The King of Fighters ’98 on the PlayStation is widely regarded as one of the greatest 2D fighting games ever made. Released by SNK as a “dream match” installment, it sets aside the series’ overarching storyline to bring together a massive roster of 38 iconic characters from previous games. Players assemble their ultimate three-fighter team to battle through a refined, fiercely competitive arcade experience that remains a cornerstone of the fighting game genre.
How to Play
Assemble your team of three fighters and defeat the opposing team by knocking out all their members. The game offers two distinct fighting styles: “Advanced” (focusing on dashing, rolling, and building a power gauge for desperation moves) and “Extra” (featuring sidestepping, quick evasion, and a manually chargeable gauge). Since this is the PlayStation version, the default controls mapped to your keyboard are:
- Directional Keys (Arrow Keys): Move, jump, and crouch
- Z / X: Light Punch / Light Kick
- A / S: Heavy Punch / Heavy Kick
- Shift / Enter: Select / Start
Tips
- Master your jumps: KOF ’98 features four types of jumps (normal, short, hyper, and hyper short). Utilizing short hops makes your offense much harder to react to.
- Understand the MAX mode: In Advanced mode, spending a stock of your power gauge to activate MAX mode increases your damage output and allows you to perform Super Desperation Moves if you have another stock available.
- Pick a balanced team: Since your characters keep their health percentage between rounds, placing your most reliable character second or third can help you stage a comeback against a difficult opponent.
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