -NEO GEO Version- | Flames Iori | The King of Fighters '96 (Yagami Team Theme) |
| Geese ni Katakori (A Stiff Neck for Geese) | Billy Kane | The King of Fighters '96 (Geese's Theme, Remix) |
| The Tengu Show -NEO GEO Version- | Mr. Karate | Art of Fighting (Mr. Karate's Theme) |
| Fate -Arranged- | Human Saiki | The King of Fighters XIII (Awakened Saiki's Theme, Remix) |
- Note: Awakened Saiki and Evil Ash do not have Type-B Music Themes.
Reception[]
Overview[]
Following its release, The King of Fighters XIII received positive reviews, with an average score of 77 out of 100 for the PlayStation 3 and Steam versions, and 79 out of 100 for the Xbox 360 version, on Metacritic. GameSpot awarded it "Best Fighting Game of the Year" and "Most Improved Sequel" of 2011. It was also nominated for the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards, 2011 Golden Joystick Awards, and the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences's 2012 D.I.C.E. Summit awards for the best fighting game of the year, but it lost to Mortal Kombat each time.
The gameplay was given major praise, with critics from GameSpot and 1UP.com comparing it to critically acclaimed fighting games, like Capcom's Street Fighter IV, and finding the execution satisfying despite possible difficulties to newcomers to the franchise. The visual presentation was complimented to the point that GamePro stated that the game "has an incredibly distinct – and incredibly beautiful – visual style to it". SNK Playmore was noted to have listened to all of the fans' concerns regarding the game, as the character roster was increased, with the notable return of fan favorite characters. On the other hand, the game received criticism as a result of its story mode, which is nearly inaccessible to those unfamiliar with the series, as well as its use of illustration alongside large paragraphs to tell the plot. Similar comments were given to the online mode, as it lacked options to allow players to watch other online fights.
The PlayStation 3 version of the game sold 21,525 copies in Japan during its first week of release. At the game's (and the series') Evolution Championship Series debut in 2012, it became the second-most-watched game of the series at over 90,000 consecutive viewers, thanks to a highly competitive tournament. In 2012, Complex ranked it as the third best SNK fighting game ever made, calling it "one of this generation’s finest fighters". The magazine also ranked it as the eighth best 2D fighting game of all time in 2013, stating: "A hit at EVO both this year, and the last, we predict that XIII will be sticking around for years to come". GamesRadar listed it as the eighth best fighting game from its generation.
Reception Table[]
Aggregation scores[]
| Aggregator | Info |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 77 (PlayStation 3 & Steam) 79 (Xbox 360) 88 (iOS) |
Review scores[]
| Publication | Info |
|---|---|
| 1UP.com | B |
| GamePro | 4.5/5 stars |
| Famitsu | 34/40 |
| GameSpot | 8.5/10 |
| IGN | 7/10 |
| TouchArcade | 5 stars (iOS) |
Award[]
| Publication | Info |
|---|---|
| GameSpot | Best Fighting Game of 2011 Most Improved Sequel of 2011 |
Gallery[]
.jpg "The King of Fighters XIII (logo).jpg (36 KB)")
Video[]
Trailers[]
Combo Videos[]
External links[]
- Official website
- Official blog
- Official English website
- The King of Fighters-i official website, Apps site
- The King of Fighters-i 2012 official website
- The King of Fighters XIII Steam Edition
- KOF XIII Special page for Steam Edition
- The King of Fighters XIII Galaxy Edition
- The King of Fighters XIII Global Match Official Site
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