Review:
Review - The King of Fighters ‘98 Ultimate Match

Look behind this game’s ugly visuals and you’ll find its fighting spirit is still strong after ten years.

Back in 1998, superhuman pugilism was a far more pixelated affair. Punch-ups would require that opponents face each other along a straight line, while parallax scrolling was a positively jaw-dropping spectacle. Back then there was also no downloadable content to compete with the joys of dispensing endless rows of coins into shiny arcade cabinets in the name of fun and frustration. From this nostalgia-marinated era The King of Fighters ‘98 Ultimate Match hails, a slight update on the original 2D fighter that in its day was the hardcore gamer’s choice. With a then unprecedented character roster and some complicated mechanics, the game still plays well today, though this iteration on the Xbox 360’s Live Arcade bears the brunt of a rushed and lackadaisical port.

The first thing that will strike you about KOF ’98, whether or not you’ve played it before, is how poorly the game’s graphics have aged. KOF ‘98’s sprites have not stood the test of time, and look far more dated than those from Capcom’s rival series of the time, Street Fighter Alpha. That is not to say that the game is not without its charm, and the combatants themselves are an eclectic and colourful bunch sporting distinct designs. More importantly, despite the dated presentation and half-hearted translation work, KOF ‘98’s core gameplay still stands up. With around fifty different characters to choose from, there’s as much depth here as in any of Capcom’s more recognised fighting titles. From punk masochist Iori Yagami to immortal schoolgirl Athena Asamiya, Ultimate Match has a personality, team and playing style to suit every kind of player.

The original KOF ’98 was a ‘Dream Match’ entry in the series, permitting SNK to include characters that were killed or quit in previous instalments. The Ultimate Match edition takes this even further, with every fighter to have appeared in KOFs ’94-97 now available. Fan favourite Eiji Kisaragi makes a welcome return – though his popularity can be credited to the fact that he’s a cool looking ninja as opposed to a top tier pick. As do Kasumi Todoh and the boss team from KOF ’96 (Fatal Fury bosses Geese Howard and Wolfgang Krauser, joined by Art of Fighting’s Mr. Big) as well as über-bosses Goenitz, Orochi and Rugal. There are also alternate versions of numerous characters from their previous titles such as Real Bout Fatal Fury and the earlier KOFs.