Rolling is another feature unique to the KOF series, a forward-moving plunge that is invincible to attacks but vulnerable to throws. Rolling serves as not only an evasive maneuver but as another means of offense. Running is also available, performed with a quick double-tap forward.

Classic; 2-D gameplay; Beautiful; hand-drawn graphics; Balance changes from arcade version

Lack of spectator mode during online matches

The king of fighters was always a well known and beloved fighting series, starting in 1994. As an snk fan since long forgotten times, these series always had a special place in my fighting spirit. And saying that kof XIII is a bad game is to fail to understand these beloved series.

I love a good fighting game. It’s in my blood. Pulling off huge combos and mastering a character over the course of hours upon hours is my thing. I always look forward to the newest fighters. Learning the...

+ Fantastic game play & 2D visuals; + Deep customization & very accessible; + Great online play; + Full on story mode; + Just tons of stuff to do

Final boss in story mode is stupid hard; No voice acting during story cut scenes; No spectator mode

Whether you're online or off, the game's presentation is simply gorgeous. The 2D character sprites fill up the screen with astonishing detail, such as the way their clothing flutters.

Fluid and flexible fighting mechanics; Impressive visuals and smooth animations; Stable online play with replay support; Numerous offline offerings; Character color customization

Online spectating isn't an option; Lacks replay sharing

When we last left The King of Fighters, things weren't looking good. The King of Fighters XII , which was released in 2009, looked beautiful and had a solid fighting system, but its dearth of single-player content and busted online functionally killed it for many players.

Fluid and flexible fighting mechanics; Impressive visuals and smooth animations; Stable online play with replay support; Numerous offline offerings; Character color customization

Online spectating isn't an option; Lacks replay sharing

When you think about it, King of Fighters XIII is kind of ironic. A really good game and one of the best, recent entries in the King of Fighters series, but still. SNK Playmore has been known for its fighting games for years, since back when arcades were where it was at.

1 on 1 and 3 on 3 battles; nine gameplay modes; the story mode has visual novel segments; character sprites and environments look awesome; there's online and offline multiplayer and there are 33 characters available

You need 2,500,000 points in arcade mode by the end of the sixth regular match to move onto the two boss battles; Unlocking two of the characters in arcade mode is a bit random; The Tutorial mode isn't very helpful.

If it ain't broke, why fix it?  For years, SNK has been attracting brawlers from all over the world with its King of Fighters series, mixing up folks from past and present games (including Athena and the Ikari Warriors!) into one big smorgasbord of projectiles, throws, and super attacks.

Two years ago, KoF XII hit shelves and thoroughly disappointed long-time fans of the series. It wasn't a bad game in the traditional sense since it delivered the series‘ usual gameplay, and was in fact a gorgeous game since it was the first entry completely redrawn for HD displays, but it was so...

All in all, it's safe to say that The King of Fighters XIII is a welcome entry in a franchise that a lot of people feared might disappear after lackluster sales and a disappointing title.

Can SNK Playmore deliver King Of Fighters XIII with enough punch to KO Street Fighter? Check out our review to find out.