We Love It's Guide to…
Build a three-fighter team, master technical 2D combat, and uncover the Ash Saga through battles and story choices.
Released 13 Sep 2013
Build Three-Fighter Teams
Link Technical Combos
Uncover Ash's Story
[[i]i]“THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII”[/i], SNK PLAYMORE’s flagship 2D versus fighting title returns in an ultimate version on Steam!!
Developed by SNK CORPORATION · Published by SNK CORPORATION
THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII is a 2D tournament fighter where you choose a team of three characters from a 36-character roster. Its Story Mode follows Ash Crimson and other characters as the game explores the Ash Saga through battles and story scenes.
Fight opposing teams in fast-paced matches, shaping your approach around your chosen characters and their combat styles. The game’s systems support technical combo play, with character-specific combo tasks in Trial Mode to practice.
Alongside Story Mode, Arcade Mode and CPU challenges offer offline play. Time Attack tests how quickly you can defeat opponents, Survival asks you to last through as many fights as possible, and Tutorial Mode teaches basic techniques and gauges. Online modes include ranked, casual, and friend matches.
In this selected sample, players often praise the detailed pixel-art sprites and animations, and many enjoy the fast, combo-focused combat and soundtrack. Some value the story and other offline modes, while others find the combo challenges demanding. Online play is a recurring concern, with reviewers reporting lag or difficulty finding matches; some also object to paying separately for an edition they say improves online play.
[i]“THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII”, SNK PLAYMORE’s flagship 2D versus fighting title returns in an ultimate version on Steam!!
The many features exclusive to the console version of the game, such as the ONLINE Mode that allows you to enjoy smooth online versus matches with rivals from around the world, the Tutorial Mode which can be enjoyed by KOF novice players, and the Story Mode which features several exclusive episodes in a Visual Novel format, have been improved are still available in “THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII Steam Edition”!
In addition, "Iori with the Power of Flames”, “NESTS Style Kyo”, and “Mr. Karate" DLC characters are now playable from the start, for a total roster of 36 characters!
The time has come to face rivals worldwide!
・3-ON-3 TEAM BATTLE:
Choose a default team of 3 characters or make your own team by picking up 3 characters of your choice, and fight against teams until victory! Develop your own team strategy by choosing the best characters for you!
・STORY：
In this mode, you will experience a variety of background stories not touched upon in the game’s original Arcade Version. Discover the truth about KOF’s “Ash Saga” and its secrets through the eyes of the main character, Ash Crimson, and oth[/i]er characters who were not directly participating in the tournament. Your decisions and battle results may lead you to discovering new story elements; try out all the different options and every scene!
・NETWORK:
"THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII Steam Edition" now features vastly improved netcode that will provide you with the most comfortable online experience yet! The new netcode features improved communication speeds between you and your opponent, and also tailors your online experience according to your PC environment!
“THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII Steam Edition” features three different types of ONLINE VERSUS Matches, allowing players to challenge other rivals worldwide in endless and intense battles:
‐ “Ranked Match”: fight under specified regulations, and your results will be reflected in the rankings.
- “Player Match”: playing in this mode will not affect your results. You can fight against others casually.
- “Friend Match”: invite online players and challenge them through this mode for heated competition!
・MISSION:
Tackle three different kinds of missions in this mode, and improve your skills!
- “TIME ATTACK”: Defeat all CPU opponents in the shortest time you can.
- “SURVIVAL”: Select a character and fight your way through as many CPU opponents as you can.
- “TRIAL”: In this mode, each character has 10 tasks, which mainly focus on combos. By the time you complete all 10 tasks, you will have mastered some combos for that character.
・TUTORIAL:
Rose Bernstein, hostess of the tournament, will teach you the basic techniques as well as explain the gauges and their uses. First time KOF players should start here to get used to the game.
・CUSTOMIZE:
This mode allows you to edit your online profile and change character color palette. You can create a team to use online, add icons collected while playing, or enter a preset message that you want to use in your profile. For each character, you can make up to five custom color patterns. Show off your personality on the worldwide stage!
・OPTION:
A “GRAPHICS OPTION” feature, allowing the players to switch between different frame rates and simplify backgrounds, has been newly added.
| Platforms | Windows |
|---|---|
| Achievements | 46 |
| Age ratings |
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| Players | 1–2 |
| Play modes |
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| Other modes |
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| Multiplayer | The game supports single-player and head-to-head multiplayer. Online play is versus-only, with Ranked Match, Player Match, and Friend Match. Local multiplayer is supported through shared/split-screen PvP and Remote Play Together. The core format is 3-on-3 team battle, and reviews also report a local 1v1 mode; online play is described as limited to 3v3 team format. |
| Multiplayer & mods | No multiplayer mod support is mentioned. Reviews reference external workarounds such as Parsec or Discord for arranging matches, but these are not game mods. |
| Controller support | Xbox |
| Controller required | No |
| Website | Official website |
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