The King of Fighters 15 is the latest in the franchise after 2016 and with even more platforms to launch on, the player base will be bigger than ever before, and more people will have to increase their knowledge to fight with the best of them. So if you are looking into KoF then this is your beginner’s guide in this franchise on how King of Fighters works.
The King of Fighters has always had a niche in the fighting genre with its signature gameplay and memorable characters. With each new entry fighting games usually add new mechanics in the mix to stir the gameplay. Here we’ll have everything new and returning in the franchise. Make sure to take a gander at our Tier List before you pick a character!
King of Fighters XV Beginner’s Tips and Tricks Guide
King of Fighters XV has its own mechanics and some features are unique to the franchise, with any fighting game the difference between a great player and a good one is the knowledge of these. So put on your training wheels and let’s get to it.
Related: Does King of Fighters 15 Have Crossplay?
Tutorial
So if you are a KoF maestro or an amateur in both cases, you need to visit the tutorial section to learn the basics of what each button does or go for the advanced classes to hone your skills with newer additions. Knowing the right button to chain that combo is the goal here without mashing them crazily. And make sense of all the jargon in the franchise like Climax, super canceling, and Max Mode.
3 vs 3 : Choose Wisely
KoF is a 3 vs 3 team game primarily. You will have to master not just 1 character but 3 in order to play in the big leagues. The way it works is the team of 3 can not tag in their respective characters on choice but you have to play them in sequence, meaning the winner of each fight stays until a team exhausts all its fighters. The game has pre-made teams that the player can start from or make one themselves.
Mission Mode
When the team is selected head to the mission mode to learn the combos of your respective character. Mission mode lets you practice the basic combos you can execute of each character with a major emphasis on learning the flow of the fight and how can you chain together the various moves at your disposal.
Battle System
These are all the moves and systems available to the player to chain combos together and use special moves for a harder-hitting move set and countering the opponent more effectively:
Regular Moves
Strong kick & punch, Light kick & punch. These are your basic single button-press inputs.
Blow Back
Pressing heavy punch and heavy kick simultaneously will do a Blow Back. When done while standing on ground the opponent will be thrown to the edge of the screen resulting in them being stunned where the player can advantage and continue attacking.
Special Moves
While using a combination of a directional button and other regular moves button each character can execute a special move, with variations using other move buttons. The list of special moves and how to execute them is the pause menu.
Ex Special Moves
When in MAX mode you can enhance your Special Move by pressing both kicks or both punches at the same time to execute Ex Special Moves. The buttons are subjective to the Special Move. Ex Special Moves are more powerful than regular and drain MAX mode gauge.
Super Special Moves
Advanced Special Moves that are executed by consuming the power gauge. Moves will change depending on the button input, heavy or light.
MAX Super SP Moves
These moves require 2 bars of the power gauge and are activated by pressing both punches or kick buttons together after Super Special Move. Button presses are dependent on the move. They are more hard-hitting than Super Special Moves.
CLIMAX Super SP Moves
The finisher-type move in your arsenal and requires 3 bars of power gauge to execute. Each character has only one of these ultimate moves and can be used to turn the table during the fight.
Rush Combo
Anyone can activate a rush combo by pressing the light button multiple times leading to a Special Move. You can enhance the Special move by the aforementioned ways and if you have enough power gauge.
Choosing the Team
When you are comfortable with the characters for your team the decision now is to choose which goes first into the fight and which last. It’s recommended that you cycle them over time to get comfortable with each character. The choice you make here is very strategic either you want your best fighter to be the anchor of the team if all else fails or you want them to go at the start to be more confident.
Choosing the right characters is the key here and knowing each character’s strengths and workings is the end goal so practice away in the tutorial mode and mission mode for your advanced techniques before entering the brutal online world. For more content related to the new King of Fighters 15, stay tuned to our Guides section.
