Quick question ... I'm not familiar with this fighting series, so I'm hoping someone could fill me in on some of the details - are they two separate brands, or extensions of the same "storyline"? Which characters originated with which series; is it a crossover (like Marvel vs. Capcom)?
King of Fighters and Fatal Fury are two separate series, yes. KoF is set up as a tournament thing with characters from SNK's other fighting games (Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, etcetera) as well as some of other non-fighters like Ikari Warriors.
Fatal Fury brought in Terry and Andy Bogard, Joe Higashi, Geese Howard, Mai Shiranui, Blue Mary, Billy Kane, and a few others whose names escape me.
The others... well, there've been so freakin' many characters in the KoF series over the years, I can't keep track of which ones are originals and which are from other series. I'd check out gamefaqs, a decent character faq should tell where each guy originated.
Kansas-born and deeply ashamed The last living La Parka Marka
"They that can give up essential liberty to gain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
To be extremely pedantic, the first Fatal Fury game _was_ a "King of Fighters" tournament, but a one-on-one tournament. I don't recall Fatal Fury 2 or subsequent FF games mentioning KOF by name.
KOF '94 was the first game to mention King of Fighters on the title screen, so to speak, and it introduced the team battle concept (three on three). In the original Fatal Fury, you could play 1P + 2P vs. the CPU co-op for one fight, but then you'd fight each other.
KOF drew characters from all sorts of SNK titles, but it also introduced its share of new creations.
"As far as my lack of professional courtesy and my obvious immature humor in referring to using your head as a pickle jar, well, I reserve my courtesy for those whom I respect. Your lack of personal integrity has given me much grief, and I find that thinking of your hollowed-out head sitting on top of my fridge and providing a safe haven for pickles is a comforting thought." -- the immortal Bill Mattocks
It's the same tournament as in Fatal Fury, but the KOF series went in a new direction from its start. The KOF plots (2003 starts the third storyline for the series) haven't really mentioned KOF is an official tournament since 97.
Gradually, Fatal Fury ignored the King of Fighters tournament and settled on the Terry/Geese vendetta.
(edited by Enojado Viento on 10.1.04 1222)
-LS "ahhh...vague, mandatory knee-jerk cynicism. God Bless Internet Forums.."
I always thought the first Fatal Fury game was Andy, Joe and Terry vs. Geese Howard and his thugs, though.
I still remember how easy Geese was to beat in that game, though. You'd dash forward to reach him, throw him, then dash toward him again and throw him when he got up. He'd them "commit suicide" after being defeated...only to show up miraculously the next game.
Lordy lordy...what have I done? Engagement? The horror!