Ignition Entertainment announced today that The King Of Fighters: Maximum Impact is coming to Xbox across Europe in June '05, with full Live capability.

Maximum Impact is the first time the long-running series The King of Fighters has gone 3D. Whilst three-dimensional versions of two-dimensional games can often struggle to capture the spirit of the originals, KOFMI not only retains its core gameplay elements but also expands them, bringing many new features that today's gamer expects from a fighting game. Next-generation visuals combined with traditional The King of Fighters mechanics creates a game fans of the series will instantly feel at home with, and the new combo system creates a fresh way to play for pros and newcomers alike.

Sporting online versus play and the capacity to take screenshots and save replays, SNK is pulling out all the stops on this eagerly awaited Xbox release. Maximum Impact features new characters and gameplay modes alongside an option to enable the original Japanese voices, to create the authentic Eastern experience. The PAL release boasts full 60hz compatibility for those with suitable hardware.

"Live functionality, allowing people to play against each other online, is something we think is important to offer in a fighting game," says Peter Rollinson, Product Manager, Ignition Entertainment. "We wanted to ensure that we had the best overall package we could offer for the Xbox version of Maximum Impact that takes full advantage of Microsoft's excellent online facilities News-Source: http://teamxbox.com