The King of Fighters '98 (Neo Geo)

The King of Fighters '98
Also known as: The King of Fighters '98: The Slugfest (US/EU), The King of Fighters '98: Dream Match Never Ends (JP) Developer: SNK Publisher: SNK Platform: Neo Geo Released internationally: July 23, 1998 This game has revisional differences.

Now it comes and here we go. K-O-F is here again. Nothing's gonna stop, it's 1998.

Version Differences

In the AES version, Omega Rugal is playable and has the following exclusive graphics:

• Three alternate colors, like the other characters.

B button	C button	D button

• Win portrait when he is not the team member who wins the match (also with the alternate colors).

To see them in the MVS version, change the address 10A85A (for P1) or 10A86B (for P2) to 01 and select Rugal - who will be changed to Omega Rugal - as your first character. Does not work in the Kawaks emulator.

Regional Differences

Much like previous games, the overseas releases were modified to remove the blood from cutting attacks as well as removing Mai's...uh...jiggle. Furthermore, one graphic where blood couldn't be removed (Rugal's winpose where he inspects the blood of his enemy on his hand then gleefully crushes it clean) instead recolours it off-white.

Speaking of Rugal, Omega Rugal has blood running down his body in the ending cutscene, which is naturally cleaned off in the overseas releases.

The game's opening theme, "Cipher", rather infamously samples the rather vulgar lyric that goes "Pay dat shit like he just got yo motherfuckin' check and he's gonna pick it up at the bank." Given how very legible the F-word was, it was no surprise that it got replaced by more static in overseas versions.