History VideoGame / TheKingOfFighters99

It was first ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation, and an enhanced port, ''The King of Fighters: Evolution'', was released for UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast, which coverts the stages into 3D, adds exclusive Strikers, and has compatibility feature to Neo Geo Pocket Color game ''The King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise''. ''KOF: Evolution'' was ported to Windows, and included in ''The King of Fighters NESTS Collection'' for UsefulNotes/PlayStation2.

* '''Secret Character:''' [[PlayingWithFire Kyo Kusanagi]] and [[AxCrazy Iori Yagami]] - If you have either in an edit team and do well enough, you can get a [[BonusBoss special round]] after the final boss against the opposing character.

* GameplayGrading: In arcade mode, your performance is judged with Battle Ability points. The general rule is that the better moves you land on, the more points you rack up. If you lose a match and continue, it punishes you by halving it. This is one of the two conditions to unlock BonusBoss after Krizalid (the other is to select one of canonical teams, all four of your fighters with no exception). You need to score 280 Battle Ability points or higher to fight Kyo, and 200~279 points to fight Iori.

* '''Single Entry:''' [[CloningBlues Kyo-1 and Kyo-2]] - Clones of Kyo with specific movesets.

* ClassicCheatCode: The original Kyo and Iori are not available in the arcade version and has to be unlocked with a cheat code, taught by beating them as BonusBoss after Krizalid.

* '''Team ''[[VideoGame/IkariWarriors Ikari]]'':''' [[ReiAyanamiExpy Leona Heidern]], [[BashBrothers Ralf Jones and Clark Still]] return on a new mission, joined by the mercenary [[WhipItGood Whip]].

* OddballInTheSeries: Amongst the ''KOF'' games that have UnnecessaryCombatRoll, this is the only main installment to replace it with "Emergency Escape". It works pretty much the same way, only with the character's motion mostly standing up instead of rolling and added SpeedEchoes effect. Gameplay-wise, the only major change is that you cannot perform a complete backward roll; instead, your character does a short backstep and comes back to their original position, which can be canceled into Special Moves. Its redundancy and strangeness is perhaps why ''KOF 2000'' changed it back, although new characters like K' kept the animation.

* '''Team ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'':''' The entire school of the Kyokugenryu unites for the first time - [[HeirToTheDojo Ryo Sakazaki]], [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob Robert Garcia]], [[GenkiGirl Yuri Sakazaki]] and Mr. Karate himself, [[OldMaster Takuma Sakazaki]].

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: ''[=KOF '99=]'' is the first game to map the controller buttons directly to your characters in Team Order screen, instead of moving a pointer with joystick. This was done so that your team order is completely hidden to your human opponent, preventing them to intentially stall on the screen to read your team order and counter it. This was removed in ''2000'' and ''2001'' because of their unique Striker systems, but later revived in ''2002'' and kept in the series since.

* SoftReboot: Starting with this game, the series tried to break away from the previously established Orochi mythologies and introduced an antagonistic organization that has nothing to do with villains in the Orochi Saga. Likewise, while the roster keeps most of the characters from the predecessor, the story in ''[='99=]'' focuses on the new characters and props K' as the new hero of the series, putting Kyo to the supporting role. Kyo and Iori are not even selectable in the arcade version at first, requiring hidden commands to unlock.

* OddballInTheSeries: Amongst the ''KOF'' games that have UnnecessaryCombatRoll, this is the only main installment to replace it with "Emergency Escape". It works pretty much the same way, only the character's motion mostly standing up instead of rolling and added SpeedEchoes effect. Its redundancy is perhaps why ''KOF 2000'' changed it back, although new characters like K' kept the animation.

** Starting from this game, Blow Back Guard Cancel no longer does damage at all, a change that would apply to all future ''KOF'' games with only a few exceptions.

It was first ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation, and an enhanced port, ''The King of Fighters: Evolution'', was released for UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast, which coverts the stages into 3D, adds exclusive Strikers, and has compatibility feature to Neo Geo Pocket Color game ''The King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise''.

* ActionizedSequel: This is the first ''KOF'' to introduce Super Cancel, which could be used through Counter Mode in ''[=KOF '99=]'' and ''[=2000=]'' but became more and more universal in later ''KOF'', where you can usually perform it by spending two or three Power Gauges at once. Thanks to its ability to create a long combo, a match between those who master Super Cancel can get much more intense than previous ''KOF'' games.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Literally; most stages in ''[=KOF '99=]'' start at night, and stay that way. Unlike ''[='97=]'' and ''[='98=]'', KOF this time is held in secrecy, so there are also no spectators to liven up.

* '''Boss:''' Krizalid - The sponsor of this year's tournament, and a high-ranking member of the nebulous organisation known as NESTS.

* '''Team ''VideoGame/FatalFury'':''' The usual lineup of [[LivingLegend Terry Bogard]], his brother [[HighlyVisibleNinja Andy]] and [[HotBlooded Joe Higashi]]; but this time joined by Andy's own AbhorrentAdmirer [[MsFanservice Mai Shiranui]].

* '''Single Entries:''' [[CloningBlues Kyo-1 and Kyo-2]] - Clones of Kyo with specific movesets.

* '''Fatal Fury Team''': The usual lineup of [[LivingLegend Terry Bogard]], his brother [[HighlyVisibleNinja Andy]] and [[HotBlooded Joe Higashi]]; but this time joined by Andy's own AbhorrentAdmirer [[MsFanservice Mai Shiranui]].
* '''Art of Fighting Team''': The entire school of the Kyokugenryu unites for the first time - [[HeirToTheDojo Ryo Sakazaki]], [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob Robert Garcia]], [[GenkiGirl Yuri Sakazaki]] and Mr. Karate himself, [[OldMaster Takuma Sakazaki]].
* '''Ikari Warriors Team''': [[ReiAyanamiExpy Leona Heidern]], [[BashBrothers Ralf Jones and Clark Still]] return on a new mission, joined by the mercenary [[WhipItGood Whip]].
* '''Psycho Soldier Team''': [[MagicalGirl Athena Asamiya]] and her master [[DrunkenMaster Chin Gentsai]] return as before; though [[TheIdiotFromOsaka Sie Kensou]] has mysteriously lost his powers, having to adapt his fighting style to compensate. Alongside them is newcomer [[KidAppealCharacter Bao]], a young boy with strong psychic powers that Chin recently took under his wing.
* '''Women Fighters Team''': An almost completely new lineup, given that Mai and Yuri are on different teams; [[{{Bifauxnen}} King]] instead links up with [[FairCop Blue Mary]], [[BadassAdorable Kasumi Todoh]] and a newcomer to KOF, [[AnimeChineseGirl Li Xiangfei]] (originally from ''Real Bout Fatal Fury 2'').
* '''Korea Justice Team''': Comprised of [[JusticeWillPrevail Kim Kaphwan]], [[{{Acrofatic}} Chang Koehan]] and [[PintSizedPowerhouse Choi Bounge]]; now joined by newcomer [[FriendlyRival Jhun Hoon]], a rival of Kim's.
* '''Single Entries''': [[CloningBlues Kyo-1 and Kyo-2]] - Clones of Kyo with specific movesets.
* '''Secret Character''': [[PlayingWithFire Kyo Kusanagi]] and [[AxCrazy Iori Yagami]] - If you have either in an edit team and do well enough, you can get a special round after the final boss against the opposing character.
* '''Boss''': Krizalid - The sponsor of this year's tournament, and a high-ranking member of the nebulous organisation known as NESTS.

* '''Art of Fighting Team''': The entire school of the Kyokugenryu unites for the first time - [[HeirToTheDojo Ryo Sakazaki]], [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob RobertGarcia]], [[GenkiGirl Yuri Sakazaki]] and Mr. Karate himself, [[OldMaster Takuma Sakazaki]].

* '''Hero Team''': Consisting of newcomers (and mains heroes of this saga) K' and Maxima and returnees, Benimari and Shingo.
* '''Fatal Fury Team''': Terry, Andy and Joe as usual but this time joined by Mai.
* '''Art of Fighting Team''': The entire school of the Kyokugenryu - Ryo, Robert, Yuri and Takuma.
* '''Ikari Warriors Team''': Leona, Ralf and Clark along with newcomer Whip, a mysterious mercenary.
* '''Psycho Soldier Team''': Athena, Kensou, and Chin along with newcomer Bao, a boy with strong physic powers.
* '''Women Fighters Team''': King, Blue Mary, the returning Kasumi and new to KOF, Li Xiangfei (from ''Fatal Fury Real Bout 2'').
* '''Korea Justice Team''': Kim, Chang and Choi, this time joined by newcomer, Jhun Hoon, a rival of Kim's.
* '''Single Entries''': Kyo-1 & 2 - Clones of Kyo with specific movesets.
* '''Secret Character''': Kyo and Iori - If you have either in an edit team and do well enough, you can get a special round after the final boss against the opposing character.
* '''Boss''': Krizalid - Sponsor of this year's tournament and high ranking agent of [=NESTs=] who's also the mastermind of this story's scheme.

* '''Hero Team''': Consisting of newcomers K' and Maxima and returees, Benimari and Shingo.

* ''Korea Justice Team''': Kim, Chang and Choi, this time joined by newcomer, Jhun Hoon, a rival of Kim's.

* ''Korea Justice Team'': Kim, Chang and Choi, this time joined by newcomer, Jhun Hoon, a rival of Kim's.

It was first ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation, and an enhanced port, ''The King of Fighters: Evolution'', was released for UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast, which coverts the stages into 3D, adds exclusive Strikers, and has compatiblility feature to Neo Geo Pocket Color game ''The King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise''.

Two years have passed since the last tournament in 1997, and Benimaru has received an invitation letter for KOF this year, with a new rule demanding him to bring a "Striker" on top of usual three-fighter match. He has a few problems, though: Kyo, former Japan Team leader who fought and sealed off the Orochi, has gone missing, so does Iori, and the other member, Daimon, is not available for the time. He's eventually paired with two no-nonsense newcomers; K' (read "K Dash") is a new series protagonist who can mysteriously create fire from his hands like Kyo, and Maxima is a cyborg. Joined by Shingo, looking for Kyo as [[HeroWorshipper his fan]], the four of them competes in the KOF together, facing off the other KOF regulars that brought their own new member and hoping to learn Kyo's whereabouts. All the while a new KOF host is plotting behind for their gain.

* BigBad: Kirzalid, NESTS champion for the newest KOF tournament, assigned to gather data on the world's fighters. He and K' have a mysterious connection to each other.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Literally; most stages in ''[=KOF '99=]'' start at night, and stay that way. Unlike ''[='97=]'' and ''[='98=]'', KOF this time is held in secrecy, so there're also no spetators to liven up.

* GameplayGrading: In arcade mode, your performance is judged with Battle Ability points. The general rule is that the better moves you land on, the more points you rack up. If you lose a match and continue, it punishes you by halving it. Scoring 280 points or higher is the only way to fight Kyo after Krizalid, and 200~279 points to fight Iori.

It was first ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation, and an enhanced port, ''The King of Fighters: Evolution'', was released for UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast, which coverts the stages into 3D graphics, adds exclusive Strikers, and has compatiblility feature to Neo Geo Pocket Color game ''The King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise''.

* AdaptationExpansion: The Dreamcast port adds two exclusive stages, and some Strikers from ''[=KOF 2000=]''. Unlike the original ''[='99=]'' cast, they can only be selected as Striker.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Literally; most stages in ''[=KOF '99=]'' start at night or in dark interior, and stay that way. Unlike ''[='97=]'' and ''[='98=]'', KOF this time is held in secrecy, so there're also no spetators to liven up.