The incredible importance of Neutral and Mobility in The King of Fighters XV 

Your sick combos? Your amazing setups? Throw all of it in the trash, if you don't understand the core concepts of how your movement & how the Neutral works in the King of Fighters XV. This is the most important thing to learn, crazy combos come way later. KoF may share some similarities with other games but its neutral is very much its own with nothing else really like it, even anime fighters are slower paced than KoF when things get heated up. 4 Kinds of jumps, a ton of heights for normals, these are the things you must learn before anything else! If this video helped you out, leave a like, it actually really helps the channel!

As a Soul Calibur player first "here is how neutral works, and a rock-paper-scissors simplification of what tends to beat what" speaks to me on a spiritual level.

I played this game for the first time last night, my first KoF ever. Now, I''ve never been good at fighting games, a casual through and through, but my god I don't think I've ever received such a bad ass beating before! 3 hours of online play and ZERO wins lmao. Definitely going to be taking as many tips from you as possible, thanks for the great vids as always!

If all goes according to plan I will probably have a "10 essential tips" video live for proper launch day thursday. Tomorrow, another general guide to help you understand the concepts of the game, thinking combo structure and combo particulars. Also this thursday is when KoF streams start up on the Rooflemonger channel! Stream should be a regular feature again aiming for tues/thurs/fridays, and playing mostly KoF XV for the foreseeable future.

This is so damn important in this game. The mobility in the KOF series is some of the craziest in fighting game history and ESPECIALLY in this game. Thank you for covering this, I'll be sure to send this to a few of my friends who I know are playing this game for the first time on the 17th

That tip about hops. Tap up then slide to down. That is especially important for Kyo since his unique air move down+C is so important to opening up his opponent and you can get a couple consecutive short hop down+C if you’re nice enough. (Been working on that for years. 🤦🏻‍♂️ still can’t pull it off on command but fairly often. 🤷🏻‍♂️)

That metal slug stage is sick

As more as i start watching KOF Gameplay/Tournaments, and etc. I notice that in KOF series, it's better to be a "Moving Target." Learn that SCHMOOVMENT!

My first KOF was 95 and from that point played every single one as they were released. And this video made me realize that I've always just played it like "fast Street Fighter" without appreciating all the nuance that makes it unique.

been playing since I was a kid back in 1994, always played just for fun, this is the first KOF I want to take seriously. thanks for the help

Safe jump setups are really strong in KoF and somewhat overlooked.

The lesson here is nobody will ToD you if you don't let them get in. Pokes>Hops Hops>Lows Lows>Pokes Another important point about weak attack pokes is that as they recover so fast, you can still antiair your opponent with DP or a good crouch Strong Punch in case of a normal jump God I'm gonna miss Daimon in this game.

Totally needed the advice about not every jump being an all in attempt at a combo. Pretty sure that's gonna help a lot. Great stuff as usual.

Oh yeah, safe jump is pretty important in KOF. If you know your opponent is about to make a DP, make a safe jump to avoid it and then, you can punish him.

Thank you, Monger. Don't stop pushing out these kinds of content. Alot people wanna get into this game and they do need to know what to do at all times. I be forgetting what options I have, so I go back to this video as a reference. Thanks again! 👍

I love the way you explain things and you do not sound condescending toward us newbies. I have learning a lot so far in these videos. Thank you for your effort and time that you put into your content. ☺️

Thank you for this! As a SFV player i have big difficulties to adapt to this playstyle of kof… So your guides help a lot…

i love the way you say welcome in all of your videos bro

My favorite intro on RU-vid. " Helllo And Welcome!"

That metal slug stage is adorable

I'm brand new to the series and doing my best to improve, but I feel like I must be missing some fundamental knowledge because I'm getting beat worse than any other fighting game I've played. I've watched a bunch of starter vids, etc but I'm still struggling. Matches feel incredibly one-sided, I can't find any openings and blocked special moves push me back far enough that I can't punish them on block or whiff, so it doesn't even feel like I'm being outplayed, just that I'm absolute trash at the game. Still struggling to perform those hops consistently but keep these vids coming, Roofle, I'm taking in as much as I can, and every vid just makes me want to jump back in and keep practicing even after two hours of straight losses.

Just learning there are 4 types of jumps is going to help me so much in this game. I mean I have never heard of a hyper hop before.

Exactly what i was looking for. Awesome vid. First KoF i wanna take seriously(Mainly cause KoF 14 skipped xbox)and coming from mainly NRS games, tis been tough to say the least. Been getting blown up online, didn't know what to even practice, but this gives awesome general tips and practice tips. Great work!

I know many dedicated KoF guides have talked about how important the mobility and all its jumps are in this game! I'll definitely have to take notes on them, and practice getting my short hops and hyper hops more consistently! Heck, even with Heidern I should consider moving more, I can always hold Down-Back while I'm in mid-air, lol!📝

Thank you sir, this is a very over looked basic of fighting game and particularly in KOF games in particular Very in depth and well researched as always. Hope you are enjoying playing XV as much as the community is learning from it

Dude these videos are making me want to play this game and I have never played kof before. You're a legend

dude thank you i'm new to kof so i had no idea what was the real importance of hops, your kof guides are really helping me out

That Metal slug stage is fucking gorgeous!!

These videos are awesome. As someone who’s played a lot but never got serious this helps because I actually wanna go deeper into this game since it’s got great netcode!

I’m starting to learn as a fighting game beginner. That my computer might have a huge affect how good I am at fighting games. The better my settings the faster and more consistent my buttons come out. Down the rabbit hole of fighting games has been a lot of fun info. Input lag.

Just now realized that this background is a reference to Metal Slug.

I am here for everything roofle kof and lovin it! 👍🏽👍🏽

Great Video! Will definitely see me utilizing this new neutral mindset in game! Really appreciate the content!

Hey man, thanks for the content. Unfortunately I'm having some troubles with the game. I'm a street fighter player and on that game oki is a very important aspect of the gameplay but in KOF I just don't know what I should do when I knockdown my opponent. Maybe you can do a video about this in the future ? Thanks again for all the Kof videos!

Some excellent content right here

another great informative vid ty!

Awesome stuff. Thanks again

very helpful! Thank you!

Very helpful

you are really talended to made guide , just wanted to say that x)

Man I am struggling with movement in this game. This definitely gave me some better direction but I definitely think I'm in for some rough lessons before I really start getting the feel for it

Tip for doing hops, don't focus on how fast you hit up but instead on how fast you can stop hitting it, it's a tip that helped me a lot with 02um.

I am going to get mauled as a new fighting game player eh?

Thank you for this video this will be my first KoF that I will try to learn for real and not just play casually. And I'm coming in with a lot of question with how to play neutral or aproach in this game

Oh my god, Shermie is looking so good, her fighting stance alone tells everything about her.

Can we appreciate that thumbnail tho? Crazy well put together

This was a very important video

Dolores's gameplay reminds me a lot of Zato-1 in the first Gulty Gear.

I needed this. I really like hidern.

Reading the comments gives me some relief, seeing how I'm not the only one feeling like I suck. Gotta keep practicing

Wow I had no idea there was even four jumps in KoF. Dang

KOF tried to distance itself from SF which has heavy emphasis on footsies and and ground moves. KOF introduced jumps-based space control. Watching KOF high level matches are like watching grasshoppers mating ritual.

i dont think ive had more fun with movement than playing KOF XIII and hyper hopping over across the screen with kyo and getting some nutty air conversion and winning a set. actual bliss

Awesome video as usual 😁. What do you think about doing this style of video but for offense? Like a "This is how offense works in KOF". I know I would love to see it. Anyway, good stuff

I think my team is gonna be Clark, Yashiro, and Ryo

Thank you

Great video. The only minor omission I can think of is probably whiff cancelling normals to specials. I think the video could have used at least a one-liner "we'll talk more about this later" on whiff cancelling because it can be used to further complicate footsie situations like the (very good) Shermie vs Heidern example you used. Heidern example: "Oh no! I whiffed my enormous sweep from half screen! There's so much recovery and my leg is so huge, there's no way I'll get back to neutral in time to blo---ahahahaha j/k Moon Slasher/Cross Cutter anti-air, GOT'EM". Illustrate how whiff cancelling to specials can sometimes be used to catch people who THINK they've baited out a big opportunity from you in neutral (but weren't factoring for whiff cancel).

How rooflemonger managed to perfectly time between exactly 4 frames and 5 frames for the high jump and hop is beyond me

Good info. Thanks. Hopefully hops & hyper hops aren't too difficult on pad.

i friggin love this metal slug stage :D. SNK really should do a new Metal Slug game fr

To the people reading this, are you gonnan get the game on PC or console? I'm itching to get it on pc, because I don't have a console, but I'm not sure how well the playerbase wil be like with SF5, tekken and recently GGST.

I think is because of things like this is how KOF manages to be that complex of a fighting game with just 4 atttack buttons, along with the "easy to learn, hard to master" combo structure. I like how this traditional 2D fighting games sometimes feels almost like an Anime fighter with all this mobility... Unless you p[lay Shun or Isla, the you play like an Anime character XD

Ah yes. The jump based footsies KOF is known for.

Are you planning on doing a Dolores guide?

8:47 pot jh question mark

Hey roof you helped me a lot last time I commented so really quick question I've been struggling with shermie due to needing to be very close is there anyway to get in safe after her running comand grab as after that my meaty attacks don't come out in time to beat wake up invincible frames

I feel like some fighting game characters were designed to jump attack because it's so strong. For example... Blanka, and Baraka jump kick is a downward hit box which is super strong yet people are upset when you utilize it. 🤔 if it's In the game why do online people get upset?

Short hop really needs to be it's own button or a macro

I cannot wrap my head around kof movement I’ve been playing fighting games for years and this is the first that makes me feel stupid. I feel so stiff despite their being so many movement options I always get wake up thrown when I get knock down and I can’t get low confirms and always get low confirmed

Welcome to king of fighters

I wish there was an in depth advise video for short hopping on pad because there’s a million and one on doing it with fight stick and that’s so annoying

I learn my lesson on the hard way on kof 2002 lol

Man I'm really struggling to get hops consistently

Thanks for the tips man... let me ask you something. What kind of joystick 🕹 would you recommend for this game.?

So you mentioned a lot that jump ins don't have to be the big committal attacks like they are in SF/MK, they can be used as pokes. But can they also be used as big committal attacks that end up in big damage combos as well? Or is it very much range dependent? Would've been nice to see you demo both options imo

Thanks a lot again! But then this keeps me even more in my impression that kofs are like 2 games: the first is actual games where you poke or try to get in and get poked, then close hits and thus combos barely happen, and the second is training mode where you can actually get close enough to do your HP, 6LP, special... I mean if combos were not difficult enough most of the attempts get denied beforehand: a) they deny/poke you out, b) you hit but are not as close as you expected to make the combo or c) all goes great except they block which can be the worst because if you don't confirm well and continue your combo until it's not safe, they punish you and that's where the long combo happens against you. To make things worse, in kof jumping HK leaves a gap with next H hit unless you really do it last moment, so forget about these SF or MK combos starting from a jumping attack... So I feel when I try to bring my combos I end up losing plenty of health on these situations while if I accept I must give them up, I end up winning the round and keeping more bars unused... In the end as for today it pays off better for me to spend my bars on neutral situations, like EX specials that get some invincibility or shatter strikes, that's happening to be extremely useful... I still need the bridge between poke/footsie distance and close combos. Thanks amigo!

Ok. Great video as always, my friend, but where in hell they put Wolfgang Krauser? Why they keep bringing back Geese and no Krauser (the coolest character evet made, by the way.) ? What's wrong with this generation?

👍

Online experience in this game is absolute torture. Nothing but jumping rabbits and marathon runners.

hops of course can do a big combo, no only a poke🤦‍♂

how the hell did you input hop for exactly 4 frames and jump for 5 frames?? more like robomonger

I just gotta know, what's Betty's neutral buttons? She's kinda stubby

Monger can you do us a huge favor and do a video about sf6 character wants. Basically what we fans want for sf6. Honestly I want characters like guiles daughter Mel Ken's son Sean an older Makoto and dudley for sure or I'm not even interested. Just think it's a good topic with that counter

Anyone that tries to play this game like sf5..... I have bad news for you lol

Going to this game from Tekken7 is so jarring