The King of Fighters '96 is a 2D fighting game released by SNK in 1996.
Introduction
Game Mechanics
Notations
- Controls and basic notation of KOF 96
Joystick Notation
.- up (u)
|
up-back (u/b) - 7 8 9 - up-forward (u/f)
back (b) - 4 5 6 - forward (f)
down-back (d/b) - 1 2 3 - down-forward (d/f)
|
`- down (d)
Primary Note: These numbers can be easily referenced by looking at your keyboard numpad. Think of it as a joystick/controller that is facing to the right. "5" is used to signify "neutral".
Secondary Note: These notations are based on the assumption that the character is on the "Player 1" side of the playing field. These notations remain relative to the character based upon this assumption.
Motion Abbreviations
- qcf - 236 - Quarter circle forward/Hadouken/Fireball motion - In one smooth motion move to down -> down-forward -> forward.
- qcf - 214 - Quarter circle backward - In one smooth motion move to down -> down-back -> back.
- hcf - 41236 - Half circle forward - In one smooth motion move to back -> down-back -> down -> down-forward -> forward.
- hcb - 63214 - Half circle backward - In one smooth motion move to forward -> down-forward -> down -> down-back -> back.
- dp - 623 - Dragon Punch motion - In one smooth motion move to forward -> down -> down-forward.
- rdp - 421 - Reverse Dragon Punch motion - In one smooth motion move to back -> down -> down-back.
- Charge - Hold the given direction (usually back/down) for around 1 second, before moving to the next command (usually forward or up a button).
- tk - 2369 - Tiger Knee Motion - qcf, then move to up-forward.
Attack Notation
- A - LP - Light Punch
- B - LK - Light Kick
- C - HP - Hard Punch
- D - HK - Hard Kick
- CD - Blow back attack, press C and D simultaneously.
- P - Any punch
- K - Any kick
Other common abbreviations
- j. - Jump/jumping - Press up-back, up, or up-forward.
- nj. - Neutral jump - Referencing specifically for directly upward jump, especially for specific attacks that only occur in this state.
- sj. - Super jump - Tap down, down-back, or down-forward, then quickly press up-back or up-forward.
- sh. - Short hop - Lightly tap up-back, up, or up-forward.
- hh. - Hyper hop - Tap down, down-back, or down-forward, then quickly and lightly tap up-back or up-forward.
- cl. - Close, as in a close normal attack.
- cr. - Crouching, as in a crouching normal attack.
- st. - Standing, as in a far standing normal attack.
- f. - Forward, and relative to the direction the character is facing.
- b. - Back, and relative to the direction the character is facing.
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 or F+C : Throw
- B or 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.
Advanced Strategy
Game Versions
Tier List
The Characters
Hero Team
Fatal Fury Team
Art of Fighting Team
New Ikari Team
Psycho Soldier Team
New Woman's Fighter Team
Kim Team/Korea Team
Yagami Team
Boss Team
Bosses
(Selectable only through dipswitches using Universe Bios cheat menu by enabling 1-3 at the How to Play screen)