The King of Fighters '97

The King of Fighters '97 closed out the Orochi storyline that had run through the series since 1994, giving fans a final showdown against the antagonists behind three years of tournaments. It introduced the Advanced and Extra fighting styles, letting players choose between a defence-focused meter system and an aggressive one built around chaining special moves, a choice that meaningfully changed how a team played. Widely considered a high point of the pre-'98 era, it remains a favourite among competitive players.