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A throwback to the arcade fighting games of old, available in full HD on Windows

A throwback to the arcade fighting games of old, available in full HD on Windows

Vote: (9 votes)

Program license: Paid

Developer: SNK Playmore

Version: 2016

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(9 votes)

Paid

Developer

Version

SNK Playmore

2016

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • A polished take on the SNK formula
  • Huge cast drawn from multiple franchises

Cons

  • Netcode is still a little behind

The long venerated King of Fighters fighting series continues with the 13th entry. And while a lot of developers treat a sequel as a way to recycle old game modes and assets, SNK has made a pretty big jump forward with their latest. With a roster of dozens, most of the old favorites are here along with a couple of new contenders. Gameplay modes similarly take an approach of courting both the old and the new. Some of the more recent modes have been stripped out and replaced with fan favorites from earlier iterations, and the results here are nostalgic while still being aware of the ways in which the genre has changed in the past years.

In a nice change of pace from traditional fighting games, fighters are split up into teams of three. These represent SNK's most popular franchises, and SNK has done a really great job making sure the identities of the individual games are kept intact. That sense of personality is well reflected in the actual animation style too. Bright and crisp three dimensionsal graphics lend a vaguely anime sense of style to the proceedings and maintain the independent sense of style each franchise has without anything sticking out like a sore thumb.

SNK hasn't really managed to keep pace with the netcode of other modern fighting games, but King of Fighters XIII is a bold, if imperfect, step forward. Suffice to say, you shouldn't have that much difficulty connecting with random opponents and getting appropriate matchmaking, but it still isn't quite as smooth as franchises like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat.

Pros

  • A polished take on the SNK formula
  • Huge cast drawn from multiple franchises

Cons

  • Netcode is still a little behind