King of Fighters '98, The - Dream Match Never Ends ~ The King of Fighters '98 - The Slugfest (USA)
Neo Geo CD
🇬🇧🇯🇵
Reviewed in 1999
88
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✪ Reviewed on May 23, 2023
78
Masterful dream match gathering a monumental roster with no story constraints. Reworked animations and mythical scenes. The pinnacle of the Neo Geo series.
Your verdict
Category
Fighting2 players12+
Description
The ultimate KOF saga dream match gathers the iconic roster of previous entries with no storyline in this legendary edition. Published by SNK, released in Japan in February 1999. Over 38 characters from throughout the saga, Advanced and Extra modes, finely tuned combat balance, timeless dream match. Japanese edition.
King of Fighters '98, The - Dream Match Never Ends ~ The King of Fighters '98 - The Slugfest review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Hand-drawn high-resolution sprites of exceptional finesse: SNK brings fighting pixel art to a peak of refinement. The silky animation and detailed backgrounds overflow with life and character. This graphic virtuosity, sleek and warm, illustrates the peak of hand-drawn 2D.
A dream match with no plot, the entry is celebrated as much for its plethoric roster as for its anthology soundtrack. Each team regains a sublimated theme, from galvanising rock to the most moving melodies, magnified by the CD audio. This musical richness made it one of the most beloved KOF of all time.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Building a team of three from a sprawling cast and juggling the Advanced and Extra modes makes this entry the saga's peak of balance. The supple combos and the wealth of options reward newcomer and expert alike. With no story to weigh it down, this best-of SNK versus replays endlessly and still sets the standard.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Freed from any story, this Dream Match gathers the series' widest roster in a balance considered the absolute peak of the saga. Every fighter shines, every duel breathes fluidity and depth. Accessible to the curious yet inexhaustible for experts, it offers a 2D versus of dizzying richness, still celebrated and played with fervour today.
Neo Geo CD port of KOF '98 Dream Match Never Ends, regarded as the peak of the classic KOF engine and the roster summit with nearly every historical figure playable, complete with its remastered CD-Audio soundtrack. Released at the very end of the cycle, its Western pressing issued by SNK is among the rarest in the Neo Geo CD KOF catalogue, the format dying out in the West against a far wider Japanese run.
Better with friends
An adored peak of the team fighter, this "dream match" gathers a dream roster for three-on-three clashes of exemplary clarity. The competition is straight and gimmick-free, carried by the joy of watching your favorite fighters go at it. Easy to pick up and deep to master, it remains a staple of versus nights, where everyone seeks their best team and their rematch.
Is King of Fighters '98, The - Dream Match Never Ends ~ The King of Fighters '98 - The Slugfest still worth playing in 2026?
King of Fighters '98 confirms SNK's mastery of its three-on-three engine. A storyless Dream Match, legendary balancing, a massive roster and one of the most respected 2D fighters of all time. On Neo Geo CD, between-match and between-round loading is the classic trade-off, but the CD soundtrack genuinely lifts the atmosphere. For 2D fighter veterans and SNK golden-age fans, the cart still holds defensible weight today, especially in local multiplayer. An essential step in a decade of 2D fighting with no real equivalent.
