The latest installment in the King of Fighters series is dubbed The King of Fighters XII. The game has stunning 2D sprites and rich vibrant backgrounds. And as a result of time spent on these sprites and game art, the game features only 20 playable characters. This is the least number of such characters in any game from the King of Fighter series. The King of Fighters XII was released for the arcades in Japan sometime in April 2009 and will be coming to home consoles this month.
The King of Fighters XII lets players choose from a roster of fighters, each with their own special moves, used to slam, twist and jackhammer their opponents into the ground. In addition to these special moves, the fighters also have many common moves such as the mundane punches, kicks and jumps, although each fighter may be deliver these sets of moves slightly differently. There is even one short, hunched-over and meek-looking fighter, whom you might overlook. But make no mistake, he is extremely hard to knock out. He is also difficult to get a hold of and his attacks are very devastating.
The version of the game for the preview was not the final version. It was, sort of, an alpha build which had some serious problems when it came to loading time. It took forever to go from one selection screen to another. Plus the matches took an astonishingly long time to load. Even exiting a match took too long, which is sure to tick off any fan of fighting games. What’s strange was that this extremely lengthy loading was prevalent despite the fact that the game was being run on the PS3. The developers seriously need to take a good hard look at that!
Aside from that setback, the arenas were pretty damn good. And the graphics were well worth it. The 2D sprites were true to life and colorful. The time lag did not persist in a match and the game provided very responsive controls. Jumping, rolling, dodging and the many other moves included, seem perfectly suited for a game in which 2D characters fight against a rich background. The game provides a superb opportunity for players to perform a number of combos and multiple hit attacks on their opponents. Playing through the game, if you are the type to take your eye off the action, you might notice a wide range of audience members, from giant pandas to children to vast armies bowing to the fighters.
The three-on-three team mode also throws in a lot of excitement pitting you against three of the computer opponents, if you choose, or against a friend. Your first-in-line fighter battles until he or she gets knocked out, which is the cue for the next fighter to enter, and the next one after that. And don’t think the girls in the game are easy to beat. They come with their own lightning fast moves and prove to be a handful. Although the muscular male fighters inflict a lot of damage with each attack, the women in the game hit you quickly and many times over.
All in all, a very challenging game. And even on the easiest difficulty setting it is not that difficult to get the life beaten out of you nearly every single time. Either way, The King of Fighters XII will have you glued to your console trying to perform the various spectacular moves and stunts of the different characters featured in the game. Trying to emulate the greatness you see on the screen will surely keep you coming back to play this one, at any hour of the day.