The King of Fighters ’98

A reunion after the story

SNK describes ’98 as a gathering of characters from the 1994–1997 games. It followed the preceding entry’s story conclusion and put the emphasis on the match. Both its MVS and Japanese AES releases fall in 1998, beyond this chapter’s main 1987–1996 window: the selection follows the Neo Geo library into its later life.

Choose a team and stay with it

Choosing a team makes the character-select screen a substantial decision. A familiar fighter can anchor the line-up while the other places give you room to experiment. The Advanced and Extra systems offer different approaches to movement and power management, so changing a mode can alter the habits a match rewards. The large cast invites exploration, but learning a small group is more useful than switching after every loss.

Start with one mode and a settled team. Practise a reliable anti-air attack and a short punish with each character; team variety becomes more interesting when you can carry out those simple plans under pressure.