History VideoGame / TheKingOfFightersXI

The game would eventually be released for UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 on June 22, 2006.

** ''KOF XI'' brings back the Blow Back attack, and Blow Back Guard Cancel does minimal damage like ''2002'', instead of not doing any damage in the other NESTS Chronicles games.

** Blow Back Guard Cancel is back, but it's nerfed from ''2002''. Its damage does not scale up when it connects as a counter, and you can't KO an opponent with the Guard Cancel version.

* '''Team ''[[VideoGame/IkariWarriors Ikari]]'':''' With [[ReiAyanamiExpy Leona Heidern]] out of action following an Orochi flare-up, [[BashBrothers Ralf Jones and Clark Still]] call on [[WhipItGood Whip]] to help them continue their mission in her stead.

* '''Bonus characters:''' [[MsFanservice Mai Shiranui]], [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob Robert Garcia]], [[MartialPacifist Hotaru Futaba]], [[OldMaster Tung Fu Rue]], [[TheDon Mr. Big]], [[BreakoutVillain Geese Howard]], NESTS-style Kyo

* '''Team ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'':''' Siblings [[{{Shotoclone}} Ryo]] and [[GenkiGirl Yuri Sakazaki]] return, this time joined by the bouncer [[{{Bifauxnen}} King]] rather than [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob Robert Garcia]].

* ThreeStatSystem: ''KOF XI'' implements comprehensive and complicated stat modifiers to player characters (which has done before in the series in part of damage scaling but never to ''XI''[='s=] degree). There're three of them in total: Damage Modifier (in relation to how much damage you receive), Guard Point Modifier (how much your Guard Point decreases from attacks before Guard Crush happens), and Stun Modifier (how much your Stun meter depletes from the opponent's attack). These modifiers multiply directly to whatever damage/attack point your character receive, which mean the lower the modifiers are, the better your character is at soaking them up.

* PromotedToPlayable: This game promotes Adelheid, a mid-boss in ''2003'', to a regular playable character should you meet specific conditions.

* SequelNumberSnarl: ''KOF XI'' is the first game to swerve NPlusOneSequelTitle that denoted each installment's release year, shifting to traditional NumberedSequels. This is because, after ''KOF 2003'', the main series skipped 2004 and ''XI'' was released in 2005.

* SuperSpecialMove: In ''KOF XI'', Leader Desperation Move can be upgraded into the Dream Cancel version, which can be easily chained into a combo (at the cost of often significantly reduced damage, however). Some [=LDMs=] also have different characteristics in their Dream Cancel version; Ralf's Galactica Phantom becomes blockable unlike its normal version, Kasumi's Shingan Kazura Otoshi tranforms from a counter move into a standard command grab, and so on.

!!This work shows examples of:

* SuperSpecialMove: In ''KOF XI'', Leader Desperation Move can be upgraded into the Dream Cancel version, which can be easily chained into a combo (at the cost of often significantly reduced damage, however). Some [=LDMs=] also have different characteristics in their Dream Cancel version; Ralf's Galactica Phantom becomes blockable unlike its normal version, Kasumi's Shingan Kazura Otoshi tranforms from a counter move into a standard command grab, and so on.

''KOF XI'' takes [[TagTeam the tag battle mechanics]] from ''2003'' and cranks up their intensity. The Tag move is now separate from the Power Gauge and depletes its own resources, Skill Gauge, which can be charged two stocks at maximum and fills up gradually during a match. The Shift Attack is replaced by Quick Shift, which is much more lenient about creating a combo. Shifting while performing an attack will perform a [[LagCancel Quick Shift]], allowing you to continue your combo with a different character. Meanwhile, the defense can spend two Skill Stocks and perform a [[ComboBreaker Saving Shift]] when they're on the receiving end of a combo, allowing you to escape deadly combos. ''KOF XI'' also expands on Super Cancel system of ''2002'' by introducing Dream Cancel, which lets you chain a Super Move into Leader Desperation Move instantly.

* ArcadePerfectPort: The [=PlayStation=] 2 version accomplishes this by offering an option to turn off the Arrange Mode, which balances the characters in this port, and play the game exactly as it was in the arcade version.

* SequelNumberSnarl: ''KOF XI'' is the first game to swerve NPlusOneSequelTitle that denoted each installment's release year, shifting to traditional NumberedSequels. This is because, after ''KOF 2003'', the main series skipped 2004 and ''XI'' was released in 2005.

''KOF XI'' takes [[TagTeam the tag battle mechanics]] from ''2003'' and crank up their intensity. The Tag move is now separate from the Power Gauge and depletes its own resources, Skill Gauge, which can be charged two stocks at maximum and fills up gradually during a match. The Shift Attack is replaced by Quick Shift, which is much more lenient about creating a combo. Shifting while performing an attack will perform a [[LagCancel Quick Shift]], allowing you to continue your combo with a different character. Meanwhile, the defense can spend two Skill Stocks and perform a [[ComboBreaker Saving Shift]] when they're on the receiving end of a combo, allowing you to escape deadly combos. ''KOF XI'' also expands on Super Cancel system of ''2002'' by introducing Dream Cancel, which lets you chain a Super Move into Leader Desperation Move instantly.

* OffstageVillainy: Ash stealing the Yasakani no Magatama isn't shown onscreen. In the Kyo & Iori Team's ending, he's shown walking towards a Riot of the Blood-crazed Iori, then it cuts to a shot of the sky, then he walks away with no indication that anything happened. Then, in the Rival Team's ending, he shows off his new, violet flames before teleporting away.

** In ''KOF 2003'', the Power Gauge was filled with three stocks in the beginning of a match, to encourage using the Shift system. Because the Shift now uses its own Skill Gauge in ''XI'', the Power Gauge starts from zero like before and you have to fill it up by connecting your moves on your opponent.

* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome / OffstageVillainy: Ash stealing the Yasakani no Magatama isn't shown onscreen. In the Kyo & Iori Team's ending, he's shown walking towards a Riot of the Blood-crazed Iori, then it cuts to a shot of the sky, then he walks away with no indication that anything happened. Then, in the Rival Team's ending, he shows off his new, violet flames before teleporting away.
* OddballInTheSeries: A minor one regarding the control -- Blow Back attack is mapped to its own fifth button (the Atomiswave board supports six buttons), instead of pressing Heavy Punch and Heavy Kick together like the other games.

* '''Team K':''' [[NinetiesAntiHero K']] and [[{{Cyborg}} Maxima]] recruit the young [[AnIcePerson Kula Diamond]] into their team, as they investigate Those from the Past at the request of [[ColonelBadass Heidern]].

* '''Team K':''' [[NinetiesAntiHero K']] and [[{{Cyborg}} Maxima]] recruit the young [[AnIcePerson Kula Diamond]] into their team, as they investigate Those from the Past.