With the rumors from Kotaku stating that King of Fighters XII will be a 2D/3D hybrid and the fact that King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match does not have a planned US release at this time, King of Fighters XI may very well be the last "true" 2D game from the series. Fortunately for fans, if this were the case, it would definitely serve to be a worthy end of an era for one of the long running fighting game franchises.
I will note however that I have my doubts about the rumors that were started by Kotaku. Everything coming out of SNK Playmore Japan has been primarily focused on emphasizing that the company has every intent on making King of Fighters XII the "ultimate 2D fighting game". And plus, if King of Fighters XII went 3D, where would that leave Maximum Impact?
SNK PLAYMORE USA Ships
THE KING OF FIGHTERS XI for PlayStation®2 System
Latest Installment in Popular 2D-Fighting Series Includes New Strategic Options
Wall, NJ – Nov. 13, 2007 – SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION, the U.S. publishing arm of the SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION, today announced that THE KING OF FIGHTERS XI for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system is now shipping to retailers across North America.
THE KING OF FIGHTERS XI expands on the winning THE KING OF FIGHTERS formula with new strategic options like Quick Shift and Saving Shift, which allow greater precision and control when switching out characters, the match-deciding Judgment Indicator, and Dream Cancel, which wreaks even more havoc than the Super Cancels found in previous games. In addition to all the 2D-fighting goodness found in the popular arcade version, THE KING OF FIGHTERS XI for PlayStation®2 system offers exclusive features including extra characters, bonus stages and brand-new music.
“With the release of THE KING OF FIGHTERS XI, 2D-fighter fans have hours of the classic gameplay they love, plus brand-new game-enhancing features, at their fingertips,” said Ben Herman, president of SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION.
