The King of Fighters '96

This is a 2D head-to-head fighting game played with three-character teams. Players use punches, kicks, throws, special moves, super specials, and emergency evasion to win rounds and eliminate the opposing team. Without line switching, spacing and direct pressure matter more, and matches focus on jumping, punishing, and combo execution. Progression is round-based, with each fighter continuing until the entire team is defeated.

Kyo Kusanagi

One of the main protagonists, a close-range fighter who uses flame-based techniques and fast combo strings.

Iori Yagami

Kyo's iconic rival, known for aggressive pressure, fast attacks, and destructive combo potential.

Chizuru Kagura

A key new character in this entry and one of the Three Sacred Treasures, using trickier control-oriented techniques.

Maki Kagura

An important figure tied to the series' sacred-treasures lore and story background.

Learn the timing of Emergency Evasion so you can escape pressure or slip past projectiles. Build your team with a balance of opener, damage dealer, and closer. Practice anti-air reactions first, since jump-ins are a major threat. Avoid careless special-move spam unless you have a clear read, because recovery can be punished hard.

Tips and tricks

• Master your character's jump-ins and standing heavy attacks to establish strong mid-range control.
• Include at least one reliable clutch character for late-round comebacks.
• Use Emergency Evasion to reset spacing, then punish the opponent's recovery frames.