The King of Fighters '94

Review Introduction:

It’s amazing how far The King of Fighters (KOF) has come from its inception considering the fierce competition of the fighting game boom in the 90’s. With that and what SNK has been through, there are no doubt legions of fans that cherish this franchise to this day. The core of KOF has not changed all that much, and sometimes that’s for the best, but just how did all this get started?

Gameplay: 🕹️

SNK were ahead of their time with the whole "Dream Match" and "Crossovers". The roster in The King of Fighters '94 consists of various franchise characters such as Fatal Fury, Ikari Warriors, etc.—a very early "Everyone is here." The King of Fighters '94 is a fighting game where these characters fight head-to-head until they meet a victory condition. Nothing out of the ordinary for the genre until you select a “TEAM”. Yes, unlike it’s contemporaries, there are team selects instead of characters as you will have THREE fighters to control. This undeniably made the game stand out at the time, and depending on circumstances was more bang for your buck in the arcades. If you’re familiar with KOF, then it will seem odd that you cannot edit teams in this game. Being the first game, it can get away with it, and this wasn’t a choice that would stay long anyhow.

The combat is akin to other early fighters in the 90s, and compared to today… it can feel a bit stiff. Even today, though, the game responds well and isn’t as slow as you’d expect. Your arsenal includes special moves, supers, and a power gauge that, once filled, can be used to launch a super or even kept for an increase of your normal attacks' power. What's interesting to note is that this game has forward and back dashes, which was still a new concept around this time. While not up to par with later entries, this game still holds up in some regard.

Graphics: 👾

You know the drill: NEO GEO graphics are (usually) excellent. The fighters pop and are animated well, about on par with its competition. The later entries took this up to 11 and KOF became the franchise to set the bar until the 3D era took dominance. The real stars of the show are the backgrounds and environments. These are some of the most visually appealing locations I’ve ever seen; everywhere you look there is something going on. The locations are based on real world locations, which are represented very well, and are sprinkled with cameos from other NEO GEO games. A neat little bonus are the unique intros to each stage. It is no doubt that KOF visuals are some of the most represented graphics in modern “Retrocore” aesthetics.

Sound: 🔊

The music might be the weakest link to the overall presentation but it’s still pretty good stuff; none of the songs could be considered bad, but they are a tad simplistic. In this particular entry there is a good amount of influence of rock, hip-hop and occasional ambience—a very well rounded selection, and my favorite theme might be the China or America theme. A quick little word on the SFX: They are good—nothing stands out too much, but you definitely get the impression of “force” when attacks land.

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Conclusion: 📊

For being the first entry in a long-lasting franchise, this game shows its age. If you have only played the more modern games, this entry can seem like a totally alien entry and makes you question if this was a hack or bootleg. The speed is slower, inputs are still being figured out, and the AI is “arcade hard”. You could say modern KOF didn’t get started until KOF '97 or '98. This doesn’t mean you should overlook KOF '94 as it definitely is far from unplayable. The simplicity might even be a good way to ease yourself into the series. Just know that no one can beat Rugal on the first go. The King of Fighters '94 remains a beloved game even if there are not many reasons to go back to this entry other than a good time or if you want that feeling of youth once more.