Yep, that was definitely the first KOF game.
It seems almost any early fighting game franchise starts with a rather rough first entry, and KOF is no exception. That being said, I don't think that KOF '94 is a bad game compared to many other first attempts in this genre.
KOF '94 is very basic with it's gameplay. The only notable things here being you can sidestep (light punch + light kick) which is mainly helpful for dodging projectiles, and you can also charge your super meter. Gaining meter in this game is rather weird, you can get it from blocking attacks or charging it yourself. When you reach low health and your bar flashes red, no matter where your meter is you have access to as many supers as you want, which sounds broken but against the computer it really isn't.
The main thing I like about this game is the presentation. Oh my God this game looks fantastic. Each stage has this opening transition which is really appealing, the psuedo-3D wall in the Mexico stage being my favorite. The character sprites look rather goofy compared to what KOF '96-'03 would establish, but since this is the first entry it makes sense for the art style to look a bit experimental. A visually fantastic game even all these years later.
But man, this game's soundtrack. The arcade ost is pretty good, but the arranged soundtrack? Pure bliss on my ears. For an early CD quality audio video game soundtrack, the actual instruments and such used here sound fantastic, and I believe are real instruments. It's a soundtrack that unexplainably gives me joy and other emotions, please experience it for yourself. The sound design is fascinating too, games on the Neogeo always had this satisfying crunch to it, and this game is a perfect example.
The main turnoff for this game is the difficulty. The AI even on the easiest setting can be absolutely atrocious, and you're locked to teams in this game, meaning you can't create your preferred setup. Some characters may give you more trouble then others, but it's when Rugal steps in that fairness is thrown out the window. Now, if you just crouch block and occasionally attack during his first phase, you'll do entirely fine. But that second phase is a total nightmare. I got extremely lucky and was able to time him out by being very careful with my sidesteps from his projectiles and retaliated accordingly. Some people can take up to an hour on this guy which I can't even imagine suffering through.
And so those are my main thoughts on KOF '94. KOF is undoubtedly one of my favorite video game series, and seeing its roots is fascinating. I would not recommend this game to any casual player, but if you're a decently big fan of the series, you owe it to yourself to beat '94 Rugal at least once.
To everyone who has been supporting my reviews, I give my greatest thanks. I never thought I'd make it this far and I hope that you'll continue to enjoy my reviews. Once again, thank you for reading, and I'll see you when I review The King Of Fighters '95.
It seems almost any early fighting game franchise starts with a rather rough first entry, and KOF is no exception. That being said, I don't think that KOF '94 is a bad game compared to many other first attempts in this genre.
KOF '94 is very basic with it's gameplay. The only notable things here being you can sidestep (light punch + light kick) which is mainly helpful for dodging projectiles, and you can also charge your super meter. Gaining meter in this game is rather weird, you can get it from blocking attacks or charging it yourself. When you reach low health and your bar flashes red, no matter where your meter is you have access to as many supers as you want, which sounds broken but against the computer it really isn't.
The main thing I like about this game is the presentation. Oh my God this game looks fantastic. Each stage has this opening transition which is really appealing, the psuedo-3D wall in the Mexico stage being my favorite. The character sprites look rather goofy compared to what KOF '96-'03 would establish, but since this is the first entry it makes sense for the art style to look a bit experimental. A visually fantastic game even all these years later.
But man, this game's soundtrack. The arcade ost is pretty good, but the arranged soundtrack? Pure bliss on my ears. For an early CD quality audio video game soundtrack, the actual instruments and such used here sound fantastic, and I believe are real instruments. It's a soundtrack that unexplainably gives me joy and other emotions, please experience it for yourself. The sound design is fascinating too, games on the Neogeo always had this satisfying crunch to it, and this game is a perfect example.
The main turnoff for this game is the difficulty. The AI even on the easiest setting can be absolutely atrocious, and you're locked to teams in this game, meaning you can't create your preferred setup. Some characters may give you more trouble then others, but it's when Rugal steps in that fairness is thrown out the window. Now, if you just crouch block and occasionally attack during his first phase, you'll do entirely fine. But that second phase is a total nightmare. I got extremely lucky and was able to time him out by being very careful with my sidesteps from his projectiles and retaliated accordingly. Some people can take up to an hour on this guy which I can't even imagine suffering through.
And so those are my main thoughts on KOF '94. KOF is undoubtedly one of my favorite video game series, and seeing its roots is fascinating. I would not recommend this game to any casual player, but if you're a decently big fan of the series, you owe it to yourself to beat '94 Rugal at least once.
To everyone who has been supporting my reviews, I give my greatest thanks. I never thought I'd make it this far and I hope that you'll continue to enjoy my reviews. Once again, thank you for reading, and I'll see you when I review The King Of Fighters '95.