Everything You Need to Know About ‘The King of Fighters XV'

The plot of this 15th mainline entry in The King of Fighters series continues the story that transpired in the last entry. At the conclusion of the 14th King of Fighters tournament, an evil presence known as Verse was defeated. And due to its defeat, the souls of many deceased characters from within the expansive King of Fighters universe (such as Ash and the Orochi Team) are reborn and make their return of them for this brand new tourney. Alongside the presence of a new otherworldly threat, Chizuru Kagura links up with Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami to investigate the seal of the snake demon Orochi (especially since Yashiro Nanakase, Shermie, and Chris are all resurrected for this go-round).

The King of Fighters XV's roster consists of 39 playable characters split up into 13 teams and one boss character at launch. 12 additional fighters that come in four extra teams are set to arrive as DLC in the coming months post-launch as well. Check out the full lineup of characters who have been revealed for the game in the list below:

• Hero Team: Shun'ei, Meitenkun, and Benimaru Nikaido
• Sacred Treasures Team: Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, and Chizuru Kagura
• Fatal Fury Team: Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, and Joe Higashi
• Orochi Team: Yashiro Nanakase, Shermie, and Chris
• Art of Fighting Team: Ryo Sakazaki, Robert Garcia, and King
• Ikari Team: Leona Heidern, Ralf Jones, and Clark Still
• Secret Agent Team: Blue Mary, Vanessa, and Luong
• Super Heroine Team: Athena Asamiya, Mai Shiranui, and Yuri Sakazaki
• G.A.W. (Galaxy Anton Wrestling) Team: Antonov, Ramón, and The King of Dinosaurs
• Rival Team: Isla, Heidern, and Dolores
• K' Team: K', Maxima, and Whip
• Krohnen Team: Krohnen McDougall, Kula Diamond, and Angel
• Ash Team: Ash Crimson, Elisabeth Blanctorche, and Kukri
• Garou Team (DLC): Rock Howard, Gato, and B. Jenet
• South Town Team (DLC): Geese Howard, Billy Kane, and Ryuji Yamazaki

The King of Fighters XV retains the fast and flashy combat the series has always been known for. As far as returning features go, Rush combos are back in - these are pretty much easy combo inputs that are activated by repeatedly tapping one button and even mixing it in a different button on the last input for a different maneuver. Each character can tap into their signature Special Moves, EX Special Moves, Super Special Moves, MAX Super Special Moves, and the climactic Climax Super Special Moves.

The brand new Shatter Strike acts as a sort of Focus Attack from Street Fighter IV - if successfully landed, it can stun an opponent and leave them wide open for further attacks. The armor placed onto a Shatter Strike also comes in handy as the sort of move that can break through an opponent's attack before it opens them up for a lethal combo. Another major change that's come to the battle mechanics of the series in this sequel is the refined MAX Mode. Entering that mode normally outfits the character in a blue aura where they're attacked and Guard Crush strength increases. Activating MAX Mode Quick during an attack outfits your character in a pink aura, which lets them immediately follow up with even more moves afterward. However, this version of MAX Mode doesn't come with those previously mentioned character stat boosts.

The King of Fighters XV implements rollback netcode, which is being relied on to greatly reduce the lag between players during online matches. The game's online suite will include Ranked Match, Casual Match, Room Match, and Online Training. Another cool feature of the game is its DJ Station - this mode lets you listen to a ton of songs from previous King of Fighters games and customize them to play in the background of different stages so they can be heard during battle.