The King of Fighters XIII

King of Fighters XIII is a title that every fighting game fan should take notice of. It's gorgeous and surprisingly accessible, yet challenging and deep for competitive play. There's no shortage of solo gameplay appeal, either: the characters are great, the story is intriguing, and there's a wealth of varied content to keep you playing.

The game is great, the price is right, and the overall package is just too good to pass up.

Whether a newbie or a hardcore veteran, you owe it to yourself to check out the King of Fighters XIII – especially at its discounted price of $50.

The best thing I can say about The King of Fighters XIII is that-mentally and emotionally-it took me back to the era of the NeoGeo and reminded me of why I fell in love with SNK's fighting games in the first place. Forget KOFXII-this is the company's true first step in trying to remind the world that it continues to be royalty in the genre it once ruled over. I just hope enough players out there are still ready to listen.

After the dissapointment of the previous KOF XII, we were skeptical with this new entry, but things have changed. With King of Fighters XIII the great gameplay the series has been famous for returns, and this is great news.

King of Fighters XIII accomplishes the difficult task of redeeming a previously failed attempt at revitalizing the franchise. Everything that makes a great fighting game, from an interesting and balanced cast to well-conceived mechanics and visual flair, are here in abundance.

All of these features, combined with the tightly balanced fighting mechanics, make The King of Fighters XIII a fantastic game that can easily go toe-to-toe with the heavy hitters in the fighting game genre.

Our only complaint is that with such a large roster, many of the characters tend to play too similarly to one another. Facing a team with both Vice and Mature may prove confusing, for instance, as they're both suit-wearing female assassins. Compared to all the goodness on hand here, though, that's a small complaint.

Not only is The King of Fighters a solid 2D fighting game, but it is one of the best games in the series.

Easy to learn, hard to master. If you are even slightly into fighting games, be sure to take notice of this beauty.

It's a gorgeous looking fighter that's pretty unique and fun to play, even if you're currently bogged down in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, SSFIV Arcade Edition, Blazblue, Tekken or whatever.

King of Fighters XIII is clearly SNK Playmore's attempt to make good on the disappointing KoF XII and succeeds wonderfully. The offline modes are plentiful and fun, while online is actually handled pretty well. It's lean on bells and whistles but delivers a pretty smooth experience.

Accessible fighting and an ebullient sense of fun make for a very likeable package. [Jan 2012, p.85]

The strong cast of characters, each of them with their own unique look & feel, really gives KOF XIII a certain appeal. Fans of Anime will absolutely adore the artwork.

It has never looked better. [Christmas 2011, p.124]

Quotation forthcoming.

Raw and beautiful Versus Fighting, here it is! KoF XIII gives its pride back to the series. But it sacrifices some accessibility in favor of this new richness, even though it includes some tutorial modes that are well-crafted. But if you have time and motivation to spare in order to dive into it, this episode is a really good one, even though it still doesn't come near a Blazblue or SFIV in terms of online play.

As a lovingly crafted evolution to one of oldest and most respected fighting series in gaming, KOF 13 is - hands down - Playmore's greatest accomplishment in years.

In its natural habitat, with two players sitting on a sofa together, this evokes the best of the '90s 2D fighting boom. It may lack the glossy finish of recent Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Tekken releases, but it still feels slick and rapid enough to stand by its polygonal brethren. If you like your fighting games with a dash of nostalgia, this fits the bill beautifully.

Despite its small annoyances and ancillary shortcomings, King of Fighters XIII is hands down the best, most polished and solidly constructed King of Fighters game there's ever been.

SNK has proven with King of Fighters XIII that it cares about the fans. Nearly every bit of negative feedback about the last game has been addressed here, resulting in distilled fan service in disc form. Devout King of Fighters fans left wanting last time won't have much to complain about here. And while the tutorial and missions mode offers some guidance for casual players, I can't recommend this over other superior fighters on the market.

Overall, King of Fighters XIII is a very fun game to play.

If you like your fighting games with a dash of nostalgia, King of Fighters XIII is your game.

An all around improvement from the previous King of Fighters, but XIII still leaves plenty of room to evolve into something better.

The King of Fighters XIII offers a phenomenal fighting game experience you won't find in many newer fighting games, and while the learning curve might be steep, the time and effort you put into it won't be obliterated by mindless mashing of uppercuts or ridiculous comeback mechanics. If you want to be the King of Fighters, you have to earn it.

Still doesn't have the breadth necessary to reach those who haven't been following the series for years, and still limps along when it comes to the vital online component. King of Fighters XIII is certainly a step in the right direction, but not quite the definite version of the series.

Still a minor royal in the fighting game pantheon, but a hardworking one that beats Marvel Vs. Capcom in terms of depth - if not accessibility and brand recognition.

The KOF series has never looked better, and the current gameplay system and mechanics are rewarding for dedicated players. Unfortunately, its old fashioned ways and gaunt presentation make it a much harder sell for casual players.

King of Fighters XIII is definitely an improvement over its predecessor.