We Love It's Guide to…
Pick a three-fighter team, master combo-heavy 2D battles, and follow Ash Crimson’s story in solo or online modes.
Released 19 Feb 2025
Fight in 3-on-3 Teams
Practice Character Combos
Explore Ash's Story
Relive the pinnacle of 2D sprite-based fighting! Enhanced for online play! Complete with rollback netcode and overhauled online functionality!
Developed by SAFARI GAMES · Published by SNK CORPORATION









Choose three of 36 playable characters and battle rival teams in 3-on-3 fights. You can use a preset team or build one from your character picks.
The story follows Ash Crimson and other characters through background events tied to the tournament; your choices and battle results can reveal different story scenes. Arcade mode, a tutorial, and Time Attack, Survival, and character-specific combo trials offer other ways to play.
Combat uses gauges to power special and super moves, with cancels and combos forming part of the fighting system. Online play includes ranked, casual, and friend matches, plus lobbies where players can join or spectate. You can also customize character colors and your online profile.
Players who praise the game often point to its detailed 2D sprites, satisfying combat, and expressive combo system; some also enjoy the story, music, and range of offline modes. Online play draws mixed reports: some players find it improved or enjoyable, while others describe connection trouble, a small player pool, or technical problems. Reviews also mention demanding inputs and control setup frustrations.
This enhanced version comes with rollback netcode for exhilarating online play, as well as brand-new online lobbies that allow you to join/spectate matches with multiple players at once.
Also features a packed roster of 36 playable characters, including NESTS Style Kyo, Classic Iori, and Mr. Karate!
KOF’s greatest-ever 2D graphics come to life as you face off against players online and around the world!
MAIN FEATURES
・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!
| Platforms | Windows |
|---|---|
| Achievements | 46 |
| Age ratings |
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| Controller support | PlayStation, Xbox |
| Controller required | No |
| Content notices |
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