System
- A+B: Back Roll
- f+A+B: Forward Roll
- C+D: Blowback Attack
- B+C: Taunt (Decreases opponents meter)
- A+B+C: Charge meter
- b/f+C : Throw
- b/f+D: Throw (Except for Choi Bounge)
- f, f: Dash Forward (Hold last forward for Run)
- b, b: Backdash
- f+A+B or A+B (While Blocking): Guard Cancel Evasive Roll (Uses meter)
- (Any Button): Throw Escape (Normal Throws only, Doesn't work on command throws)
- (While dizzy or in grab) A+B+C+D: Team Assistance (Teammate must be undefeated, visible on screen, and 1 or 2 in Assistance Chart)
- Hold Back in Air During Neutral or Backwards Jump: Aerial Guard (Blocks Special Moves, Aerial Attacks, SDM/DM but doesn't block Grounded Normal Attacks.)
- Desperation Move can only be performed when the lifebar is 20% and flashing red or power bar is maximum. They can be done as many times as needed during red life.
- When the power bar is maximum and the lifebar is 20% and flashing red. A Desperation Move becomes a Super Desperation Move.
The links involved with normal attacks (typically light ones) in King of Fighters '96 are actually just quick inputted chains. So while in the advantage it shouldn't 'combo' The frame advantage may still remain.
Team Assistance
Likelyhood of characters helping in an Assist Attack
- 0=Never helps
- 1=50% chance of helping
- 2=Always helps
| Character | Kyo | Ben | Gor | Ter | And | Joe | Ryo | Rob | Yur | Leo | Ral | Cla | Ath | Sie | Chi | Kas | Mai | Kin | Kim | Cha | Cho | Ior | Mat | Vic | Gee | Kra | Big | Chz | Goe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyo | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Benimaru | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Daimon | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Terry | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Andy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Joe | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ryo | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Robert | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Yuri | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Leona | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ralf | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Clark | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Athena | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kensou | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Chin | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kasumi | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Mai | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| King | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kim | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Chang | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | NA | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Choi | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | NA | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Iori | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mature | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Vice | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | NA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Geese | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Krauser | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr.Big | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA | 0 | 0 |
| Chizuru | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA | 0 |
| Goenitz | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
Basic Strategy
- Use neutral hops(and jumps) attacks as means sometimes to defend yourself. In the Fatal Fury and KOF games it can look like your ground normals are terrible/not as strong. Using neutral hops and jumps this can make the difference for stopping air attacks where your ground attacks wouldn't do the job. As well as tag grounded attacks with hops. Finding the sweet spot and timing for certain air attacks will take practice.
Basic Tools and Advanced Techniques
- Run
Tap forward twice quickly. Hold the second tap to keep running. When you tap "f., f." to run, you will run a certain distance before you stop.
This can be canceled by jumping or attacking. You can use this period to buffer moves such as command throws. For example with Clark, you can tap "f., f.", then do the hcf motion for their command grab while you are moving forward, without having to keep holding forward over that first couple character spaces.
After this set distance the character is forced to run, the player could continue to hold "f." or "df." to keep running and letting go to neutral, to crouch, or whatever else would stop any further running.
Also, there is a small recovery when you release f. to stop a run. When running in to attack, keep holding forward if you're going to do a standing attack, or move to df. for a crouching attack. This makes attacking from a run seamless. You can also hold d/f to keep charge a charge-down special move while running.
- Roll
Press A and B simultaneously. Holding back while pressing A+B rolls backward and holding forward or just pressing A+B without input rolls forwards. You can also roll while running to roll a further distance.
Rolls are invulnerable from the very start and vulnerable at the end. You can be thrown out of rolls at any point.
Since they are invincible at startup, you can use rolls as a wakeup 'reversal', but unlike in later KOF games you cannot mash the input. If you are not fully recovered from something and try to input A+B, you will get a standing A attack. Using that as a reversal will get out hit on counter, so be accurate with your roll timing.
- Recovery roll (tech roll)
Press A and B simultaneously as you are touching the ground from getting knocked down. Some moves/knockdowns are not rollable. You can mix this up with staying on the ground to mess with your opponent's setups on wakeup.
- Throw break
Press back/forward with any button immediately after you are thrown. Some mashable throws are not breakable, and instead, you can mash all the buttons and directions to lessen the damage and get out faster.
- MAX Mode
Press A, B, and C simultaneously to charge MAX Mode's power bar. Once the bar reaches full capacity, you will enter MAX mode for a short time. While in MAX mode you get a damage bonus (25% increase), more pushback on hit for all attacks, increased hitstun for all air normals, gain access to the "Guard Cancel Roll", and can perform one Deadly Move (see below).
- Deadly Moves and Super Deadly Moves
A Deadly Move (DM) can either be performed when you are at low health, or when you are in MAX mode. When both your health is low (you can tell when it's low enough because it will flash red) and MAX Mode's power bar is fully charged, you can perform a Super Desperation Move. These SDMs are enhanced versions of the normal DMs and will do more damage/hits, have different properties, etc. Performing a DM/SDM while in MAX mode will end MAX mode immediately.
- Guard Cancel Roll (Emergency Roll)
Press A and B simultaneously while guarding a move. This uses Max Mode's power bar.
It's a great tool for punishing specific block strings as you roll and recover before the opponent recovers from the attack that was canceled into. Also a great way for avoiding defeat by chip damage. GC rolls go further than normal rolls.
- Dodge
By pushing B, C, and D together, you can dodge your opponent like KOF94's AB, but only Goro Daimon and Clark Still can perform it in this game.
- Taunt
Press B and C simultaneously to taunt and reduce your opponent's MAX Mode's power bar by ~40%. You can cancel the taunt at any time.
It's generally effective after rushing down the opponent and after successfully hitting DM/SDM Moves on the opponent because all moves made on hit and block increase the opponent's MAX Mode power bar.
- Running Backward Glitch
This can be done with any character. In order to do this, initiate the character to run then tap the directional up back then hold forward again extremely quickly.
Although the character is supposed to jump or hop backward, the frames for it never come out so the run animation overrides it. You can use this for running mind games by double tap run then tap up back to pretend running or do a mini dash backward with fewer recovery frames"
Running Backward Glitch Tutorial
- Multi-Hits
If you perform certain normal moves and attempt to cancel them into a DM while you are unable to use DM moves, a glitch occurs where that normal can hit multiple times. Some examples are Terrys st.D, Ryos st.C, and Ioris st.C.
