King Of Fighters general

So a lot of plot points aren't there in the actual game?

Quite often, they're kept in Character Bios that are removed from the international versions, or in the physical booklet.

So to get the entire story, I have to get the Japanese version of the AES cart or Neo CD release and translate the manuals...?

Or look it up here!

Seriously, SNK's previously nonexistent translation budget sometimes makes me a sad panda.

Rugal: "Even with my new power I lost. What? My body.....????? NO! To meet such a fate! But I'll be back... YOU JERKS!"

In other news, does anybody else think that Rugal isn't really dead?

Nah, he's gone. Why would Adel fight almost exactly like him, otherwise?

'Sides, we can always get a new one big bad, but Rugal will live forever in the Dream Match titles.

Eh... TV Tropes own information resources are too... jumbled and rambling to be of much use for me (not to mention, full of subjective observances). I tend to prefer to folow plots as they develop. Like learn all I can about KOF '94, then add what I learn from '95 on top of that, and so on and so forth...

Well, I could help a little there, if you'd like.

Help how? Please do.

Synopsis-ing, of course. I'm not the world's greatest storyteller, but I think I'm competent enough to give the play-by-play here.

Well, Rugal does show up in the Sky Noah stage from XIII, so... Idunno.

Synopsis away! Start at '94, even though I've beaten that with every team now, it just helps keep things cohesive and comprehensive.

If Rugal is dead in the canon storyline I ain't too bothered by it. I know he will just come back in a dream match game anyhow.

edited 29th Jun '12 4:42:41 PM by HellmanSabian

'94, right! This begins the intial storyline, and the most important- The Rugal/Orochi Saga.

In '94, a sadistic German arms dealer named Rugal Bernstein re-ignites the King of Fighters tournment, started and later discontinued by Geese Howard do to his death his injuries from getting blown out of the top floor of his corporate headquarters. Several nations make contracts with various teams of three fighters each, who then square off against each other in hopes of obtaining a prize aboard Rugal's massive airship, the BlackNoah. These teams consisted of

• Japan Team: Kyo Kusangi, Benimaru Nadeshiko, Goro Daimon

• Italy Team: Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, Joe Higashi

• China Team: Athena Asamiya, Sie Kensou, Chin Gentsai

• Brazil Team: Heidern, Ralf Jones, Clark Still

• Mexico Team: Ryo Sakazaki, Robert Garcia, Takuma Sakazaki

• England Team: King, Mai Shiranui, Yuri Sakazaki

• And America Team: Heavy D!, Lucky Glauber, Brian Battler

Japan Team canonically won the tournament, and thus boarded the BlackNoah. There, they were treated to their prize- A fight with Rugal himself. If they lost, he'd bath them in liquid metal and add them to his collection of trophies of the greatest fighters in the world. The soundly smacked him down with the aid of several continues.

Thus, Rugal Bernstein's first tournament ended.

edited 29th Jun '12 4:48:11 PM by Pulse

Don't forget that Rugal tries to blow up everybody on the ship after his defeat.

Sore Loser to the max.

And he does it again almost every other time he shows up in the Black Noah. What An Idiot.

"YOU JERKS!"

Anyway, Pulse, would you mind if I summarized '95?

@ Dragon: Well, it's really only three if you're going by all appearances (canon or not).

'94: Blows up the BlackNoah.
'95: Consumed by Orochi power.
'98 (UM): Blows up the BlackNoah (IIRC).
2002: Consumed by Orochi power.
2002 UM: Blows up the BlackNoah.

Oh, and I guess I have dibs on '96, then?

edited 29th Jun '12 6:25:13 PM by X2X

Hey, go on ahead. The real meat of the story doesn't start cropping up until '96 or so, though.

OK, then. And X2X, Rugal does indeed blow up the Black Noah in '98. The scene doesn't appear in '98 UM, though.

'95 begins similarly to '94, except the organizer is unknown (thanks to Rugal blowing himself up last year) and there are no countries affiliated with teams, other than the American Sports Team, who get invites to this year's tournament, but get the crap beaten out of them by the new Rival Team, which consists of a debuting Iori Yagami, Billy Kane, and Eiji Kisaragi. Billy in particular is on the team because Geese Howard asked him to keep tabs on the Orochi-tainted power Iori possesses. However, the Rival Team fails to beat the Japan Team, and Iori later beats the crap out of his teammates for their failure.

The Japan Team wins again, and they are taken to a rebuilt Black Noah, where they encounter Saisyu Kusanagi (Kyo's father) and a Not Quite Dead Rugal. Saisyu's been brainwashed by one of Rugal's secretaries, and is sicced on the Japan Team. When he's beaten, Rugal decides to use his own Orochi power, becoming Omega Rugal for the only time in the KOF storyline. He is also defeated, but he doesn't go down without a fight. After his defeat, he tries to access more Orochi power, but it's too much for him to handle and his body disintegrates. Everybody then books it out of the Black Noah, including Rugal's secretaries.

Thus ends the life of Rugal. As far as we know.

Also, Iori beating the crap outta Billy and Eiji, and their mutual desire for vengeance, will become a Running Gag of the series.

edited 29th Jun '12 6:56:55 PM by Pulse

Uh, the running gag that started in this one is the American Sports Team getting the crap beaten out of them and their invites stolen.

That, too. But seriously, boot up any game to have Billy or Eiji after '95 and have them fight Iori. The original '98 version is particularly awesome.