Play King of Fighters ’98 Online

Kyo’s fireballs feel weighty, Terry’s Power Wave still spams just right, and the AI will wreck you if you get cocky—this port nails the arcade chaos with Genesis crunch. Grab a buddy and argue over whether Iori’s actually broken or you just suck.

Developer: SNK

Genre: Fighting

Released: 1998

File size: 1.06 MB

Game Overview

Man, King of Fighters '98 on the Genesis still hits hard. I remember booting it up for the first time and getting wrecked by the CPU within seconds—those SNK AI opponents don’t mess around. The roster’s stacked with all the heavy hitters: Kyo’s fire punches, Terry’s Power Wave spam, Mai’s… distracting animations. You know the deal.

What surprised me was how smooth it felt compared to the arcade. The controls are snappy, and pulling off Desperation Moves actually works without needing surgeon-level precision. My friend and I still argue about whether Iori’s cheap or just "strategic." (He’s cheap.)

It’s got that classic ’90s fighting game vibe—no complicated systems, just pick a team and throw down. The music’s all crunchy guitar riffs and hype beats, too. If you’ve got a Genesis and even a passing interest in fighters, this one’s a no-brainer.