King of Fighters is a Japanese fighting video game series that started by SNK in 1994.
Since the company's collapse in 2000, the game has been under license by another Japanese company, Playmore.
King of Fighters introduced the 3 on 3 "team battle system" to the fighting game genre, along with various other sub-systems as Attack Deflector (Dodging) and Emergency Escape (Rolling) which would later be adopted by Capcom in their Capcom vs SNK series.
King of Fighters '98 did not follow the normal King of Fighters story line. Thus it was given the title of Special Edition.
King of Fighters '94 - Continuing from the Fatal Fury series, the King of Fighter tournament resumes its yearly match-ups. Sponsored by Rugal Bernstein, the tournament now adopts team battles of three members each.
King of Fighters '95 - Teams of three from all over the wolrd battle to fight Rugal Bernstein who tries to utilize the power of Orochi.
King of Fighters '96 - After the fall of Rugal, the King of Fighter teams return to battle the mysterious Goenitz.
King of Fighters '97 - The tournament continues as nine teams and two single entry fighters battle to defeat the evil Orochi and his minions.
King of Fighters '98 - Separate from the KoF story line, this Special Edition King of Fighters contains fighters and versions from all previous King of Fighters games.
King of Fighters '99 - After the fall of Orochi and the disappearance of Kyo Kusanagi, the KoF tournament returns, only to be a front for a world domination scheme by the final boss Krizalid. This sequel features a newly introduced fighting system, aptly called the 'striker system'
King of Fighters 2000 - The tournament is back, this time used as a means to power the infamous Zero Cannon.
King of Fighters 2k1 - New fighters make their entrance while old battlers come back with a vengeance. This was the first KOF game to be developed by an external company "Eolith"
King of Fighters 2k2 - This update to the game features a return to the classic 3 on 3 battle system, and features teams from past versions. The end-of-game boss is also a familiar face, Rugal B., albeit with a few powerful modifications.
King of Fighters 2003 - Features a new storyline and the return of some old characters.
