The latest entry in the long-running fighting game franchise “King of Fighters” (KOF) has recently hit all major consoles. And with the release of “KoF XV” come three new characters to the massive roster of 3-on-3 international martial artists and pugilists. One of these new fisticuff fanatics is named “Dolores,” a tall, curvy, dark-skinned diva with the powers of geomancy and clairvoyance.
Codenamed “Hidden Wisdom” and hailing from the African country of Mali, Dolores is a reclusive medium with long braided ivory locks of hair. Clad in a bespoke, semi-revealing black dress, she has a necklace with a large golden ornate pendant adorning her chest. Pale geometric tattoos also line her body. She displaces a sage personality that is levelheaded and reserved.
Once trapped by the previous game’s end boss, “Verse,” Dolores now allies herself with fellow newcomer Isla and series veteran Heidern to participate in the newest tournament, “Team Rival.” Their mission is to thwart the latest incarnation(s) of a returning “Verse.”
Dolores’ fighting style is noted as “Sacred Earth Art,” where she utilizes psychically manipulated “holy soil” with great versatility in combat.
Of note, Dolores is the adopted mother and teacher of another KoF combatant, the arrogant and foul-mouthed Kukri (aka “Sharp-Tongued Sandman”), a wayward geomancer who can manipulate sand.
The creative minds and designers of KoF XV at SNK did not make Dolores simply to be a token new character to fill a slot on the player select screen or meet an obligatory quota. She is integral to the main story they have crafted into the game’s canon. The fact that she is a woman of color given such priority should be applauded, as Black characters haven’t had the best track record with Japanese game developers. It’s certainly a welcome step forward.
If you’re a fighting games fan, check out KoF XV and try out Dolores and Team Rival for yourself.
For more on other Black videogame characters, check out my Top 10 List of the Best Black Videogame Characters parts 1 & 2.
Hailing from the eastern-most Caribbean island of Barbados, Fabian Wood has long since been fascinated by the power of storytelling to inspire and invoke emotions – whether in film, comics, or videogames. No longer content to be just an avid comic book reader and videogamer, he’s eager to exercise his literary acumen as an aspiring writer and reviewer.
