The King of Fighters 2003
The King of Fighters 2003 is the tenth game in The King of Fighters series. It is the last game in the series to be based on the Neo-Geo MVS hardware, and the first game in the series to be developed and released under the care of SNK Playmore. It is also the first chapter of the "Tales of Ash Saga", the third story arc in the series, and the last game in the series with the year in the title.
Story
The game revolves around The King of Fighters, an elite fighting competition. In this competition, Rugal is defeated and the Orochi are sealed. The tournament at the center of the game is sponsored by an unknown patron whose identity becomes known to the public of the country. Perhaps this is why it attracts a large number of participants. With the introduction of the new "multi-shift" rule in this KOF tournament, where participants can switch freely during the battles, the competition becomes a "hot topic" and triggers a wide discussion. It also leads to a quick execution of the match with uniform team strategies. In preparation for the tournaments, stadiums with a capacity for tens of thousands of people are procured from cities around the world and set up in city centers. Schedules are drawn up and spectators move from one place to another to watch the preliminary matches. To create the atmosphere of a real street fight, the matches are broadcast live on large screens.