The King of Fighters ’99
Introduction
SNK released The King of Fighters ’99 for the Neo Geo in 1999, opening a new chapter of the series known as the NESTS saga. The story introduces K’, a mysterious fighter connected to a shadowy organisation, who becomes the new lead character. The biggest change is the team structure: teams now have four members, with three fighting and the fourth acting as a Striker who can be called in for a quick assist attack. The power system was also reworked into two modes, Counter Mode, which boosts damage and allows unlimited special moves for a short time, and Armor Mode, which lets the fighter absorb hits without flinching. The roster includes many returning favourites and several newcomers, and the final battle is against Krizalid. Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami step back from the main teams, which reflected the series’ new direction. Its new systems set the foundation for the next games in the series.
