At the bottom of the screen is a number next to a meter that can gradually fill up over the course of a round. This is the super meter, and the number represents how many stocks of super meter the character currently has stored. As the number of stocks increases, certain additional actions become available to the character:
1 stock: Can perform EX special moves, desperation moves, GCAB, and GCCD
2 stocks: Can perform EX desperation moves and a Neomax while in HD mode
3 stocks: Can Max Cancel a desperation move and perform a Neomax outside of HD mode (with a full drive gauge)
4 stocks: Can Max Cancel an EX desperation move
The maximum number of stocks available to a character depends on the character’s position in the team order. The first character may store up to 3 stocks, the second may store up to 4, and the final character may store up to 5 stocks of super meter. Super meter accumulated by a character who was knocked out will carry over to the next character. Super meter can be gained by:
Hitting with any attacks aside from normal throws and air throws
Having any attacks blocked
Performing special move, regardless of whether they were hit, blocked, or whiffed (with some exceptions)
Note that super meter cannot be gained while in HD mode or during certain special states (e.g. Ash cannot gain any super meter while his Sans Culotte is active)
'''Drive Gauge and Hyperdrive (HD) Mode'''
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Located immediately above the super meter is another meter known as the drive gauge. Having at least half of the drive gauge filled allows the character to perform a Drive Cancel (canceling one special move into another, abbreviated [DC]) or a Super Cancel (canceling a special move into a desperation move, abbreviated [SC]), both at the cost of 50% of the drive gauge. Which special moves are eligible for Drive Cancels and/or Super Cancels varies for each character. Note that Drive Cancels cannot be performed unless the first special move hit, whereas Super Cancels can be performed on hit. Also, it is not possible to Super Cancel into a Neomax.
Having the drive gauge completely filled allows the character to perform a Neomax outside of HD mode (at the cost of 100% of the drive gauge and 3 stocks of super meter) or to enter into HD mode. Activating HD mode causes the character to begin glowing and the drive gauge to begin gradually depleting. The following benefits are gained:
* All normal moves and command normals become cancelable on all hits
* Hyperdrive Cancels (abbreviated [HDC]) become available. These are similar to Drive Cancels, except they can also be done if the first special move was blocked. Each HDC will consume a portion of the drive gauge, usually around 10%.
* Max Cancels become available, which is when a character cancels a desperation move into a Neomax. Which desperation moves can be Max Canceled as well as the timing varies for each character.
* Performing a Neomax while in HD mode only costs 2 stocks of meter. Note that performing a Neomax (whether by itself, canceled from a normal move, or Max Canceled) will immediately deplete all remaining drive gauge and end HD mode.
==Health==
Depending on how much time is left on the clock determines how much life you regenerate the next round. Remembering that everyone has 1000HP, the breakdown is as follows:
Time left / Health regain
*60-42sec / 300
*41-30sec / 250
*29-18sec / 150
*17-0sec / 100
Source from Keykakko: http://keykakko.wordpress.com/
King of Fighters XIII is the latest entry in the KOF series. While it resembles XII graphically, all of XII's new systems (clash, critical counter, guard attack) have been removed. The developers stated that their concept for the game was "KOF-ism," so many classic KOF systems return, such as guard cancel rolls and guard cancel attacks. Hyperdrive mode is modeled on 2002's BC mode, while Max Cancels resemble XI's Dream Cancels. Finally, new to the series are EX moves (more powerful special moves costing one bar) and Drive Cancels (canceling from one special to another.)
Atlus published King of Fighters XIII in NA on Nov. 22, 2011.
