How to play KOF

When you want to do more than combos, when you want to know you are not hitting them, or why they are hitting you, it’s time to study, before you can become a master! There are many things that are not obvious, and many things that players are not taking advantage of, which keeps the top players on top. Reap the rewards of reading by checking out these guides and videos before reading up on your character! Knowledge is power.

Notation

Original text by Coliflowerz

P = Punch

K = Kick

A = LP = Light Punch (Square)

B = LK = Light Kick (X)

C = HP = Heavy Punch (Triangle)

D = HK = Heavy Kick (Circle)

st. = standing

cl. = close

cr. = crouching

j. = jumping

b, d, f = back, down, forward respectively

[n] = hold n direction for at least half a second

qcf = quarter circle forward (d, df, f)

qcb = quarter circle back (d, db, b)

hcf = half circle forward (b, db, d, df, f)

hcb = half circle back (f, df, d, db, b)

dp = dragon punch (f, d, df)

rdp = reverse dragon punch (b, d, db)

xx = cancel

arrow = do immediately after unless specified

– = follow up

(n) = cancel after nth hit of the move

System Tutorials

This video starts from the very beginning, what you see on the screen, how the bars and timer work.

Now let’s talk about the power meter (sometimes referred to simply as “bar”).

Check the [System Notation] first before we get in depth about it! Now we’ll look at how the game actually works, and what you should be doing as a player. There are timestamps below, which if you click, will fast forward to that explanation.

0:14 Explaining character tiers, balance and implications of choosing a character for beginners.

03:45 Movement (jumps, 10:00 rolls, 12:38 Command movements)

19:40 Blocking

22:01 Defending

27:45 Anti airing, space control and positioning

0:45 Run and run cancelling

2:08 Rolls, guard cancelled rolls, Blowbacks and guard cancelled blowbacks

7:47 Meter limit, meter building, extra meter on ko/loss

12:36 Max gauge raw activation, button cancelled max gauge, ex move sin max and ex moves cost

18:34 Max mode meter overall count

20:33 Rush auto combos

23:35 Counter hits

24:41 Otgs (off the ground), running charge, running grabs

29:20 What costs what (meter cost)

31:37 Stamina values, health recovery on opponent ko/loss

Info on life bar recovery on KO depending on time:

The clock at default is set at 60 ticks which is 90 real time seconds. If a player wins a round, they will regain certain amounts of health depending on when they knock out the opponent.

42+ ticks = 300 health

41 to 30 ticks = 250 health

29 to 18 ticks = 150 health

17 to 0 or timeout = 100 health

0:52 Differencies between hard and soft knockdown

1:35 Different possibilities of attacks in kof

2:30 Setting up mixups and dealing with defence

6:28 Explaining how everything has a counter, layer of depth in the metagame

8:00 The importance of conversions(hitconfirming) and optimized combos

10:43 Space control, offensive space control and counters

16:52 – 30:02 hard knockdowns, safe jumps and option select

31:00 Blowbacks in neutral possible uses, recognizing fake strings, whiff punishes

34:50 Getting good fast: practicing hitconfirm and optimizing combos (openers high/low) depending on bars / situation

44:30 Command grabs, blowing up safejumps with them, armored command grabs and counters

47:00 A mention of depth organized by lasagna layers (quoting infernoKong)

48:30 Guard Roll cancelling through high recovery strings to punish

Now that you’ve gone through the basics, there are more particular things to study. Keep going!

Go Back to Top to see more

Characters

Gallery Unlocking Interactions Alice: Billy, Daimon, Terry

Andy: Geese, Mai, Tung

Angel: Kensou, Kula, Sylvie

Athena: Kensou, Love, Mian

Bandeiras: Choi, Mai, Robert

Benimaru: Love, Luong, Zarina

Billy: Alice, Hein, Joe

Chang: Kim, Leona, Muimui

Chin: K’, Nakoruru, Tung

Choi: Bandeiras, Kim, Love

Clark: Maxima, Ralf, Ramon

Daimon: Alice, Joe, Ryo

Dinosaur: Mian, Nelson, Terry

Gang: Vice, Xanadu, Yuri

Geese: Andy, Ryo, Terry

Hein: Billy, K’, King

Joe: Billy, Daimon, Nelson

K’: Chin, Hein, Ralf

Kensou: Angel, Athena, Muimui

Kim: Chang, Choi, Luong

King: Hein, Ryo, Yuri

Kukri: Kyo, Iori, Shun

Kula: Angel, Sylvie, Zarina

Kyo: Kukri, Iori, Shun

Leona: Chang, Mature, Ralf

Love: Athena, Benimaru, Choi

Luong: Benimaru, Kim, Ramon

Mai: Andy, Bandeiras, Mian

Mature: Leona, Muimui, Xanadu

Maxima: Clark, Nelson, Ramon

Meitenkun: Shun, Sylvie, Vice

Mian: Athena, Dinosaur, Mai

Muimui: Chang, Kensou, Mature

Nakoruru: Chin, Vice, Zarina

Nelson: Dinosaur, Joe, Maxima

Iori: Kukri, Kyo, Tung

Ralf: Clark, K’, Leona

Ramon: Clark, Luong, Maxima

Robert: Bandeiras, Xanadu, Yuri

Ryo: Daimon, Geese, King

Shun: Kukri, Kyo, Meitenkun

Sylvie: Angel, Kula, Meitenkun

Terry: Alice, Dinosaur, Geese

Tung: Andy, Chin, Iori

Vice: Gang, Meitenkun, Nakoruru

Xanadu: Gang, Mature, Robert

Yuri: Gang, King, Robert

Zarina: Benimaru, Kula, Nakoruru

Secret Illustrations

Team Dragons: Ryo, Mui Mui, Kensou

Team Tigers: Ramon, Joe, Robert

Team Old Masters: Tung, Gang Il, Chin

Team Beautiful Hair: Nakoruru, Athena, Kula

Team Tung’s Disciples: Terry, Geese, Shun’ei

Team Lucky 7’s: Mui Mui, Love Heart, Alice

Team Birds: Zarina, Nakoruru, King of Dinosaurs

Team Mysterious Newcomers: Hein, Kukri, Luong

Team NESTs Girls: Sylvie, Kula, Angel

Team Ninjas: Andy, Mai, Bandeiras

THE KING OF FIGHTERS

All trophies acquired. 1.25%

ULTRA RARE Aspirations

[TUTORIAL] Clear all subjects. 50.11%

COMMON The Birth of a Legend

[STORY] Clear for the first time. 73.37%

COMMON Living Legend

[STORY] Clear at computer level 5 with no continues. 5.71%

VERY RARE Onward to the Next Legend

[STORY] Clear using all teams (including boss and mid-boss). 5.93%

VERY RARE Hmph… An expected outcome!

[STORY] Acquire rank S or above at the victory screen. 80.03%

COMMON Yay! Perfect!

[STORY] Acquire rank SS at the victory screen. 68.49%

COMMON Power of the Champion

[STORY] Defeat the mid-boss. 74.14%

COMMON Sealed Power

[STORY] Defeat the final boss. 73.39%

COMMON Perfect winner!

Win 10 matches with a perfect. 33.32%

UNCOMMON Straight to the finish!

Win 10 matches without losing a round. 60.90%

COMMON Wow!

Perform 50 SUPER SPECIAL MOVES finishes. 20.10%

UNCOMMON That settled it!

Perform 50 MAX SUPER SPECIAL MOVES finishes. 11.69%

RARE One hit! One kill!

Perform 50 CLIMAX SUPER SPECIAL MOVES finishes. 8.29%

VERY RARE Combo Attacker

Perform 50 SUPER CANCELS. 25.06%

UNCOMMON Graceful Attacker

Perform 50 ADVANCED CANCELS. 4.96%

ULTRA RARE Ferocious Offense

Perform 50 CLIMAX CANCELS. 4.51%

ULTRA RARE Weep! Scream! And DIE!

Perform 50 Rush attacks. 48.41%

UNCOMMON Student

[TRAINING] Enter training mode for the first time. 90.44%

COMMON Title Collector

Unlock all titles. 13.07%

RARE Item Collector

Unlock all items. 3.90%

ULTRA RARE Welcome to My Museum

Unlock all gallery items. 2.93%

ULTRA RARE Synchronize your watches at 16:35.

[MISSION] Clear Time Attack for the first time. 21.98%

UNCOMMON Mission Complete!

[MISSION] Clear Time Attack within 4:00.00. 11.01%

RARE When you look up at the moon, remember this.

[MISSION] Knock 1 person out in Survival. 34.02%

UNCOMMON Mukuro, Lurking in the Moonlight

[MISSION] Knock 30 or more people out in Survival. 14.29%

RARE You’re tough, aren’t you!

[MISSION] Clear 1 trial. 63.55%

COMMON Special talent agent!!

[MISSION] Clear 100 trials. 20.20%

UNCOMMON International KOF League Room Creation Board Member

Create 10 rooms. 15.09%

RARE Everybody’s out to get me…

[FREE MATCH] Play SINGLE VS for the first time. 23.53%

UNCOMMON A BEAST OF PREY

[FREE MATCH] Play SINGLE VS 50 times. 6.71%

VERY RARE I can handle this… by myself.

[FREE MATCH] Play SINGLE VS 100 times. 5.16%

VERY RARE Comrade

[FREE MATCH] Play PARTY VS for the first time. 21.73%

UNCOMMON Reliable Being

[FREE MATCH] Play PARTY VS 50 times. 6.43%

VERY RARE Unshakable Trust

[FREE MATCH] Play PARTY VS 100 times. 4.33%

ULTRA RARE Teamwork

[FREE MATCH] Play TEAM VS for the first time. 41.23%

UNCOMMON Here We Go, Partner

[FREE MATCH] Play TEAM VS 50 times. 12.47%

RARE Old Bond

[FREE MATCH] Play TEAM VS 100 times. 7.88%

VERY RARE Sweet Taste of Victory

[RANKED MATCH] Win for the first time. 30.01%

UNCOMMON Hey, Mr. #1 in Japan!

[RANKED MATCH] Win 50 times. 5.96%

VERY RARE No One Is Better Than Me

[RANKED MATCH] Win 100 times. 3.75%

ULTRA RARE Full-Fledged

Reach Rank 11 or higher. 12.34%

RARE Peak Performance

[RANKED MATCH] Win 5 consecutive matches. 13.74%

RARE Now… no one can stop me

[RANKED MATCH] Win 10 consecutive matches. 8.76%

VERY RARE Kyokugen Style Dojo Online Branch

[ONLINE TRAINING] Train with another player. 17.35%

RARE Hehe, fired up?

[FIGHTING LIST] Receive your first FIGHT BONUS. 19.50%

RARE Arch-Rivals by Blood

Finish 10 versus battles. 29.69%

UNCOMMON A Good Match

Share your first replay. 13.92%

RARE

Credits

Frame Data

dmmbrage *

Guides

Additional Movelist transcription:

Khalill Marsh

General Writing, Admin & Everything else:

Alan Francois

Interactions and Special Illustrations:

Jermaine Flanders

Trophies data:

PSN Profiles

* Frame Data: These guides will use data from dmmbrage, but Atma, Ahmed Sule, & Outlaw Nightmare should be credited and thanked for their work on this extremely laborious and tedious work.