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The eleventh installment in SNK Playmore's long-running King of Fighters series and the ninth event in the official storyline, The King of Fighters XI is the first game in the series to forego the traditional numbering convention used by the series, and the first game in the series to move beyond the hardware capabilities of the Neo-Geo system. After the controversial resurgence of the Orochi power in the 2003 King of Fighters tournament, the tournament and the fighters return after a two year break in the action. Some are motivated to investigate the new Orochi situation and the antagonistic fighter Ash Crimson, while others enter the tourney to settle old scores...

The King of Fighters XI features a roster of 33 "team" characters, 7 PS2 exclusive characters, 5 mid-boss characters and 2 boss characters. In total, this allows a player to choose between +40 characters. Many of the characters are returning fighters from the other games in the KOF series, though notable new faces exist in the effective forms of Oswald, Duck King, Bonne Jenet, Elisabeth Blanctorche and Gai Tendo.

The "tag system" used in The King of Fighters 2003 is still employed in KOF XI. However, the change in the arcade hardware has brought about many gameplay changes since the 2003 release. A new power stock system - specifically called "Skill Stocks" - has been added for use with a few extra special maneuvers called "Shifts". A character can use a "Quick Shift" to tag in another fighter while in the middle of a combo, while that character may also use a "Saving Shift" to tag out if they are on the verge of defeat. Another maneuver, called the "Dream Cancel", has also been added to the system. Dream Cancels can be used to interrupt a special move with another one, even allowing a fighter to interrupt a Desperation Move to initiate a Leader Desperation Move. The "Time Out" system has be revamped as well - the system now takes into account the number of fighters defeated on a team and the number and power of attacks made by a team to reach its verdict.