Play The King Of Fighters EX2 - Howling Blood (Eurasia) (J) Online

I picked up The King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood for the Game Boy Advance back in 2002, a time when having a decent fighting game in your pocket felt like a small miracle. It was developed by Marvelous Entertainment and published by Sammy, and it stood out as one of the more ambitious attempts to bring a traditional arcade-style fighter to the handheld. The GBA library had its share of fighters, but this one tried to pack in a lot of the depth you'd expect from a console release.

You control a team of three fighters from a sizable roster, swapping them in and out between rounds as you work through a series of one-on-one matches. The main objective is to defeat all opponents in your path, leading up to a final boss. Signature mechanics include building up a super gauge by landing attacks or taking hits, which lets you unleash powerful Desperation Moves; you can also perform a quick evasive roll to avoid incoming strikes. The pacing is brisk, and the difficulty can feel steep, especially in later matches where the AI becomes more aggressive. It feels responsive and surprisingly complete for a portable title, capturing the tension and rhythm of the series in the palm of your hand.