WhenThe King of Fighters 15was announced, it touted a roster that would “Shatter All Expectations.” This roster was meant to include fighters that would shock and surprise fans of the franchise with their inclusion. With release around two weeks away, the final roster (as well as the first two DLC packs) have been revealed, and the roster is strong. However, much of the roster features many of the mainstays that fans have grown accustomed to inKing of Fighters. Terry Bogard, Kings, Athena, andBenimaru are here and accounted for. Some of them are in different teams, but there are some notable missing characters, like Kim Kaphwan, Takuma Sakazaki, and Shingo Yabuki.
Still, there are no characters from other SNK franchises that have never made aKOFappearance. There are only three new characters, and they all have a fighting style similar to another character in the game. It could be argued that the roster lacks deep cut choices and picks that aren’t likely. The roster selections meet expectations. There are two teams coming in the Summer and Fall of 2022 via DLC packs that could include more obscure choices, but for now, some roster additions would be quite inspired forThe King of Fighters 15.
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Team Art of Fighting 3
One game in theArt of Fightingseries that tends to get overlooked isArt of Fighting 3. Outside Kasumi Todoh, none of the new characters in this game have been seen in another title. As a result, including a team from this game would definitely be unexpected.Out of theArt of Fighting 3roster, a team consisting of Rody Birts, Jin Fu-Ha, and Sinclair. Rody and Sinclair are unique in that they are weapon fighters, using tonfas and a scimitar sword respectively, and Jin has a unique open palm fighting style.
Plot wise, they may not have a lot to connect them to the story arc (they do obviously have ties to Robert Garcia of theArt of Fightingteam), but what they lack in thematic engagement, they make up for with creative gameplay. LikeArt of Fighting 3, they could have flow combos. Easy strings of attacks thatgo together well and easily. They could serve as beginner-friendly characters in a game known for its timing strictness.
Sports Team
The King of Fightersseries has had a lot of original charactersin the past. Some have become regulars on the roster, such as Kyo, K’, and Ash. Others have not stuck around like Bao, Duo Lon, and Malin, while some have become fan favorites like Rugal, Seth, and May Lee. One of the most forgotten teams however would have to be the sports team fromThe King of Fighters ‘94.
Introduced in the very first entry in the franchise, the American representation in the tournament consisted of Heavy D!, Lucky Glauber, and Brian Battler. Heavy D! is a former professional boxer who was banned from the sport. Lucky Glauber is a basketball player and karate champion with a taste for street fighting. Finally, Brian Battler is a Football player who also is a skilled wrestler.
They have become a running joke in the series in that it seems they keep on getting invitations to join the tournament, but they keep getting beat up and some other team takes their invitations for themselves. This includesthe Orochi team, which has returned toThe King of Fighters 15. It would be a great redemption story if after all these years, the team returned in their first canonical entry in the series since the first game in the franchise. They also have a connection with the newly returned Orochi team as a reason for their return.
Needless to say as well, their fighting styles would be unique. While they have conventional fighting styles as their base (boxing, karate, wrestling), they incorporate their sports professions into their moves.No other team inKing of Figthersis going to chuck a basketball into their opposition’s face. They could really add some real unique and diverse play styles that not onlyThe King of Fightershasn’t seen in some time, but other fighting games as well.
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Team Samurai Shodown
The King of Fightershas incorporated a lot of franchises from SNK’s past into their roster.Fatal FuryandArt of Fightingare the main examples of this, but other franchises likeIkari Warriors,Psycho Soldier, and even obscure titles likeDaraku Tenshi — The Fallen Angels. However, one of SNK’s most famous franchises had yet to be included due to a time difference.Samurai Shodowntakes place in feudal Japan, way before the events inThe King of Fighters, which takes place in the current day.
However, SNK broke through that limitation by introducing time travel intoThe King of Fighters 14, and not only including Nakoruru in the roster, but making her part of the main story arc. With this door now open, it’s actually surprising to not see Nakoruru return toThe King of Fighters 15.Any character from any SNK gameis now theoretically possible. If anything, it would make sense to expand on this and include an entire team consisting ofSamurai Shodowncharacters.
The team could consist of Nakoruru and those who share her righteous tendencies, such as Galford and Charlotte. Galford fights for Justice, and Charlotte is a champion of the people, so it’d make sense to see themteaming up with Nakoruruto help dispel an ancient evil in the future. Play styles between them all are also quite varied. Nakoruru uses a short blade, making her ideal for up close fights. Charlotte has a fencing style that would make her a great mid-to-long range fighter. Finally, Galford is essentially a Ninja and uses a variety of tricks and smoke bombs, so he will be great for mix-ups.
The King of Fighters 15comes out on August 06, 2025 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S.
