Introduction
The dawn of a new chapter in the King of Fighters legacy and the 3rd saga for the famous SNK fighting series. King of Fighters 2003 was developed in-house by SNK-Playmore (unlike King of Fighters 2001 and 2002, which were done by EOLITH Co.). The game marked the beginning of the new saga, the Neo-Orochi saga, and featured the biggest gameplay tweak in the history of the series. For the first time ever, KoF matches were governed not by team competitions of one-on-one fights, but rather 3-on-3 tag matches (though, the home version of KoF 2003 did feature the traditional 3-on-3 team matches as well as singles fights). Finally players could freely swap between their team's characters on the fly and even perform tag combos (as well as designate a leader whom would be able to perform a super move that is exclusive to the team leader). This gameplay element would also be found in The King of Fighters XI and appears to be the new standard of team gameplay in the KoF series.
Game Mechanics
A button is for light punch
B button is for light kick
C button is for hard punch
D button is for hard kick
f,f = Dash
b,b = step back
db, d, or df = Crouch
ub, u, or uf = Normal Jump
tap ub, u, or uf = Small jump
d, tap ub, u, or uf = Medium jump
d, press and hold ub, u, or uf = Long Jump
b while being attacked high or standing = Block
db while being attacked low = Low Block
A + B = roll forward
b + A + B = roll back
f + A + B during block = Guard Cancel Roll
b + A + B during block = Guard Cancel Roll Back
A + B while being knocked down = Recovery Roll
A + B while falling during a hit in the air = Safe Fall
B + C or C + D = Tag Out
d, df, f + B + C or C + D = Tag Out Attack
C + D during block = Guard Cancel Attack
b or f + C or D = throw
b or f + C or D before being thrown = throw escape (depending on throw button)
Start button = taunt
Terms
Free cancelling: Another word for maxmode cancelling. A free cancellable move, means you can max mode cancel some move into another special move.
Battery: A character that can build meter quickly and effectively
Knockdown: A move that knocks the opponent down but gives the opponent an opportunity to recovery roll.
Hard knockdown: A knockdown move that cannot be recovery rolled. When the opponent falls, there is either a small yellow animation of impact, a large yellow animation, or an animation that looks like the character is sliding across the ground.
Combo Notation
(S) - the previous move was supercancelled
(C) - the previous move was maxmode cancelled (or free cancelled)
(number) - the most number of hits of that attack allowed such that you can still cancel into the next one and the combo to still work. For example, C(1), means that the combo requires to cancel the C on the first hit.
(move) - groups moves together when there are multiple alternatives. For example, C, f+B/(qcf+B, dp+B) means you can do C, then either a f+B, or qcf+B followed by dp+B, but not f+B followed by qcf+B or dp+B.
[move] - optional, can be omitted for easier input or if distancing is an issue.
/ - means there is an alternative move you can do. For example, the attack string C, f+A/f+B, qcb+A/(qcf+B, dp+B) means after the C, you can do either f+A or f+B, and after either of those, you can do either qcb+A, or qcf+B, dp+B.
Buffer: - this means that the attack motion can be buffered such that it can still be done with a less complex motion. For example, take the combo C, qcb P, qcb hcf K. Since there is an overlapping motion of qcb, one of them can be removed. Thus, the buffered version of the same combo is C, qcb P, hcf K. This can be further buffered since there is an overlapping back direction in this combo. Therefore, a further buffered version of this combo is C, qcb P, qcf K. Thus, this combo will be listed as C, qcb P, qcb hcf K(Buffer:qcf K), which means you can do the combo how it is listed until you reach the Buffer part, in which case you use that motion instead of the full motion of the move.
This year introduces a new system.
Instead of best 3 out of 5, the match is one 60-second round with all 3 fighters from each team battling.
The match is determined when all 3 members of one team is defeated. If you are a fan of Marvel vs Capcom series, then you already know there is a tag system that allows you to switch fighters in the middle of the match but it is only possible when the words “Change OK” appears. However, when a player tags out, he/she does not regain health.
If time runs out then the team with the most combined health is declared the winner. In a vs battle mode, if a match ends in a draw, the win automatically goes to the champion.
The maximum number of power stocks is dependent on how many players remain in a team. 3 players have a maximum of 3 power stocks. 2 players has a maximum of 4 and 1 player has a maximum of 5.
Also one thing to note is before each match stars, each team decides which fighter will be the team leader. That person is determined by being the first person you select on your team at the character select screen. What is special about the leader is he/she gets an extra super move called Leader Desperation Moves (replacing Super Desperation moves and the Hidden Super Desperation moves from KOF 2k2 and back). While each super (DM) takes away one stock. LDMs take 2 stocks. The leader of the team is indicated by having a blue lifebar to his/her teammates’ orange lifebars
Basic Strategy
Advanced Strategy
Tier List
Top-Tier:
K', Daimon, Ash,Duolon
Mid-Top Tier:
Benimaru, Jhun, Malin, Iori, Kim, Terry, Yamazaki
Mid-Tier:
Gato, King, Shen, Kyo, Ryo, Billy, Chang, The Griffon, Hinako, Robert, Shingo, Mai, Chizuru, Clark
Low-Mid Tier:
Kusanagi, Athena, Joe, Yuri, Leona
Low-Tier:
Ralf, Whip, Maxima, Mary
Game Versions
The Characters
New "Hero" Team
Fatal Fury Team
Art of Fighting/Kyokugenryu Team
Japan Team
Women's Team
Korea Team
Outlaw Team
NEST Team
Ikari Warriors Team
Schoolgirls Team
Solo Entrants
Mid-Bosses
Final Bosses