<s>
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Slugfest	I-Application
,	O
known	O
in	O
Japan	O
as	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
:	O
Dream	O
Match	O
Never	O
Ends	O
(	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
)	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
fighting	O
game	O
released	O
by	O
SNK	O
for	O
the	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
arcade	I-Application
and	O
home	O
consoles	O
in	O
1998	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
fifth	O
game	O
in	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
advertised	O
by	O
SNK	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
special	O
edition	O
"	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
featured	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
characters	O
who	O
appeared	O
in	O
the	O
previous	O
games	O
(	O
from	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
94	I-Application
to	O
'	B-Application
97	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
was	O
also	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Neo-Geo	B-Device
CD	I-Device
in	O
1998	B-Application
and	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
in	O
Japan	O
in	O
1999	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
version	O
titled	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
:	I-Application
Dream	I-Application
Match	I-Application
1999	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
1999	B-Application
,	O
featuring	O
remade	O
3D	O
backgrounds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
also	O
made	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
as	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
:	O
Ultimate	O
Match	O
(	O
KOF	O
'	O
98UM	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
expands	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
playable	O
characters	O
,	O
further	O
tweaks	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
features	O
a	O
third	O
fighting	O
style	O
option	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
does	O
not	O
differ	O
much	O
from	O
the	O
previous	O
game	O
,	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
97	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
in	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
97	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
has	O
a	O
choice	O
between	O
two	O
playing	O
styles	O
:	O
Advance	O
and	O
Extra	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
few	O
slight	O
modifications	O
to	O
Advanced	O
mode	O
(	O
unlike	O
in	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
97	I-Application
,	O
the	O
character	O
will	O
resume	O
to	O
normal	O
if	O
the	O
player	O
performs	O
a	O
Super	O
Special	O
Move	O
in	O
MAX	O
state	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
the	O
regular	O
characters	O
from	O
the	O
previous	O
game	O
return	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
several	O
characters	O
from	O
preceding	O
installments	O
such	O
as	O
Vice	O
and	O
Mature	O
(	O
Iori	O
's	O
teammates	O
from	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
96	I-Application
)	O
,	O
the	O
American	O
Sports	O
Team	O
(	O
Heavy	O
D	O
!,	O
Lucky	O
Glauber	O
,	O
and	O
Brian	O
Battler	O
)	O
from	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
94	I-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
Old	O
Men	O
Team	O
(	O
or	O
Veteran	O
Fighters	O
Team	O
)	O
composed	O
of	O
Heidern	O
,	O
Takuma	O
Sakazaki	O
,	O
and	O
Saisyu	O
Kusanagi	O
,	O
all	O
characters	O
whose	O
last	O
appearances	O
were	O
in	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
95	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rugal	O
Bernstein	O
from	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
94	I-Application
also	O
returns	O
as	O
a	O
Team	O
Edit	O
character	O
,	O
with	O
his	O
alter-ego	O
Omega	O
Rugal	O
(	O
the	O
cyborg	O
version	O
of	O
Rugal	O
from	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
95	I-Application
)	O
serving	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
final	O
boss	O
in	O
the	O
Single	O
Player	O
Mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shingo	O
Yabuki	O
(	O
who	O
originally	O
appeared	O
in	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
97	I-Application
)	O
continues	O
as	O
a	O
Team	O
Edit	O
character	O
,	O
but	O
also	O
appears	O
as	O
a	O
mid-boss	O
character	O
during	O
the	O
Arcade	O
Mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additionally	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
includes	O
EX	O
versions	O
of	O
certain	O
characters	O
,	O
i.e.	O
,	O
alternate	O
versions	O
of	O
characters	O
who	O
use	O
movesets	O
from	O
previous	O
games	O
:	O
Joe	O
Higashi	O
,	O
Ryo	O
Sakazaki	O
,	O
Yuri	O
Sakazaki	O
and	O
Robert	O
Garcia	O
are	O
based	O
on	O
their	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
94	I-Application
movesets	O
,	O
whereas	O
Kyo	O
Kusanagi	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
his	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
95	I-Application
moveset	O
and	O
Terry	O
Bogard	O
,	O
Andy	O
Bogard	O
,	O
Mai	O
Shiranui	O
and	O
Billy	O
Kane	O
are	O
based	O
on	O
their	O
Real	B-Application
Bout	I-Application
Fatal	I-Application
Fury	I-Application
2	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Newcomers	I-Application
movesets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
96	I-Application
,	O
several	O
moves	O
from	O
Kyo	O
Kusanagi	O
were	O
changed	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
adapt	O
him	O
to	O
the	O
new	O
game	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
original	O
moveset	O
was	O
still	O
popular	O
among	O
gamers	O
and	O
as	O
such	O
,	O
an	O
alternative	O
version	O
of	O
Kyo	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
97	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
introduction	O
of	O
this	O
version	O
was	O
noted	O
to	O
be	O
"	O
a	O
hit	O
"	O
within	O
gamers	O
,	O
the	O
staff	O
kept	O
adding	O
new	O
alternative	O
versions	O
of	O
other	O
characters	O
in	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
was	O
originally	O
released	O
for	O
arcades	O
on	O
July	O
23	O
,	O
1998	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
AES	I-Application
on	O
September	O
23	O
,	O
1998	B-Application
,	O
the	O
Neo-Geo	B-Device
CD	I-Device
on	O
December	O
23	O
,	O
1998	B-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
on	O
March	O
25	O
,	O
1999	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
was	O
published	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
by	O
Agetec	O
,	O
becoming	O
the	O
first	O
PlayStation	B-Device
installment	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
outside	O
Japan	O
since	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
95	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
game	O
is	O
also	O
included	O
in	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
Collection	O
:	O
Orochi	O
Saga	O
compilation	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
the	O
PAL	O
region	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
and	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
(	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
not	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
Japanese	O
Orochi	O
Hen	O
compilation	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
later	O
re-released	O
for	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Android	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
24	O
,	O
1999	B-Application
,	O
under	O
the	O
title	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
:	I-Application
Dream	I-Application
Match	I-Application
1999	I-Application
,	O
reflecting	O
the	O
year	O
the	O
version	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
came	O
out	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
September	O
30	O
,	O
1999	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
was	O
updated	O
under	O
a	O
standalone	O
title	O
of	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
:	O
Ultimate	O
Match	O
(	O
KOF	O
'	O
98UM	O
)	O
released	O
in	O
2008	B-Application
,	O
ten	O
years	O
after	O
the	O
original	O
games	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
as	O
an	O
arcade	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
Taito	B-Application
Type	I-Application
X	I-Application
hardware	O
in	O
March	O
2008	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
26	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
also	O
published	O
on	O
the	O
NeoGeo	B-Application
Online	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
The	O
Best	O
on	O
June	O
18	O
,	O
2008	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
version	O
for	O
the	O
IGS	O
PolyGame	B-Application
Master	I-Application
2	I-Application
arcade	O
hardware	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
in	O
2009	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
called	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
:	O
Ultimate	O
Match	O
Hero	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultimate	O
Match	O
includes	O
additional	O
characters	O
not	O
featured	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Eiji	O
Kisaragi	O
from	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
95	I-Application
,	O
along	O
with	O
Kasumi	O
Todoh	O
and	O
the	O
Boss	O
Team	O
(	O
composed	O
of	O
Geese	O
Howard	O
,	O
Wolfgang	O
Krauser	O
,	O
and	O
Mr.	O
Big	O
)	O
from	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
96	I-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
final	O
boss	O
characters	O
Goenitz	O
and	O
Orochi	O
,	O
essentially	O
including	O
all	O
the	O
characters	O
featured	O
in	O
the	O
KOF	O
series	O
prior	O
to	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
New	O
moves	O
were	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
USA	O
Sports	O
Team	O
to	O
improve	O
their	O
playability	O
,	O
and	O
EX	O
versions	O
of	O
certain	O
characters	O
not	O
featured	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
version	O
were	O
added	O
,	O
namely	O
King	O
with	O
her	O
Art	O
of	O
Fighting	O
2	O
moveset	O
,	O
and	O
Ryuji	O
Yamazaki	O
,	O
Blue	O
Mary	O
and	O
Geese	O
Howard	O
with	O
their	O
Real	B-Application
Bout	I-Application
Fatal	I-Application
Fury	I-Application
2	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Newcomers	I-Application
movesets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
New	O
stages	O
were	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
such	O
as	O
China	O
and	O
Hong	O
Kong	O
to	O
show	O
appreciation	O
for	O
KOF'''s	O
high	O
popularity	O
in	O
such	O
regions	O
;	O
it	O
is	O
also	O
the	O
only	O
fighting	O
game	O
to	O
feature	O
an	O
accurate	O
representation	O
of	O
Saudi	O
Arabia	O
in	O
one	O
stage	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
country	O
was	O
a	O
major	O
market	O
for	O
the	O
NEO	B-Application
GEO	I-Application
line	O
in	O
the	O
early	O
1990s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
includes	O
a	O
'	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
 '	O
mode	O
,	O
directly	O
ported	O
from	O
the	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
mobile	B-Application
game	I-Application
based	O
on	O
Ultimate	O
Match	O
,	O
called	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	O
98UM	O
OL	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
by	O
Chinese	O
company	O
Ourpalm	O
for	O
the	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Android	B-Application
platforms	I-Application
on	O
July	O
9	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
updated	O
version	O
titled	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
:	O
Ultimate	O
Match	O
Final	O
Edition	O
,	O
featuring	O
balance	O
changes	O
for	O
most	O
characters	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
on	O
Steam	B-Application
on	O
December	O
16	O
,	O
2014	O
,	O
and	O
on	O
GOG.com	O
on	O
June	O
1	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
version	O
came	O
to	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
on	O
June	O
21	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
Game	O
Machine	O
listed	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
on	O
their	O
September	O
1	O
,	O
1998	B-Application
issue	O
as	O
being	O
the	O
most-successful	O
arcade	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
its	O
release	O
week	O
,	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
sold	O
58,354	O
copies	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Famitsu	O
magazine	O
scored	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
a	O
30	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
,	O
ドリームキャスト	B-Operating_System
–	O
ザ・キング・オブ・ファイターズ	O
DREAM	O
MATCH	O
1999	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Various	O
reviewers	O
from	O
video	O
game	O
publications	O
have	O
commented	O
on	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
reviewing	O
the	O
compilation	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Orochi	O
Saga	O
,	O
Matt	O
Edwards	O
from	O
Eurogamer	O
noted	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
to	O
be	O
the	O
most	O
enjoyable	O
game	O
from	O
the	O
collection	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
most	O
famous	O
game	O
from	O
the	O
series	O
"	O
that	O
really	O
made	O
people	O
stand	O
up	O
and	O
take	O
an	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
We	O
'd	O
disagree	O
in	O
favor	O
of	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
later	O
games	O
,	O
but	O
for	O
its	O
time	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
was	O
reasonably	O
well	O
balanced	O
for	O
a	O
2D	O
fighter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jeremy	O
Dunham	O
from	O
IGN	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
an	O
8.4	O
,	O
praising	O
,	O
apart	O
from	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
characters	O
,	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
the	O
music	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
background	O
designs	O
added	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Andy	O
Chien	O
from	O
Gaming	O
Age	O
found	O
that	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
port	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
well	O
done	O
since	O
it	O
does	O
not	O
have	O
the	O
disadvantages	O
that	O
it	O
had	O
in	O
other	O
consoles	O
,	O
he	O
noted	O
it	O
"	O
could	O
have	O
been	O
a	O
lot	O
better.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Tom	O
Russo	O
reviewed	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
Next	O
Generation	O
,	O
rating	O
it	O
two	O
stars	O
out	O
of	O
five	O
,	O
and	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
Not	O
bad	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
so	O
many	O
other	O
high-quality	O
fighters	O
available	O
,	O
this	O
one	O
only	O
makes	O
sense	O
for	O
players	O
nostalgic	O
for	O
old	O
NeoGeo	O
fighting	O
games.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GameRankings	O
gave	O
Ultimate	O
Match	O
a	O
77%	O
based	O
on	O
14	O
reviews	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
and	O
74%	O
based	O
on	O
5	O
reviews	O
for	O
the	O
Xbox	O
360	O
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metacritic	O
gave	O
it	O
a	O
73	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
for	O
both	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	O
360	O
versions	O
based	O
on	O
11	O
reviews	O
and	O
4	O
reviews	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Various	O
publications	O
for	O
video	O
games	O
and	O
other	O
media	O
have	O
commented	O
on	O
Ultimate	O
Match	O
with	O
IGN	O
writer	O
Ryan	O
Clements	O
giving	O
it	O
a	O
7.8	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
probably	O
this	O
game	O
should	O
only	O
be	O
recommended	O
to	O
fans	O
of	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
due	O
to	O
how	O
old	O
its	O
graphics	O
are	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
little	O
balance	O
it	O
has	O
with	O
60	O
characters	O
being	O
playable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
James	O
Mielke	O
from	O
1UP.com	O
complained	O
on	O
how	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
very	O
similar	O
to	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
,	O
but	O
found	O
the	O
controls	O
to	O
be	O
comfortable	O
and	O
intuitive	O
for	O
any	O
fans	O
of	O
2D	O
fighting	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Heath	O
Hooker	O
from	O
GameZone	O
found	O
that	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
sound	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
make	O
up	O
for	O
the	O
graphics	O
even	O
though	O
there	O
is	O
not	O
much	O
difference	O
between	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
and	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
:	O
Ultimate	O
Match	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2013	O
,	O
KOF	B-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
Ultimate	O
Match	O
was	O
ranked	O
as	O
the	O
15th	O
best	O
arcade	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
1990s	O
by	O
Complex	O
,	O
who	O
also	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
possibly	O
the	O
greatest	O
SNK	O
fighting	O
game	O
of	O
them	O
all	O
,	O
"	O
Rich	O
Knight	O
,	O
Hanuman	O
Welch	O
,	O
The	O
30	O
Best	O
Arcade	O
Video	O
Games	O
of	O
the	O
1990s	O
,	O
Complex.com,	O
August	O
28	O
,	O
2013	O
.	O
and	O
included	O
it	O
on	O
their	O
list	O
of	O
25	O
best	O
2D	O
fighting	O
games	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
in	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2017	O
,	O
the	O
Chinese	O
mobile	B-Application
game	I-Application
King	O
of	O
Fighters	O
'	O
98UM	O
OL''	O
grossed	O
(	O
)	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
