Play Nettou The King of Fighters '96 (Japan) Online

Game Overview

Man, Nettou The King of Fighters '96 on Game Boy shouldn’t work as well as it does. Tiny sprites, tinier screen—but somehow, it absolutely nails that KOF feel. You’ve got Kyo’s fireballs, Iori’s edgy claw swipes, even Terry’s Power Geyser (though pulling it off on a D-pad takes practice). The team battles are here, just like the arcade, and matches are stupidly fast for a handheld in 1996.

It’s janky in that charming Game Boy way—animations are choppy, and good luck telling some supers apart—but the core gameplay’s weirdly solid. Link cable versus mode turns into pure chaos, especially if your friend insists on spamming Mai’s fans. Not the prettiest KOF, but one of the few that lets you take the fight anywhere. Just try not to snap your Game Boy in half during a close match.