THE KING OF FIGHTERS '94
Original Release: SNK, 1994, NeoGeo/NeoGeo CD
Other Releases: PlayStation 2 (2004), Wii (2007), PS3/PSP (2010)
It all began in '94 ... this combination spinoff of Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting made things more accessible to the newcomer but also more focused on high-level competitive play, in a direct bid for Street Fighter 2's market
King of Fighters '94 (Arcade, SNK, 1994)
Where to Buy: eBay
How to Emulate: Arcade Emulation Guide
Review by: C. M0use
The first of a very, very good series of fighting games ... one could certainly make a solid case for it being the best series ever ... but this initial entry is one of those "very good but surpassed by its sequels" situations.
At the time, it was a huge step up from the early stiff and newcomer-unfriendly SNK fighting games like Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting. Aside from the aesthetic tune-up and rebalancing of characters from their respective prior games, this title introduced the three-man team fighting style. But these games would gradually improve each year up until at least 1998, and this title locks you into pre-made teams with no option to switch characters out to your liking.
It also has the smallest overall roster, and it's probably one to skip if you're new to the series and looking for an entry point (I would suggest starting with KOF 98). You may eventually want to come back to it if you get really into the series, though; it's just generally well-made, has some unique backgrounds and music that were not seen again, one team that didn't return to the series for many years (the USA Sports Team), and is the only one that retains the fine Art of Fighting tradition of being able to blow King and Yuri's clothes off.
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