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The King of Fighters 98
拳皇 98
The King of Fighters '98, developed by SNK and released in 1998, is a 2-player arcade fighting game featuring team-based combat. Players select a team of three fighters and battle opponents in one-on-one matches sequentially until one team is eliminated. The game showcases a diverse roster of characters with distinct fighting styles, special moves executed through button combinations, and super attacks powered by a special meter. Controls are standard for arcade fighters: directional inputs for movement and attacks, with additional buttons for light, medium, and heavy strikes plus kicks. The arcade mode presents a series of increasingly challenging opponents, culminating in final boss encounters. The game emphasizes tactical team composition and player skill in executing combos and managing resources across multiple fights.
- Developer
- SNK
- Released
- 1998
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Players
- 2P
- Rating
- 4.3 / 5 (2.7K)
- Last updated
The King of Fighters 98 Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for The King of Fighters 98 on our in-browser Arcade emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
The King of Fighters 98 Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of The King of Fighters 98 on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"The King of Fighters 98" Arcade longplay 1998
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was The King of Fighters 98 released?
The King of Fighters 98 was released in 1998 for the Arcade.
Who developed The King of Fighters 98?
The King of Fighters 98 was developed by SNK, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
How many players does The King of Fighters 98 support?
The King of Fighters 98 supports up to 2 players, ideal for couch co-op or competitive sessions on the Arcade.
What type of game is The King of Fighters 98?
The King of Fighters 98 is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play The King of Fighters 98 for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — The King of Fighters 98 runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play The King of Fighters 98 in the browser?
No. The King of Fighters 98 streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in The King of Fighters 98?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does The King of Fighters 98 work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play The King of Fighters 98 this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of The King of Fighters 98. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
