Plot

Development

In an interview with veteran developers of the series -which included C.A.C Yamasaki and Mitsuo Kodama- they claim that their prototype version for KOF was going to be a side-scrolling beat 'em up titled, Survivor. In this version, it would only use core characters from the Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury series, specifically allowing players to play characters like Robert Garcia and Terry Bogard for location testing. However, the idea was quickly abandoned after the debut of Capcom's game with similar gameplay, Final Fight. Since they were attached to the idea of the two series cross-over, they eventually agreed to make their idea into a fighting game. Characters from Ikari Warriors and Psycho Soldier games were also added in spirit of other gaming genres considered for their final product. The concept of a three-man team was one of the ideas kept from the side-scrolling version.
Flagship director, Toyohisa Tanabe, asserts that the Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury fighters were added specifically for adults. The newer KOF characters were aimed to appeal to younger and newer audiences. He adds that every original character for the series is added based on the developers' strong desire to make one. For example, he agreed to include characters such as Benimaru and Chang to add an off-beat variety to the cast, which he previously deemed to be too serious before.
Although Kyo was developed to be the main protagonist of the franchise, the game's primary focus was to create a dream match between Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting (respectively basing KOF '94 on Fatal Fury Special and Art of Fighting 2). These contradictory ideals eventually lead to the concept that the player decided who the "true" protagonist was for this year. Kyo's role in the series was emphasized in the following year.

Gameplay

Since this game is some kind of crossover, the gameplay shares some similarities with SNK's fighting games. Instead of one-on-one fights, the system includes battles between teams of three people in a tag-team fashion. If one of the members is defeated by one of the other team's members, the next member will come in to fight the winner, and will go on until all three members of one team is defeated.
The gameplay utilizes elements from Fatal Fury such as the infinite special moves and Desperate Moves (DM) when your lifebar is in the low, and the dash. From Art of Fighting it borrows the abilities to charge your special meter, and unleash a DM when your special meter is full. KOF 94 also features a sidestep system. By pressing A+B the player will dodge. When your lifebar is flashing red, and your special meter is at max, the player can unleash a super move.

Characters
Old Characters (from earlier SNK franchises):
Terry Bogard - From Fatal Fury series
Andy Bogard - From Fatal Fury series
Joe Higashi - From Fatal Fury series
Mai Shiranui - From Fatal Fury series
King - From Art of Fighting series
Yuri Sakazaki - From Art of Fighting series
Ryo Sakazaki - From Art of Fighting series
Takuma Sakazaki - From Art of Fighting series
Robert Garcia - From Art of Fighting series
Ralf Jones - From Ikari Warriors series
Clark Still - From Ikari Warriors series
Kim Kaphwan - From Fatal Fury series
Athena Asamiya - From Athena and Psycho Soldier
Sie Kensou - From Psycho Soldier
New Characters:
Heidern
Choi Bounge
Chang Koehan
Chin Gentsai
Heavy D!
Lucky Glauber
Brian Battler
Rugal Bernstein
Kyo Kusanagi
Benimaru Nikaido
Goro DaimonTeamsEdit
Japan Team (A.K.A Hero Team): Kyo Kusanagi, Benimaru Nikaido and Goro Daimon
Italy Team (A.K.A Fatal Fury Team): Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard and Joe Higashi
Brazil Team (A.K.A Ikari Team): Heidern, Ralf Jones and Clark Still
England Team (A.K.A Women Fighters Team): King, Mai Shiranui and Yuri Sakazaki
Mexico Team (A.K.A Art of Fighting Team): Takuma Sakazaki, Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia
Korea Team (A.K.A Kim Team): Kim Kaphwan, Choi Bounge and Chang Koehan
China Team (A.K.A Psycho Soldiers Team): Athena Asamiya, Chin Gentsai and Sie Kensou
U.S.A. Team (A.K.A American Sports Team): Heavy D!, Lucky Glauber and Brian Battler

Stages



拳皇94是拳皇系列的首部作品，于1994年8月25日发行在SNK的Neo Geo AES、MVS和CD上。游戏的角色来自SNK早期的作品饿狼传说、龙虎之拳、怒以及超能力战士，同时也包括日本队和美国队两个新队伍。相对当时的同类格斗游戏，拳皇94的主要创新之处在于其三对三对战模式，也就是说玩家在其他游戏中只能一对一，而在94可以用三个角色进行对战。因此全体角色三人一组，每组代表一个国家。
日前，SNKP在PS2平台发行了94的重制版 KOF '94 Rebout，但并没有在日本以外其他地区发售这一版本。2008年，94被纳入SNK街机经典合集Vol.1中。

1994年，拳皇大赛的邀请函和往年一样散发到世界顶级格斗家手中（wicked意为技艺高超的），但主办方是谁没人知道。这个人既不可能是吉斯，又不可能是克劳傻，那么究竟是谁呢？于是满怀着希望和疑惑，这些格斗界巨星开始组建自己最强的队伍。有这么多强大的格斗家参与，这次盛会的规模足以载入史册，呈现在世人眼前的究竟会是什么样的战斗场面呢？随着大赛开幕时间的临近，粉丝们的热情也日渐白热化。
卢卡尔·伯斯坦恩是有名的黑市商人，常年贩卖军火和毒品。由于缺乏竞争者而百无聊赖，他发出24封邀请函给世界各地的强者，让其组成8支队伍，每队分别代表一个国家。
在大会临近终了，社长的私人秘书米卓邀请日本队到“黑色诺亚号”参加决赛。也就是在那里，社长宣布了他举办比赛的真实目的：打败冠军队并将其（做成铜像）和以前的挑战者一起作为收藏。草剃京看到其父柴舟也在其中，决心为父报仇。最终社长被打败，他启动了航母的自毁装置。日本队得以逃脱，后而对他们取得胜利进行了反思。←最后一句没把握。

本作有乱斗的性质，因此跟SNK旗下的其他格斗游戏具有相似之处。游戏系统并不是采用一对一，而是三人一组轮换上场的形式。若一方的角色被对方的角色击败，那么下一个上场的就与对方上一场的胜者对战，直到有一方的角色全部被打败为止。
游戏采用了饿狼传说中部分设定，如无限释放必杀技以及在低血量或Dash（这里有问题，应该是能量槽蓄满还是什么有待商榷）时使用超必杀技；同时自龙虎之拳借来蓄气的设定，蓄满则可以释放超必杀技。（这个部分说得含糊不清，建议自行补充。）此外94的侧身闪避也是一大特色，对方攻击是同时按AB则可以躲避攻击。当红血闪烁，能量槽蓄满，玩家还可以释放Max超必杀技。
PS：队名和往常一样就不译了。

前面纯英文差点让我想