The King of Fighters 2003

"Something’s different about this game… and I love it."

The King of Fighters 2003 is the 10th installment to one of the longest-running games of its genre, and so far, my favorite one. This game features around 30 characters (which is quite low for a KOF game) as usual, 3-on-3 gameplay, as usual, but WAIT! Some, well, a lot of changes were made that makes this game quite unique from the others… I'll tell you later on.

Story: The 10th KOF tournament begins, and in the final round, you have to face either Rugal's son, Adelheid, Chizuru and Maki, or an evil dude with “stone” powers. After you've beaten one of them, some scenes will mention something about the return of the NESTS. Other scenes will just show the defeated bosses crying in pain.

Graphics: The graphics have undergone a slight yet significant change. The backgrounds look better than ever, and some characters were given new clothes, stances, and moves. Plus, their old moves were revamped, and the speed of the game seems noticeably smoother. A definite plus for the game.

Controls: Just like the older games. You have four buttons: Weak Punch (A), Weak Kick (B), Strong Punch (C), and Strong Kick (D), and press buttons A+B for a dodge. But since there is a tag system, there's more. Instead of a strong attack, press B+C to change to the third player, and press B+C again to switch to the second player.

Sound: Voices for the characters are so smooth and cool-sounding. The music didn't get me going, but I enjoyed listening to it. The effects didn't feel as exciting as previous KOF titles, but changes have to be made, I guess. All in all, the sound was clear and understandable.

Gameplay: The new tag system was added in KOF2003, and I have to say, this was the best idea SNK has ever made for the series. Just like Capcom's Crossover Series, you can switch characters during the match, but the ones at the bench won't regain their health. The moves seem to go faster, and a couple of the new characters came from SNK's other title, Garou: Mark of the Wolves! The only negative on the gameplay is, why the hell do we need team captains?! It's completely unnecessary! Other than that, everything about the gameplay is welcomed.

Replay Value: Average—This game has a small number of characters, but you'll definitely have to give the new characters a try. I'll keep playing this until KOF XI is released.

Overall: KOF must be one of the only standing 2D fighters out there. After 15 long years, it's still going strong.

Buy or Rent? Buy if you're a hardcore KOF fan. Rent it if you get easily bored when it comes to fighting games.

Graphics: 8
Controls: 9
Sound: 8
Gameplay: 9
Replay Value: 6
Overall: 9

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/27/05