The King of Fighters 2003

Gameplay in The King of Fighters 2003 is similar to previous games in the series. The player's power gauge can hold up to 3 stocks at the beginning of a match. Unlike KOF 2002 , however, the player starts with a full gauge of three stocks. When a team loses one of its members, the maximum capacity of their power gauge stocks is increased by one, giving the losing team a handicap against the opposing team.

In contrast to previous games, the arcade version has two potential final boss fights. The Kusanagi boss fight serves to decide which bosses the player will face in the final fight. The King of Fighters 2003 uses teams composed of three members in a multi-shift format, allowing players to change characters in the middle of a fight, similar to SNK's Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle (1996). When "Change OK" is displayed above the power gauge, the player can do a "quick shift" and change characters immediately, or alternatively, perform a "switch-off attack" against the opponent that will consume one power gauge stock.

The game also features a "tactical leader system," in which one member of the team is designated as the leader. The chosen leader has access to an exclusive move known as the "leader super special move" (in addition to the regular "super special moves"). However, the leader move usually requires two power gauge stocks to be able to perform it. Characters Each of which can be selected in a specific combination to form twelve themed teams of three.

Most of the roster are returning characters from prior KOF titles, however some are new characters to the series. These newcomers include the revamped "Hero Team" consisting of Ash Crimson , Shen Woo , and Duo Lon , as well as Malin of the "High School Girls Team". Additionally, the characters Tizoc and Gato , as well as the design and moveset of Terry Bogard , from Garou: Mark of the Wolves (1999) are introduced. Returning characters involve Joe Higashi from the Fatal Fury Team, the Art of Fighting Team composed of Ryo Sakazaki , Robert Garcia and Yuri Sakazaki , the Korea Team composed of Kim Kaphwan , Chang Koehan and Jhun Hoon, the Ikari Team has Leona Heidern , Ralf Jones and Clark Still.

The Outlaw Team features the returning Billy Kane and Ryuji Yamazaki . The Women Fighters Team focuses on King , Mai Shiranui and Blue Mary , all returning. The Benimaru Team also has returning trio of Benimaru Nikaido , Shingo Yabuki and Goro Daimon . The Highs School Girls Team has the returning Athena Asamiya , Hinako Shijou while the K' Team is composed of the returnings K' , Maxima and Whip .

The narrative changes depending on the player's actions against the mid-game boss, Kusanagi, a clone of the returning veteran Kyo Kusanagi . " The bosses are the martial artist Adelheid and the demon Mukai.