- This article is about The King of Fighters '97 (Game Boy). For other games named "The King of Fighters '98", see The King of Fighters '98.
This article is a stub. You can help BootlegGames Wiki by expanding it.
The King of Fighters '97 is a hack of the Japanese version of Nettou The King of Fighters '96 (otherwise known as The King of Fighters: Heat of Battle) for the Game Boy, possibly released in 1998 by an unknown developer.
The game is notable for adding almost every character from the Game Boy version of The King of Fighters '95 into Heat of Battle, with the exceptions of Terry Bogard, Eiji Kisaragi, Mr. Karate, and Goenitz.
Multicart version[]
Select screen from the multicart revision, featuring Eiji and Terry Bogard at the bottom.
Another revision of this hack would be produced, likely by the same developers as the original version, that adds in the fighters from the Game Boy version of The King of Fighters '95 that were excluded from the original version (Terry Bogard, Eiji Kisaragi, Mr. Karate, and Goenitz). It is only known to have been included on a "New Super Color 145 in 1" multicart for the Game Boy Color released by J.Y. Company, possibly as early as 1999.
The King of Fighters '98[]
_Title_Screen.png){kind=link}
Title screen.
A basic hack of the multicart revision of this hack, titled The King of Fighters '98, was also released. The only changes introduced in this hack are a new "The King of Fighters 98" logo that replaces the logos on the splash screen and title screen. Based on the general low quality of the logo and its coloring on a Super Game Boy, as well as the original Super Game Boy border from The King of Fighters '97 remaining intact, it is believed that the developers of the original hack were not involved in the creation of this hack.
Connections to Vast Fame[]
While the developer of this hack is unknown, it is confirmed to have strong ties to the Taiwanese unlicensed game developer Vast Fame as it would be the framework for their Game Boy Color fighting games, starting with their 1999 title Super Fighters S. That game in particular would also contain leftover code for Nakoruru from the hack (who has extra roll animations and other changes unique to the hack) that can be re-enabled by hacking the game. That game along with Vast Fame's other fighting games also contain leftover graphics data from The King of Fighters '97, notably the select screen graphics unique to the hack. The persistent use and iteration of the fighting engine from this hack in Vast Fame's fighting games strongly suggests that the hack's development is linked to staff from the company. Whether this means that Vast Fame themselves developed the hack or the hack was developed before Vast Fame was formed by future staff is unclear.
Trivia[]
- Literally every character from both The King of Fighters games are playable by default, including both the playable and boss Chizuru Kagura.
- Another thing carried over from The King of Fighters '95 is the misspelling of Heidern's name to "Jeidern", oddly Benimaru's name is mispelled "Benimary".
- The game has Super Game Boy support, and adds a unique border that appears when the game boots up.
- Every KOF 95 stages uses the Mr.Karate theme.
- Orochi Iori/Leona uses the same mugshot as their normal forms.
- In KOF 97 (original cart), 1 frame of Kyo's idle sprite is replaced by his walking frame. It is fixed in the 98 version.
Gallery[]
The King of Fighters 98[]
-250308-151823.png "King of Fighters 98, The (Unl)-250308-151823.png (24 KB)")