The King of Fighters ’96

Originally released in 1996, this is the third installment in The King of Fighters game series. The series features an SNK all-star lineup, with characters from games like Fatal Fury, Ikari Warriors, Psycho Soldier and Art of Fighting competing with each other for the title of the world’s strongest fighter.

This installment adds some major systematic changes compared with previous titles. It features small, medium and big jumps, as well as forward and backward flip emergency escapes. It also adds the extra element of guarding in midair. Being able to review commands makes moves easier to execute, and projectiles have been toned down. This title got rid of the idea of projectile spamming as an effective approach, and it marked a major turning point in the series.