Produced by: SNK Japan
Genre: 2D Fighting
Players: Two
There's only a few things in life you can be sure of. Death is one. Taxes is another. And a King Of Fighters game every year.
SNK's evergreen fighting game series is now six years old. There have been spinoffs (KOF R1 and R2 on the Neo Geo Pocket, KOF Kyo on the PSX, the forthcoming KOF driving game...don't ask) and there have been imitators (Sega's Virtua Fighter 3 update, Team Battle, adopted the KOF "team" system - Sega decided to release this version when they found out that KOF 97 was more popular than Virtua Fighter 3) but no one has quite matched the brilliance of SNK's prize asset. And I include Capcom in that.
The first Dreamcast KOF game, Dream Match 99, was a rough translation of the 98 arcade machine. The major improvement was the addition of 3D backgrounds, and bar a nice anime style intro, that was all that was changed from the original arcade version. SNK have followed the same plan for KOF 99 Evolution (minus the anime intro), this time converting the 99 arcade version, KOF Millennium Battle. So now there are TWO KOF 99s on the DC. Confused? Well, if you're new to the series, you will be. Like so many releases on the DC these days, KOF 99:E is a hardcore gamer's game. Outside of Japan, the KOF series has hardly any recognition at all - only arcade fanatics and import gamers really get worked up about the series (although KOF 95 was released on the Saturn and PSX, and Dream Match found it's way to the US a while back - needless to say they made very little impact on the sales charts).
It's not hard to see why most casual gamers dismiss KOF as "old-fashioned". The 2D graphics are hardly state of the art, and eye candy like Soul Calibur (I still rate it as one of the most shallow - but fun - games released on the system) around, why should casual gamers be drawn towards KOF? Well, let's see. How about one of the tightest and most rewarding fighting game engines ever crafted? How about stacks of characters, each with his/her own distinct fighting style? How about top-notch presentation, with screen literally dripping with coolness? KOF has all this and much, much more.
Like I've already said, KOF isn't about flashy visuals. The arcade version still uses the age-old Neo Geo board, so the DC conversion has to stick to the character designs of the original. Like Dream Match, the backgrounds are 3D. However, since Dream Match, the standard has been raised somewhat by Capcom's Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, which features gorgous high resolution 3D backgrounds. In comparison , KOF 99:E looks a little drab - the backgrounds don't impress, and are very low res. The characters themselves are the same as always - very little has changed. They are well animated, colorful and detailed. Sure, they look terrible when placed next to Kilik from Soul Calibur or Jin from Tekken 3, but they have more personality than the whole cast of Tekken put together. Maybe I'm just saying that because I'm so familar with KOF, but I still feel that 2D handdrawn graphics offer great scope for expression than current 3D models. I'm sure many will disagree with me on that, but hey, this is my review.
The music in the series has always been of a very high standard. Throughout the years, several characters have gained their own "tune" but SNK made the brave decision to (almost) start from scratch with the music for KOF 99:E. They've adopted a more "modern" style - as well as the usual screaming guitar riffs there's pumping techno beats, and as bad as that may sound, it hangs together fine. In fact, I've got to say that this is the best music of the series, even better than that of the 96 version. Sound effects are the same as they've always been - punchy (pardon the pun), loud and satisfying. No complaints there.
Now down to the most important part of any KOF game - the gameplay. Well, it's as tight as ever. Anyone familar with the series will settle down nicely. Those of you more accustomed to Capcom's brand of fighting action may find it hard going at first - the gameplay is very unforgiving. At first, you may feel that the engine is primative - you can't change direction in mid-air like you can in MVC2, for example, and the special moves look somewhat restrained when placed next to the OTT effects in Capcom's games. However, the engine is fine-tuned and offers far more gameplay possiblities than any Capcom fighter. Watching two experts at play is a sight to behold. The one major change that SNK have made is the special moves of the characters. Many have been changed completely. For example, Terry Bogard's Power Dunk move has been altered so it has to be performed after a Power Charge. The original Power Dunk button movement now performs a dashing punch (lifted from Real Bout: Fatal Fury) into a jumping kick. All of the characters have minor move changes, and this results in Evolution feeling "fresh" compared to previous installments. However, the main gameplay addition is the "Strikers" system. Fuctioning in the same way as the Capcom "Partner" system from the "VS" series of games, this new feature allows you to bring another character into the field of play to perform a trademark special, before retreating again. Unfortunatly, it doesn't work very well. The characters don't really dash in as such, they sort of "stroll". Therefore, the fast paced action that is found in Capcom's games is lost...plus, the actual attacks the Strikers pull off are dull to say the least, and do little damage to your opponent. The Strikers system feels like a bit of an afterthought on SNK's part - they just seem to have shoved it in to make this version seem new and interesting. The only benefit I can see from using the Strikers is that it allows you to cover and protect your main character from harm - the Strikers can take hits for you as a sort of "human sheild".
In conclusion, this is just another KOF game. If you know the drill, then you won't be shocked to discover that this doesn't deviate greatly from the KOF blueprint. Newcomers may be put off by the lack of instant thrills, but a little time and patience will result in a rewarding experience. Like all fighting games, KOF 99:E really comes alive in twoplayer, so make sure you have a friend handy. As much fun as KOF 99:E offers, you can't help but wish for something a little different, a fighting game from SNK that breaks the mould and offers something new (like Capcom did with Power Stone, for example). This game isn't going to set the world alight. What it offers is good, but maybe SNK should be using the power of the DC to better effect? We'll have to see if the rumors of a 3D KOF later this year are true...
Just one quick word to SNK though - can we have something a bit, well, different next time?
3 1/2 out of 5
