The King of Fighters '95
| The King of Fighters '95 | |
|---|---|
European arcade flyer, featuring Kyo Kusanagi | |
| Developer(s) |
|
| Publisher(s) | |
| Director(s) | Masanori Kuwasashi |
| Producer(s) | Eikichi Kawasaki Takashi Nishiyama |
| Designer(s) | Akihiko Nasu Akiko Yukawa Chikara Yamasaki |
| Programmer(s) | Khozoh Nagashima S. Fujinuki |
| Artist(s) | Toshiaki Mori |
| Composer(s) | Akihiro Uchida Masahiko Hataya Pearl Sibakiti |
| Series | The King of Fighters |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Game Boy, Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo CD, PlayStation, Sega Saturn |
| Release | 25 July 1995 |
| Genre(s) | Fighting |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Arcade system | Neo Geo MVS |
The King of Fighters '95 (KOF '95) is a 1995 fighting video game developed and published by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade system. It is the sequel to The King of Fighters '94, and the second installment in The King of Fighters series. The game features a similar cast to KOF '94 with the exception of the USA Team, which was replaced by the Rival Team. The plot features a new King of Fighters tournament once again promoted by the criminal Rugal Bernstein, who seeks revenge against the protagonist Kyo Kusanagi, who defeated him in last year's tournament. KOF '95 marks the first appearance of the fighter Iori Yagami, who becomes Kyo's rival in the series.
It is also the first game in the series to be ported to other home consoles besides the Neo Geo AES and Neo Geo CD, with versions released for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn and Game Boy. One of the main focuses in the creation of The King of Fighters '95 was the introduction of the Rivals Team, most notably Iori as a means to expand Kyo's story. Gameplay remains similar to the first KOF game, with SNK working to balance the original gameplay with the new team feature as well as each character's expanded moveset.
The King of Fighters '95 received mixed reviews, with critics praising the gameplay and new characters but criticizing the game's controls and long loading times, especially on the PlayStation version. Several critics compared the game to Capcom's Street Fighter Alpha, released the same year, with some finding it too similar. The game was followed by The King of Fighters '96, which continued the "Orochi Saga" that concluded with The King of Fighters '97.