There was a lot of anticipation and build up for the first official next-gen, HD release of SNK’s venerable team fighting game, the King of Fighters. The King of Fighters XII is finally upon us, but the results aren’t quite what all the hype built up to in the past year. With so many other recent choices in the 2D fighting genre, KoFXII has some stiff competition that it simply can’t match up to–especially as a full-priced release.

SNK, and especially their Neo Geo console system’s fighters, have always had a special place in the hearts of fighting games fans. Since the early 90′s, SNK’s fighters for their super-priced super system were the main competition to Capcom’s Street Fighter II reign as coin-op and home fighting champ. When SNK decided to create a game that combined a huge portion of their roster (and throw in new characters as well), the King of Fighters was born. It was and remains a team-based combat game, with three fighters on each side.

That legacy continues in KoFXII, but the game has finally made the jump to next gen, HD glory. This was no easy task for the developers, as it meant carefully re-drawing every single character and frame of animation to compensate for the new, much higher resolution. The results are, overall, good, but certainly not as exceptional as fans might have hoped. In direct comparison to BlazBlue and Super Street Fighter II HD Remix, the graphics are noticeably more jagged and less detailed. The animation is excellent though–better than the SF2 Remix–and the action itself is amazingly smooth.

The action is also incredibly retro. If you’ve played a 2D fighter in the last 15 years, you know how to play KoFXII. It’s the same half- and quarter circles, and a few other familiar motions, that have been making rounds in every fighter since the original Street Fighter 2. While most of the Grade-A competition have found ways to evolve, there’s very little here that feels at all different than any other KoF.

Indeed, there’s actually a lot less here than in past KoF games. Though previous iterations often had over 30 combatants, KoFXII offers a paltry 22, and several key favorites are completely absent (notably Fatal Fury 2 hottie ninja, Mai Shiranui), and the two new characters–two female brawlers named Mature and Elizabeth–just aren’t that interesting. It doesn’t help that there’s no story mode whatsoever to help flesh out who these characters are.

In fact, there’s really only one main single player mode–the arcade mode, which is simply a series of five timed bouts and no boss characters. Other than that, you have a training mode and on- and offline versus modes, which makes the game an incredibly hard sell for people who enjoy fighters alone. Online gameplay has its share of issues as well. Though Ignition and SNK have released a patch to smooth out the online play, it’s still not as smooth as other fighters, which is a serious problem for a game where timing and precision are important.

It’s true that KoFXII adds a few new wrinkles to its combat system. There’s a stronger focus on juggling your opponent in the air by stringing combos together. There’s also the new critical counter system that lets you stun an opponent with a perfectly-timed counterattack. A lot of the characters have been retooled for the game as well, and diehard fans might not like the results since some old favorites have actually been toned down.

Blast Factor: The biggest problem with the King of Fighters XII is that there simply isn’t enough of it. There’s a pitiful lack of meaty game modes, the arcade mode is poorly done, the character roster is light for this series, and the presentation isn’t great. For the price, it’s impossible to recommend a game that should and could have just as easily been a $15 download. KoFXII essentially feels like a half-done fighter, where the developers focused purely on the HD graphics and decided to leave the rest of the work for the inevitable sequel.

King of Fighters XII is available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, and retails for $59.99

Do you have what it takes to be the king of Fighters? Find out today, as the long, long, long awaited game is now on shelves everywhere.

And what would a highly anticipated release be without one final launch trailer? One last time bask in the sights and sounds of SNK Playmore’s fighter as you watch the trailer below, and if you’re experiencing some suck in the game’s online multiplayer mode, fear not for a patch is inbound promising to end any issues you may be currently experiencing.

We’ve been exhaustively covering all things King of Fighters XII for some time now, and what we’ve got today gives you an inside look at the SNK studios, by way of an interesting video delving into many questions concerning the game and its unique presentation style.

It’s a great way to spend a lazy afternoon if I do say so myself, and if you’ve picked up the game and are angered at a somewhat broken online system, according to the game’s official Twiiter page, an update is headed your way!

We have seen much of King of Fighters XII in action, and it isn’t even out yet. Ever wonder why the game looks and plays the way it does, though? If you’re into behind-the-scenes information on games and franchises you dig, then this video is for you. Shane Bettenhausen of Ignition and Masaaki Kukino, the producer of King of Fighters XII, discuss the franchise and game design decisions along with plenty of others KoF related things in this detailed video. Be sure to check it out, as you prepare for King of Fighters July 28 release date in North America.

Ignition has sent over yet another trailer for King of Fighters XII, this one a montage of fighting just like the last. We’re tired of the taunting, Ignition! We just want to fight people in awesome ways, like the people in the trailer!

Excuse me while I get distracted looking through the plethora of King of Fighters assets we’ve posted the past few months. I say I’m tired, but it’s the only substitute we have for the real, potentially awesome thing at present.

It’s a pretty good month for fighters, so Ignition is hard at work trying to get you to notice King of Fighters XII and it’s late July release. We’ve shown you lots of character trailers over the past few months, but today we have a fight montage for you that shows off a lot of the types of moves and abilities that make King of Fighters unique, like the various counter and guard attacks. Everyone knows that everything is better when it is in montage form, so prepare to be blown away. By a montage.

The King of Fighters XII, when it launches next month for Xbox 360 and PS3, will likely be the game to get if you’re into the fighting genre, and especially if you’re a fan of the storied franchise.

SNK Playmore really looks to have spent a great deal of time and effort not only in the construction of the whirlwind of a title, with 20 new and 100% hand drawn characters, new combat elements, and a robust online mode, but also in listening to fan-feedback as the developer is letting you decide the cover-art for both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the title.

However, what’s on tap today in KOF12 news, are four new and glorious videos depicting characters Athena, Kensou, Chin, and Mature, all doing what they do best: knocking each other around in the digital fighting space. So kick back, turn up your volume, enjoy these frantic fighting videos and be glad you’re playing and not actually fighting.

The King of Fighters XII is on Facebook, but they aren’t creeping around looking at your pictures and writing on your wall, just promoting what looks to be a stellar iteration in the storied fighting franchise.

The page currently has 571 members and refreshes continually with updates including exclusive images, videos, and of course, hot discussion among its members.

However, if you’re not into “the ‘book,” and instead favor a lighter micro-blog type service you’re probably well aware of the currently ad-free and rapidly growing Twitter social networking site.

And what do you know? The King of Fighters XII is on there too. So if you thirst for continuous updates from your favorite celebrities, companies, and now even even video games, start following KOF12 where you’ll receive updates in real-time and on-the-go.

KOF XII Facebook

KOF XII Twitter

If you’ve been paying attention to the total wash of King of Fighters XII coverage we’ve been throwing your way recently, you’re already well aware of what the revision will bring to the table when it launches next month on PS3 and Xbox 360.

We’ve already seen a fan-voted boxart competition and some exclusive character videos, but what we’ve got today is arguably the most exciting yet.

Representing a first of its kind (if you can think of another, let us know); Ignition launched a KOF XII widget today that offers more than it may seem at first glance.

The widget basically acts as an internet roaming advertisement for KOF XII jam packed with news, videos, screens, and tons more concerning the fighting game, but also allows for site to site competition to see who can slap the widget on the most locations around the interweb.‚  Head on over to the KOF XII widget page to begin your journey of sorts.

Best of all, we’ve got a brand new trailer for the title for your viewing pleasure.

The only thing better than four King of Fighters XII videos is four more King of Fighters XII videos. Luckily for you, that’s just what we have for you here today. If you missed the original set of four, released to us early by Ignition, then you can catch them here.

These are trailers for different characters that are appearing in King of Fighters XII, and this time around we have Raiden, Robert, Ryo, Kim, and then another with Joe and Elizabeth fighting each other.

In addition, we wanted to remind you that the tournament-sponsored by EVO and Sony Computer Entertainment America–for King of Fighters XII is being hosted in Los Angeles on May 30. The 128 contestants will battle in single-elimination for five rounds, and the winner gets to take home a sweet, sweet prize: a King of Fighters XII arcade cabinet, imported from Japan. I’m having flashbacks to playing SNK games in laundromats in my hometown just thinking about it.

If you’re in the Los Angeles area-or can be-the tournament starts at noon and runs until 7 p.m., at the Element in Hollywood, California (official website here).

In a series 12 titles deep and spanning 15 long years, The King of Fighters XII, the latest in arguably one of the most iconic 3 v 3 arcade fighters, finally receives a total graphical overhaul and arrives on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this July.

However, in a last minute effort developer SNK Playmore thirsts for YOUR opinion regarding box art design for each system.

The poll is taking place over at the King of Fighters forums and the options have been narrowed down to two choices for each platform and are shown below.

Option 1. PS3

Option 2. PS3

Option 1.‚ Xbox 360

Option 2.‚ Xbox 360

My personal decisions are always flamed, so I’ll keep to myself.‚  But as for YOU, let us know what you think in the comments.

When you’ve formulated a responsible decision head over to the PS3 and Xbox 360 fan forum to cast your vote, although option #2 for PS3 has run away with it, on Xbox 360 however a mere 5 point margin separates the two.