<s>
(	O
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
)	O
is	O
the	O
twelfth	O
installment	O
of	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
series	O
of	O
fighting	O
games	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
SNK	O
Playmore	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Home	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
title	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
and	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
had	O
a	O
worldwide	O
release	O
on	O
July	O
28	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
and	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
2002	I-Application
,	O
this	O
game	O
does	O
not	O
have	O
a	O
storyline	O
;	O
the	O
saga	O
of	O
Ash	O
Crimson	O
that	O
started	O
in	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
2003	I-Application
finishes	O
in	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
XIII	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
XII	I-Application
uses	O
the	O
usual	O
3-on-3	O
team	O
system	O
with	O
each	O
fight	O
consisting	O
of	O
up	O
to	O
five	O
rounds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
Tactical	O
Shift	O
System	O
from	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
2003	I-Application
has	O
been	O
removed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
also	O
introduces	O
the	O
"	O
critical	O
counter	O
"	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
happened	O
with	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
98	I-Application
and	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
2002	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
does	O
not	O
contain	O
a	O
storyline	O
,	O
allowing	O
the	O
return	O
of	O
several	O
characters	O
depending	O
on	O
their	O
status	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
arcade	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
features	O
a	O
roster	O
of	O
20	O
characters	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
half	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
characters	O
featured	O
in	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
XI	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
exception	O
of	O
the	O
Hero	O
Team	O
from	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
2003	I-Application
and	O
the	O
debut	O
of	O
Raiden	O
from	O
Fatal	B-Application
Fury	I-Application
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
the	O
character	O
roster	O
is	O
composed	O
primarily	O
of	O
characters	O
from	O
early	O
KOF	O
games	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
NESTS	O
storyline	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
them	O
reverting	O
to	O
their	O
classic	O
KOF	O
and	O
pre-KOF	O
(	O
Kensou	O
and	O
Athena	O
are	O
wearing	O
the	O
outfits	O
of	O
their	O
Psycho	B-Application
Soldier	I-Application
counterparts	O
)	O
designs	O
and	O
move	O
set	O
as	O
the	O
SNK	O
staff	O
wanted	O
to	O
return	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
concept	O
from	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Raiden	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
was	O
initially	O
meant	O
to	O
appear	O
as	O
his	O
unmasked	O
persona	O
from	O
Fatal	B-Application
Fury	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
"	O
Big	O
Bear	O
"	O
;	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
add	O
more	O
villains	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
SNK	O
staff	O
decided	O
to	O
use	O
his	O
Raiden	O
persona	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
sub-bosses	O
from	O
the	O
first	O
Fatal	B-Application
Fury	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
does	O
not	O
feature	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
pre-defined	O
teams	O
traditionally	O
featured	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
despite	O
presence	O
of	O
members	O
from	O
recurring	O
teams	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
original	O
Japan	O
Team	O
and	O
the	O
Fatal	B-Application
Fury	I-Application
Team	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
home	O
versions	O
feature	O
two	O
additional	O
characters	O
:	O
Mature	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
Iori	O
Yagami	O
's	O
teammates	O
from	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
96	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Elisabeth	O
Blanctorche	O
,	O
who	O
starred	O
in	O
KOF	B-Application
XI	I-Application
as	O
the	O
leader	O
of	O
the	O
Rivals	O
Team	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2009	O
,	O
Ignition	O
Entertainment	O
confirmed	O
they	O
would	O
release	O
the	O
home	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
worldwide	O
for	O
PS3	B-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shane	O
Bettenhausen	O
,	O
Director	O
of	O
Business	O
Development	O
with	O
Ignition	O
,	O
commented	O
that	O
they	O
made	O
the	O
release	O
worldwide	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
commemorate	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
15th	O
anniversary	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
underwent	O
a	O
complete	O
graphical	O
overhaul	O
,	O
confirmed	O
by	O
Nona	O
,	O
artist	O
in	O
charge	O
of	O
the	O
art	O
in	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
XI	I-Application
endings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
later	O
revealed	O
at	O
AOU	O
2008	O
that	O
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
would	O
use	O
newly	O
drawn	O
2D	O
sprites	O
on	O
detailed	O
2D	O
backgrounds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
renewals	O
for	O
the	O
sprites	O
were	O
made	O
due	O
to	O
negative	O
reaction	O
from	O
the	O
remake	O
of	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
94	I-Application
;	O
the	O
staff	O
came	O
to	O
the	O
conclusion	O
that	O
they	O
had	O
to	O
make	O
new	O
sprites	O
instead	O
of	O
basing	O
them	O
on	O
old	O
versions	O
as	O
they	O
used	O
to	O
make	O
in	O
previous	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
they	O
confirmed	O
they	O
would	O
finish	O
Ash	O
Crimson	O
's	O
storyline	O
,	O
which	O
started	O
in	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
2003	I-Application
,	O
in	O
a	O
future	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
comparison	O
to	O
KOF	B-Application
XI	I-Application
,	O
which	O
used	O
different	O
artists	O
for	O
introductions	O
,	O
backgrounds	O
,	O
winning	O
poses	O
,	O
etc.	O
,	O
all	O
of	O
illustrations	O
of	O
this	O
game	O
will	O
be	O
made	O
by	O
Nona	O
since	O
the	O
staff	O
wanted	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
drawings	O
more	O
united	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
both	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
consoles	O
on	O
July	O
28	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
SNK	O
Playmore	O
decided	O
to	O
use	O
the	B-Operating_System
PS3	I-Operating_System
as	O
the	O
PlayStation	O
2	O
would	O
not	O
have	O
been	O
able	O
to	O
handle	O
the	O
new	O
graphics	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
SNK	O
Playmore	O
also	O
released	O
a	O
USB	O
Arcade	O
Stick	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
on	O
July	O
16	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ignition	O
Entertainment	O
announced	O
that	O
there	O
would	O
be	O
differences	O
between	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
versions	O
,	O
with	O
regards	O
to	O
online	O
play	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
version	O
has	O
clan	O
options	O
,	O
while	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
uses	O
TrueSkill	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
decide	O
the	O
cover	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
and	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
ports	O
,	O
Ignition	O
started	O
a	O
survey	O
on	O
May	O
4	O
,	O
2009	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
users	O
from	O
their	O
forum	O
could	O
vote	O
between	O
two	O
covers	O
they	O
wanted	O
to	O
see	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
2009	O
E3	O
,	O
IGN	O
awarded	O
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
as	O
the	O
best	O
fighting	O
game	O
,	O
noting	O
the	O
new	O
graphics	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
other	O
hand	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
Game	O
Critics	O
Awards	O
from	O
the	O
E3	O
2009	O
,	O
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
lost	O
to	O
Tatsunoko	B-Application
vs.	I-Application
Capcom	I-Application
:	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
All-Stars	I-Application
in	O
the	O
same	O
category	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
various	O
video	O
games	O
publications	O
have	O
commented	O
on	O
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
1UP	O
writer	O
Richard	O
Li	O
found	O
the	O
gameplay	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
mix	O
between	O
Garou	B-Application
:	I-Application
Mark	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Wolves	I-Application
,	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
III	I-Application
and	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
'	I-Application
94	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Andrew	O
Park	O
from	O
GameSpot	O
praised	O
the	O
redesign	O
from	O
several	O
characters	O
 '	O
appearances	O
and	O
gameplay	O
,	O
he	O
still	O
noted	O
that	O
there	O
are	O
better	O
2D	O
fighting	O
video	O
games	O
due	O
to	O
how	O
several	O
features	O
added	O
in	O
KOF	B-Application
XI	I-Application
were	O
removed	O
from	O
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
and	O
the	O
poor	O
quality	O
from	O
the	O
online	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
he	O
also	O
added	O
that	O
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
"	O
is	O
a	O
good	O
enough	O
start	O
"	O
,	O
he	O
remarked	O
that	O
other	O
fighting	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
IV	I-Application
or	O
BlazBlue	B-Application
:	I-Application
Calamity	I-Application
Trigger	I-Application
were	O
more	O
entertaining	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
website	O
GameRankings	O
,	O
the	B-Operating_System
PS3	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
received	O
a	O
percent	O
of	O
60.82	O
%	O
based	O
on	O
eleven	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
given	O
a	O
percent	O
of	O
66.13	O
%	O
based	O
on	O
fifteen	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metacritic	O
gave	O
the	B-Operating_System
PS3	I-Operating_System
game	O
an	O
average	O
of	O
58	O
based	O
on	O
ten	O
critics	O
while	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
received	O
an	O
average	O
of	O
63	O
based	O
on	O
seventeen	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
April	O
2009	O
,	O
Lucky	O
Dragon	O
Comics	O
and	O
Animation	O
LTD	O
will	O
publish	O
a	O
new	O
comic	O
series	O
based	O
on	O
KOF	B-Application
XII	I-Application
and	O
KOF	B-Application
2002	I-Application
:	O
Unlimited	O
Match	O
.	O
</s>
