The King of Fighters '97 — play free online

How to start playing

Select Play now, allow the external player when prompted, then click its PLAY NOW button. Wait for the Neo Geo startup and click inside the game. Press Right Shift and check that CREDIT increases, then press Enter. Use the arrows and X to confirm Advanced or Extra, select three fighters and set their fighting order. Wait through the stage introduction until ROUND and READY finish before testing movement and attacks.

Credits are virtual button presses, not a payment. Right Shift is the key on the keyboard's right side. Click the picture again if Click to make keyboard keys work appears. A moving attract demonstration is not your match: check the credit counter, player-one selection and your response to the arrows. Selection screens have timers, so make your choices before they expire.

Advanced or Extra: choose a system before a team

Advanced builds on KOF '96: running, an evasive roll and stored power stocks encourage active positioning. Extra follows the earlier KOF '94/'95 style with a forward hop, a stationary dodge and a chargeable power gauge. They change how you escape pressure and earn access to stronger attacks; they are not merely difficulty settings.

For a first session, keep Advanced selected and learn one movement option at a time. In Extra, charging power leaves you exposed, so look for distance rather than charging directly in front of a ready opponent. The Power gauge belongs to the chosen system; do not import KOF 2002's MAX-combo rules into this game.

Three fighters, four attacks and a useful starting team

The team has three members who fight in sequence, not three characters controlled at once. Losing one fighter brings in the next; the surviving opponent remains in the match. The order screen matters because your opening fighter is the one whose movement and attack range you will practise first.

Kyo, Benimaru and Goro provide a concrete starting team: Kyo gives a familiar strike-based approach, Benimaru offers long kicks and Goro shows how different a grappler feels. You can choose other available characters instead. Begin with normal attacks before trying character-specific commands; choosing an established team is a learning shortcut, not a guaranteed win.

Spacing practice that carries into the next round

X and Z are light punch and light kick; S and A are heavy punch and heavy kick. The original Neo Geo buttons A/B/C/D correspond to X/Z/S/A here. These differ from the generic letters shown by the emulator's controller layout. Use the control table below rather than assuming on-screen A means keyboard A.

Walk into the edge of a standing kick's range, attack once, then retreat. Hold away from the opponent to guard; down-away covers low attacks, while some overhead or airborne attacks require a standing guard. Repeated forward jumps are easy to anticipate. Practise a short jump, a grounded light attack and a retreat separately before adding long sequences.

Keyboard controls

Player 1 defaults from the embedded player's Controls Settings. Right Shift means the Shift key on the right of the keyboard. Click inside the game before pressing keys; remapped keys take precedence.

Devices, loading and progress

Desktop Chrome on macOS was used to check startup and keyboard input on October 31, 2026. The game runs in an external RetroGames.cc player. No app or browser plugin installation is required; game and emulator resources still download after you start.

Android phones and iPhone/iPad have not been tested on physical devices. Touch controls, simultaneous button presses, sound and fullscreen behavior are unverified. Use a desktop keyboard for the verified setup; a smaller screen alone does not establish phone compatibility.

A page favorite only bookmarks the game. Automatic progress recovery and the provider's save-state or online-play features have not been verified. Reloading can lose the current session. For missing sound, interact with the game and check its speaker control; for ignored keys, click the game again.

Fix a game that will not load · Understand browser game saves

Player questions

Version, sources and updates

Version: The King of Fighters '97 (NGM-2320), SNK Neo Geo MVS, 1997. The public RetroGames.cc Embed Code identifies this set; SNK's series page dates the arcade release to July 28, 1997 and identifies the two modes and Orochi Saga finale.

Guide maintained by WASM Arcade Directory · 2026-10-31

RetroGames.cc — The King of Fighters '97 — Exact arcade version and public Embed Code checked; startup and player-input tests recorded October 31, 2026. This was a short gameplay check, not a complete playthrough.

WASM Arcade Directory is an independent guide site, separate from RetroGames.cc and the original game publishers. The embedded player's interface and game language may differ from this guide. No player totals, ratings or network multiplayer results are claimed.

• SNK — The King of Fighters '97 release and modes
• FBNeo — Neo Geo MVS sets and arcade inputs