Line #4 VideoGame/KOFMaximumImpact


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kofmicover.png]]
2	''KOF: Maximum Impact'' is a spin-off of ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'' series. It was released for the Platform/PlayStation2 on August 12, 2004 in Japan, October 12, 2004 in North America, and March 4, 2005 in Europe.
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4	''Maximum Impact'''s story takes place in an AlternateContinuity that's tied more closely to the ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' and ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'' series. After Geese Howard's death, Southtown's underworld was eventually taken over by a man known as Fate, who used his power to keep it relatively peaceful. However, this peace didn't last, and Fate was killed by the rival gang Mephistopheles. Six months later, Mephistopheles holds a fighting tournament in locations across Southtown. Twin brothers Alba and Soiree Meira enter this tournament to avenge their adoptive father.
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6	''KOF: Maximum Impact'' is the series' first VideoGame3DLeap, bringing the gameplay to 3D plane like Franchise/{{Tekken}} and VideoGame/VirtuaFighter. The overall fighitng system is similar to the main series, but some necessary changes were made to be in line with 3D fighting games, like characters being able to side step and adjusting characters' commands because of it. Other notable change is that ''Maximum Impact'' does not adopt the team system from the main series; you just pick one character in the roster and play as them for the rest of the playthrough.
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8	A slightly enhanced version of the game, known as ''KOF: Maximum Impact - Maniax'', was released for Playstation 2 and Platform/{{Xbox}} in 2005.
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10	[[folder:Playable characters]]
11	As previously stated, ''Maximum Impact'' revolves around 1v1 gameplay - while the classic team-based matches are available in Vs. mode, there are no canon teams in the story. Owing to the AlternateContinuity setting, there are also several characters unique to this game and its follow-up that will be noted here.
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13	!!Returning characters
14	* Returning from ''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters94 KOF '94]]'': [[PlayingWithFire Kyo Kusanagi]], [[LivingLegend Terry Bogard]], [[HeirToTheDojo Ryo Sakazaki]], [[GenkiGirl Yuri Sakazaki]], [[MsFanservice Mai Shiranui]], [[MagicalGirl Athena Asamiya]], [[BashBrothers Ralf Jones, Clark Still]]
15	* Returning from ''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters95 KOF '95]]'': [[AxCrazy Iori Yagami]]
16	* Returning from ''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters96 KOF '96]]'': [[ReiAyanamiExpy Leona Heidern]]
17	* Returning from ''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters99 KOF '99]]'': [[NinetiesAntiHero K']], [[{{Cyborg}} Maxima]]
18	* Returning from ''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters2000 KOF 2000]]'': [[BadassInANiceSuit Seth]]
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20	!!New characters
21	* [[TheHero Alba Meira]]: The heir to Fate's crime empire. Aloof and calculated, he enters the tournament to seek revenge against Duke for killing his father.
22	* [[DanceBattler Soiree Meira]]: Alba's younger brother, Soiree is much more jovial and adds plenty of showy flair to his fighting style.
23	* [[HitmanWithAHeart Lien Neville]]: A British assassin with a rather...complicated relationship with Duke, she uses a wide array of gadgets to ensure her opponents don't survive.
24	* [[CuteWitch Mignon Beart]]: A mysterious sorceress and up-and-coming pop star, with a one-sided rivalry with Athena.
25	* [[DistaffCounterpart Chae Lim]]: A spunky tomboy who trained under Kim Kaphwan, she enters this tournament in his place to prove herself.
26	* [[VideoGame/GarouMarkOfTheWolves Rock Howard]]: Yes, ''that'' Rock Howard, making his general ''KOF'' debut over a decade before he [[VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXIV joined the main series]].
27	* [[FinalBoss Duke]]: The Russian crime lord heading up Mephistopholes. Having been empowered by genetic experiments, he hosts this tournament as a means of drawing out the Meiras.
28	[[/folder]]
29	----
30	!!This work shows examples of:
31	* AlternateContinuity: From this game's synopsis, it's clear ''Maximum Impact'' takes place in a separate continuity from the main ''KOF'' series, like Geese being dead.
32	* ArrangeMode:
33	** In '''Time Trial Mode''', you have to defeat a number of characters as quickly as possible.
34	** '''Mission Mode''' has the player complete four levels of 10 missions. Each mission has settings and conditions to be completed. Most of the game's unlockables come from this mode.
35	* BigBad: Duke, the boss of Mephistopheles, and one of the people involved in the death of Fate.
36	* InconsistentDub: The English dub seems to have some issues with CallingYourAttacks
37	** Some characters who shout the names of their attacks as they use them call out a name that's completely different from the name of the move in their movelist. For example, Alba's "Hallowed Slug of the Heavenly Conqueror" is referred to as "Conquer Lightning Blast"
38	** Most of the cast uses English names for their attacks -- except Yuri, who calls her Koouken, Raiouken, and Haoh Shoko Ken... exactly that.
39	* ModelMuseum: The Profile Mode that allows you to view the models of every fighter in the game alongside all of their alternative costumes (provided you've unlocked them), with free-look functions available. On top of this, each model comes with the character's backstory and biography, voice lines, and the ability to view their alternative "Rigging Models" as well.
40	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: When your gang's name is Mephistopheles, it's pretty clear that they're not exactly NeighborhoodFriendlyGangsters. It even gets {{Lampshaded}} at one point:
41	-->'''[[MiddleManagementMook Hyena]]''': The true sponsor is Mephistopheles, the gang who controls Southtown.\
42	'''Kyo:''' That's one ominous name for a sponsor.\
43	'''Hyena:''' Heh heh, good point!
44	* ShiftingSituationDuel: When fighting Duke as Alba, Soiree, or Lien, the first round takes place in a graveyard. In the second round, Duke smashes through the ground, taking the fight to a golden stage with an audience. Averted with other characters, who skip directly to the second phase.
45	* TruerToTheText: Like the main ''KOF'' series, ''Maximum Impact'' still runs in a different continuity from that of ''Fatal Fury'' and ''Art of Fighting''. However, compared to the main series that mostly demoted them to guest characters, ''Maximum Impact'' integrates more plot beats based on their series. Notably, the events of ''Real Bout Fatal Fury'' are played straight, so Geese is dead for good and never meets his son, Rock Howard, alive on-screen (whereas in the main series, they eventually meet each other in ''XIV'', contradicting their original series).
46	* VideoGame3DLeap: This is the first game in the series to utilize 3D graphics.

Context VideoGame / KOFMaximumImpact