Get ready, fighting game fans! The queen of kicks is styling her way into South Town! Chun-Li descends with power, elegance and style, ready to fight. As the iconic heroine of Street Fighter, bringing her to life in the world of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves was no small feat.

KOF Studio developers took on the challenge, tackling numerous hurdles to make her feel right at home. In this post, we’ll shine a light on the behind-the-scenes stories — the themes that guided the collaboration, the obstacles they faced, and the creative solutions that brought Chun-Li into Fatal Fury’s universe seamlessly.

Chun-Li Joins Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

Bringing Chun-Li into City of the Wolves was no ordinary crossover.

One of the core challenges and a major theme throughout development was integrating a character from a different game in a way that felt natural within CotW’s universe. This was also applied when Ken was introduced earlier this year.

Since Street Fighter 6 and City of the Wolves differ significantly in their core mechanics and visual presentation. Simply copying and pasting a character from one game into the other isn’t possible. Adapting a crossover character to fit seamlessly into CotW’s system requires a much more extensive development process than most players might expect.

Visual design, in particular, plays a crucial role in shaping the player’s experience. When it came to designing Chun-Li for this collaboration, the development team paid close attention to several key elements, which I’ll go into below.

Designing Chun-Li for City of the Wolves

Creating Chun-Li’s in-game design was a rewarding challenge for the development team. The goal was clear: ensure that anyone could instantly recognize her as Chun-Li, while also making sure her appearance didn’t clash with the visual rules of City of the Wolves. Since Chun-Li originates from a different game, the team had to carefully adjust her look to fit CotW’s unique aesthetic.

One of the key considerations was the game’s visual style. CotW characters are designed with a subtle anime-inspired touch, which meant Chun-Li’s facial features needed to be reinterpreted to match that tone. The team meticulously adjusted the placement of her eyes and nose to align with CotW’s design language. At the same time, they preserved her “cool beauty” image by sharpening her facial contours, giving her eyes a slightly fiercer look, and refining the bridge of her nose for elegance.

Even her hands received special attention. While slightly enlarging their overall size to match CotW proportions, the developers ensured her fingers retained a graceful appearance — a small but meaningful detail that contributes to her iconic presence.

While honoring Chun-Li’s legacy from Street Fighter, we have adopted her visual design to integrate into the world of City of the Wolves.   

Chun-Li’s Signature Power Kicks

One of the challenges during Chun-Li’s development was how to represent her legs — more specifically, her powerful kicks. According to the dev team, this was one of the most memorable aspects of the design process.

When you think of Chun-Li, her strong, dynamic legwork comes to mind. For many fans, those kicks are her signature and we felt the same. But as we followed City of the Wolves’ core design philosophy, we noticed something: her legs came out a bit slimmer than in her original appearances. That sparked some debate within the team.

Ultimately, we decided that preserving Chun-Li’s iconic look was more important than strictly sticking to the usual design rules. Her powerful legs are a key part of what makes her Chun-Li, and we didn’t want to lose that. So yes — we bent the rules a little to make sure her character shines through in the most authentic way possible.

Familiar Yet Fresh: Chun-Li’s Battle Integration

Our work extended far beyond visual design.

One of the most critical challenges was implementing Chun-Li’s moves and behavior within the actual gameplay — a task that demanded careful attention, especially for a studio with deep roots in the fighting game genre.

Battle implementation isn’t just about the character; it affects the overall game experience. For Chun-Li’s inclusion, the team revisited her movement patterns from the ground up, ensuring that she felt authentic within City of the Wolves. Their guiding principle was clear: make her approachable for players familiar with her latest appearance in Street Fighter 6, while also evoking nostalgia for longtime fans who’ve followed her journey across past titles.

The result is a Chun-Li who feels both fresh and familiar. Her movement in CotW reflect the game’s unique mechanics, but retains the essence of her original style. For example, her Hidden Gear move “Shichisei Senkūkyaku” and her victory poses are designed to resonate with fans who have a deep connection with her.

On a technical level, the team focused on subtle details — from her recovery animations to the poses she strikes mid-combo. These refinements might go unnoticed at first, but for dedicated players, they stand as proof of the care and passion behind her design. And if those fans recognize these nuances while playing, as developers we consider that the ultimate reward.

Customize Your Chun-Li: Color Edit Fun

Beyond the development team’s design efforts, we also encourage players to explore City of the Wolves’ Color Edit feature to enhance their gameplay experience. This system allows you to freely customize various parts of a character — from facial features to clothing — by changing their colors. And yes, this feature can be used on Chun-Li!

The idea is simple: let players express their creativity. Chun-Li’s color customization provides ample freedom and flexibility, letting you shape her appearance to match your vision. From her timeless palette to daring new combinations, the creative possibilities feel boundless — especially when enhanced by CotW’s unique Rev System

The development team is genuinely excited to see what kinds of Chun-Li variations fans will come up with in the community.

Don’t Miss the Sale!

You’re here at the perfect time! Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is 60% off on the Microsoft Store! Pick it up today and show your skills with the newest icon, Chun-Li (Please check the store page directly for the most accurate and up-to-date sale details.)

You already own CotW? Good news! Chun-Li is available as a free DLC for all players. So dive in, try out her moves, and enjoy everything this crossover has to offer. We hope this post gives you a deeper appreciation for the work behind her inclusion and makes your time with Chun-Li in South Town even more exciting.