Neo Max
Neo Maxes (shortened as NM) are powerful, but costly supers comparable to a 'level 3' super from other games. To use a Neo Max, a player must have 3 stocks of Super Meter stored in addition to having a full gauge of Hyper Drive Meter or he has to be in Hyper Drive Mode. Upon executing the Neo Max, the three Super Meter stocks are consumed as well as all Hyper Drive Meter or however much Hyper Drive Mode time remains.
Neo Maxes can be cancelled into from any normally cancellable normal moves or command normals. If a player is in Hyper Drive Mode, Special Moves may be directly Drive Cancelled into a Neo Max. Additionally, certain Desperation Moves can be 'Max Cancelled' into a Neo Max Move. This is similar to a Dream Cancel found in The King of Fighters XI, where the concept is to cancel certain DMs into a NM.
Strategy Corner
- Neo Maxes are the the perfect example of offering high damage while giving the player a poor frame advantage or followup afterwards.
- Neo Maxes are the single most costly moves in the game: using Super Meter in an HD combo for EX moves and DMs can lead to about the same damage, if not sometimes more, than a Neo Max while setting up a better okizeme followup.
- Certain Neo Maxes really shine for their utility. Some are great fullscreen punishes for projectiles (Kyo, Maxima) while others are outstanding anti-airs (Iori, Maxima), some are instant command grabs (Duo Lon, Ash), and some even counter moves (Daimon, Elizabeth). Not all Neo Maxes are equal in practicality.
- In combos, a Neo Max will never scale lower than 40% of its base damage.