The King of Fighters 2003
Encyclopedia
The King of Fighters 2003 is a competitive fighting game
produced by SNK Playmore
for the Neo Geo
arcade and home platform. It is the tenth game in The King of Fighters series and the first KOF game to become a tag tournament as well as the first one to be published by SNK Playmore. It was also the final KOF game developed for Neo Geo hardware, which has been the primary platform for the series since the first game in the series, KOF '94
. The game was ported to the PlayStation 2
and Xbox
. The PS2 and Xbox versions were released in North America
in a two-in-one bundle with the preceding game in the series, KOF 2002
. It was the last officially licensed game to be released for the Neo Geo system.
The game also features a Tactical Leader System, in which one of member of the team is designated by the player to the Leader, giving the character access to an exclusive move known as the Leader Super Special Move (in addition to the regular Super Special Moves), which usually requires two Power Gauge stocks to perform.
As in the previous game in the series, the player's Power Gauge can hold up to three stocks at the beginning of a match. When one team loses one of its members, the maximum capacity of Power Gauge stocks is increased by one, giving the losing team a handicap against the opposing team.
. This story arc centers around a new lead character named Ash Crimson. Unlike the previous protagonists of the series, Kyo Kusanagi
and K′, Ash is a villainous character with a self-serving agenda, seeking to steal the powers of the Three Divine Vessels for himself. He is joined by Shen Woo, a brawler from Shanghai, and Duo Lon, a member of Flying Brigands, as the new Hero Team.
Several characters from past KOF games return, while some of them are gone and replaced by new characters (including characters from Garou: Mark of the Wolves
, making their first appearances in the KOF series). Terry Bogard
now wears his outfit from Mark of the Wolves, while Tizoc replaces Andy Bogard as a member of the Fatal Fury Team. The Outlaw Team is formed, composed of Gato and former '97 Special Team members Ryuji Yamazaki
and Billy Kane
. Jhun Hoon returns as a member of the Korean Team, replacing Choi Bounge, while King returns to the series as a member of the Women Fighters Team with Blue Mary
and Mai Shiranui
. Athena Asamiya
participates without her usual Psycho Soldier teammates, this time as a member of the High School Girls Team with Hinako Shijo and new character Malin. And Benimaru Nikaido gets a new look and forms his own team composed of Goro Daimon and Shingo Yabuki. Kyo Kusanagi
is also given a new look, and returns along with Iori Yagami
and Chizuru Kagura as the Three Sacred Treasures Team.
Fatal Fury Team
Art of Fighting Team
Korea Team
Ikari Team
Outlaw Team
Women Fighters Team
Benimaru Team
High School Girls Team
K′ Team
Three Sacred Treasures Team
Mid-Boss
Alternate End Boss
True End Bosses
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
produced by SNK Playmore
SNK Playmore
SNK Playmore Corporation is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. SNK is an acronym of , which was SNK's original name. The company's legal and trading name became SNK in 1986....
for the Neo Geo
Neo Geo (console)
The is a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released on July 1, 1991 by Japanese game company SNK. Being in the Fourth generation of Gaming, it was the first console in the former Neo Geo family, which only lived through the 1990s...
arcade and home platform. It is the tenth game in The King of Fighters series and the first KOF game to become a tag tournament as well as the first one to be published by SNK Playmore. It was also the final KOF game developed for Neo Geo hardware, which has been the primary platform for the series since the first game in the series, KOF '94
The King of Fighters '94
The King of Fighters '94 is a fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home console. It is the inaugural game in The King of Fighters series by the same company. The game was originally ported to the Neo Geo AES and Neo-Geo CD following its original arcade release...
. The game was ported to the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
. The PS2 and Xbox versions were released in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in a two-in-one bundle with the preceding game in the series, KOF 2002
The King of Fighters 2002
The King of Fighters 2002 is a competitive fighting game produced by Eolith and Playmore for the Neo Geo. It is the ninth game in The King of Fighters series and the second one produced by Eolith and developed by SNK Neo Geo . The game was ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and the Xbox...
. It was the last officially licensed game to be released for the Neo Geo system.
Gameplay
The 3-on-3 Team Battle Format is used once again, but instead of the round-based tournament-style format, in which one member of a team replaces a defeated teammate for the next round, the game uses a Multi-Shift format that allows player to change characters during the middle of battle. When "Change OK" sign is displayed above the Power Gauge, the player can do a Quick Shift and change characters immediately, or perform a Switch-Off Attack against the opponent, which will consume one Power Gauge stock.The game also features a Tactical Leader System, in which one of member of the team is designated by the player to the Leader, giving the character access to an exclusive move known as the Leader Super Special Move (in addition to the regular Super Special Moves), which usually requires two Power Gauge stocks to perform.
As in the previous game in the series, the player's Power Gauge can hold up to three stocks at the beginning of a match. When one team loses one of its members, the maximum capacity of Power Gauge stocks is increased by one, giving the losing team a handicap against the opposing team.
Plot
KOF 2003 begins a new story arc following the conclusion of the NESTS arc in KOF 2001The King of Fighters 2001
The King of Fighters 2001 is a competitive fighting game produced by Eolith for the Neo Geo. It is the eighth game in The King of Fighters series and the first game produced following the closure of the original SNK. The game was produced by the Korean-based company Eolith and developed by...
. This story arc centers around a new lead character named Ash Crimson. Unlike the previous protagonists of the series, Kyo Kusanagi
Kyo Kusanagi
is one of the main characters in SNK Playmore's The King of Fighters video game series; he was first introduced in The King of Fighters '94 as the leader of the Japan team. He is one of the iconic characters of the series and regularly appears on publicity material and merchandise. His name and...
and K′, Ash is a villainous character with a self-serving agenda, seeking to steal the powers of the Three Divine Vessels for himself. He is joined by Shen Woo, a brawler from Shanghai, and Duo Lon, a member of Flying Brigands, as the new Hero Team.
Several characters from past KOF games return, while some of them are gone and replaced by new characters (including characters from Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
, known as Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves on Dreamcast, is a 1999 fighting game produced by SNK, originally for the Neo Geo system. It is the ninth and final game in the Fatal Fury series, set ten years after the death of Geese Howard in Real Bout Fatal Fury...
, making their first appearances in the KOF series). Terry Bogard
Terry Bogard
is a video game character created by SNK Playmore , and is the main character of the Fatal Fury series. In the series, he is an American fighter who enters the worldwide tournaments called The King of Fighters to kill Geese Howard, a criminal who killed Terry's father. Terry becomes a formidable...
now wears his outfit from Mark of the Wolves, while Tizoc replaces Andy Bogard as a member of the Fatal Fury Team. The Outlaw Team is formed, composed of Gato and former '97 Special Team members Ryuji Yamazaki
Ryuji Yamazaki
is a video game character appearing in Fatal Fury series and The King of Fighters developed by SNK Playmore . Yamazaki is first introduced as the sub-boss character of Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory, where he is a criminal known as "Dark Broker"...
and Billy Kane
Billy Kane
is a video game character created by SNK Playmore . He makes first appearance in the fighting game Fatal Fury: King of Fighters as the sub-boss from the game. In the Fatal Fury series Billy is the right-hand man from Geese Howard, the crime lord from Southtown...
. Jhun Hoon returns as a member of the Korean Team, replacing Choi Bounge, while King returns to the series as a member of the Women Fighters Team with Blue Mary
Blue Mary
, real name , is a video game character from both the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series of fighting games developed by SNK Playmore . Blue Mary's first appearance was in the arcade and console game Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory which introduced her as an agent who investigates...
and Mai Shiranui
Mai Shiranui
is a player character in both the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series of fighting games by SNK and in related media, also appearing in a large number of other games...
. Athena Asamiya
Athena Asamiya
is a character originally from the former SNK's video game Psycho Soldier and a descendant of Princess Athena in its Athena. She later appears in The King of Fighters series of fighting games as a female fighter character and has appeared in each of its thirteen editions...
participates without her usual Psycho Soldier teammates, this time as a member of the High School Girls Team with Hinako Shijo and new character Malin. And Benimaru Nikaido gets a new look and forms his own team composed of Goro Daimon and Shingo Yabuki. Kyo Kusanagi
Kyo Kusanagi
is one of the main characters in SNK Playmore's The King of Fighters video game series; he was first introduced in The King of Fighters '94 as the leader of the Japan team. He is one of the iconic characters of the series and regularly appears on publicity material and merchandise. His name and...
is also given a new look, and returns along with Iori Yagami
Iori Yagami
is a character from the SNK Playmore's The King of Fighters video game series that first appeared in The King of Fighters '95 as the leader of the Rivals Team. He is an iconic character of the series, and regularly appears on publicity material and merchandise. Iori is a central character to the...
and Chizuru Kagura as the Three Sacred Treasures Team.
Characters
New Hero Team- Ash Crimson
- Duo Lon
- Shen Woo
Fatal Fury Team
- Terry BogardTerry Bogardis a video game character created by SNK Playmore , and is the main character of the Fatal Fury series. In the series, he is an American fighter who enters the worldwide tournaments called The King of Fighters to kill Geese Howard, a criminal who killed Terry's father. Terry becomes a formidable...
- Joe HigashiJoe Higashiis a video game character created by SNK Playmore . He makes his first appearance in the fighting game Fatal Fury: King of Fighters as one of the three playable characters from the game...
- Tizoc
Art of Fighting Team
- Ryo SakazakiRyo Sakazakiis a video game character developed for the fighting game Art of Fighting from SNK Playmore . His name is most often written in kana, however, in some games kanji is used to write parts of his name. In the series, Ryo is a martial artist that practices his family's fighting style, the Kyokugenryu...
- Robert Garcia
- Yuri SakazakiYuri Sakazakiis a video game character from SNK Playmore's Art of Fighting series. She first appears in the original Art of Fighting being kidnapped by Mr. Big, a criminal from the fictional city of Southtown. The players, Yuri's brother Ryo and his friend Robert Garcia spend the game searching for her...
Korea Team
- Kim KaphwanKim KaphwanKap-hwan Kim , usually written surname first as Kim Kap-hwan, is a character in both the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series created by SNK Playmore . He is credited as the first ever fictional Korean character to appear in a fighting game...
- Chang Koehan
- Jhun Hoon
Ikari Team
- Leona
- Ralf JonesRalf Jonesis a video game character created by SNK Playmore . Ralf has made appearance in several games from the company, premiering in TNK III as a military tank driver. The Ikari Warriors series also emphasized Ralf's role as a soldier with him becoming the partner of Clark Still...
- Clark Still
Outlaw Team
- Gato
- Billy KaneBilly Kaneis a video game character created by SNK Playmore . He makes first appearance in the fighting game Fatal Fury: King of Fighters as the sub-boss from the game. In the Fatal Fury series Billy is the right-hand man from Geese Howard, the crime lord from Southtown...
- Ryuji YamazakiRyuji Yamazakiis a video game character appearing in Fatal Fury series and The King of Fighters developed by SNK Playmore . Yamazaki is first introduced as the sub-boss character of Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory, where he is a criminal known as "Dark Broker"...
Women Fighters Team
- King
- Mai ShiranuiMai Shiranuiis a player character in both the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series of fighting games by SNK and in related media, also appearing in a large number of other games...
- Blue MaryBlue Mary, real name , is a video game character from both the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series of fighting games developed by SNK Playmore . Blue Mary's first appearance was in the arcade and console game Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory which introduced her as an agent who investigates...
Benimaru Team
- Benimaru Nikaido
- Shingo Yabuki
- Goro Daimon
High School Girls Team
- Athena AsamiyaAthena Asamiyais a character originally from the former SNK's video game Psycho Soldier and a descendant of Princess Athena in its Athena. She later appears in The King of Fighters series of fighting games as a female fighter character and has appeared in each of its thirteen editions...
- Hinako Shijo
- Malin
K′ Team
- K'
- Maxima
- Whip
Three Sacred Treasures Team
- Kyo KusanagiKyo Kusanagiis one of the main characters in SNK Playmore's The King of Fighters video game series; he was first introduced in The King of Fighters '94 as the leader of the Japan team. He is one of the iconic characters of the series and regularly appears on publicity material and merchandise. His name and...
- Iori YagamiIori Yagamiis a character from the SNK Playmore's The King of Fighters video game series that first appeared in The King of Fighters '95 as the leader of the Rivals Team. He is an iconic character of the series, and regularly appears on publicity material and merchandise. Iori is a central character to the...
- Chizuru Kagura
Mid-Boss
- Kusanagi
Alternate End Boss
- Adelheid
True End Bosses
- Maki Kagura (Sub Boss with Chizuru Kagura)
- Mukai (Main Boss)