The King of Fighters '97 Beginner's Reference v.1.2

This Reference is designed to help beginning players learn and
understand the basics of KoF '97 -- how to play, which Mode
of play to choose, and so on. The Guide also features a glossary
of terms commonly associated with KoF '97

1. The King of Fighters '97 Beginner's Reference v.1.2 ----------------------------------------------------- This Reference is designed to help beginning players learn
and understand the basics of KoF '97 -- how to play, which Mode of play to choose, and so on. The Guide also features a glossary of terms
commonly associated with KoF '97. --(*) Contents:-- (I.): What is KoF '97? (II.): Basics: Buttons, Joystick Motions, and Some Notes About Special
Move Motions in KoF '97 (III.): Advanced Mode vs. Extra Mode (IV.): Game Mechanics (V.): Glossary of Commonly Used Terms in KoF '97 (VI.):
Credits, Version History (I.) What is KoF '97? KoF '97 is the fourth installment of SNK's King of Fighters 4ghting game series (which began in
199; with KoF '9;)P a series with several interesting features, not the least of which is Team !lay: instead of paying one credit and simply
getting to play one character, KoF lets you choose a Team of three different characters to compete against other Teams of threeY This year, the
KoF tournament returns with a vengeance, featuring several new faces and plenty of old favorites. Keep your eye out for gameplay in two
completely different Modes, each with its own set of options to explore. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (II.) BASICS:
Here is the basic control layout.: --(*) Joystick Key: (When Oour Character is Facing to the Right):-- up-bk up up-fwd \ \ \ | / " bk \ - n - \ fwd " /
| \ \ \ dwn-bk dwn dwn-fwd Buttons: DA,D DB,D DC,D DLD KoF '97 uses the old Fatal Fury 2 button setup: A-jight !unch C-Heavy !unch B-jight Kick
L-Heavy Kick CL-Knockdown Attack (N\TE: CL's can only be performed while +umping or while standing up. There is no such thing as a Dlow
CL.D N\TE: Standing CL's are the same, close or far, and are always bufferable.) Normal Throw-fwd or bk [ C or L (Special moves performed
with A or C ]punch buttonsq are often written with a D!D to indicate D!unch buttonD ]e.g. D=cf [ !DqP B or L kick moves are likewise written with a
DKD to indicate DKick buttonD ]e.g. Dhcb [ KDq.) Joystick Movement: DupD or DuD 6 DupD DdwnD or DdD 6 DdownD DfwdD or DfD 6 DforwardD DbkD or DbD 6
DbackD Dup-fwdD or DufD 6 Dup-forwardD Ddwn-bkD or DdbD 6 Ddown-backD DnD 6 D+oystick neutral ]centeredqD D=cfD 6 D=uarter circle forwardD (dwn, dwn-
fwd, fwd) D=cbD 6 D=uarter circle backD (dwn, dwn-bk, bk) DhcfD 6 Dhalf-circle forwardD (bk, dwn-bk, dwn, dwn-fwd, fwd) DhcbD 6 Dhalf-circle
backD (fwd, dwn-fwd, dwn, dwn-bk, bk) Dcharge dwn, upD 6 Dhold +oystick down brie3y, then move upD (also: Dcharge d, uD) Dcharge bk, fwdD 6 Dhold
+oystick back brie3y, then move forwardsD (also: Dcharge b, fD) DcloseD 6 Dperform the move near opponentD DfarD 6 Dperform the move far from
opponentD DstandingD 6 Dperform the move while your character is standingD DlowD 6 Dperform the move while your character is crouchingD D+umpD
6 Dperform the move while your character is +umpingD Dhigh-blockD 6 Dmove +oystick straight backD (used to block most standing attacks and
+umping attacks Dlow-blockD 6 Dmove +oystick to dwn-bkD (used to block most low attacks) --(*) A Few Notes About Special Move Motions in KoF
'97:-- Charge-Moves: A DCharge MoveD is one that re=uires the player to DchargeD the +oystick brie3y in one direction, then =uickly move the
+oystick in another direction ]usually the oppositeq and press ]aq button(s). An example of this is Ralf's DGatling !unch,D (charge bk, fwd [ !).
Note1: KoF '97, like its predecessor KoF '9>, sometimes has a bit of trouble detecting charge-motions -- because of this, players must be fairly
'precise' about buffering charges. Make sure that you have charged the move long enough, or it simply will not come out as such. Note2: It also
seems that charge-moves are more easily detected when +oystick diagonals (dwn-bk especially) are used to charge, instead of straight
directions (+oystick bk or dwn). NoteX: In KoF '97, as with KoF '9>, a charge-move may not be 'held' at the very start of a round of play. This
means that if you would like to start your round with a charge move, you may only start charging up the move after the round begins. Note;: In
KoF'97, as with KoF '9>, a charge may not be 'held' when switching the +oystick from the dwn-bk to the bk position. This means that if you are
buffering a charge low and you 4nd you need to 'block high,' you will lose the low-charge you have been buffering. (There are > characters in KoF
'97 e=uipped with charge-movesP they are jeona, Kim Kapwhan, Ralf, Blue Mary, Chang Koehan and Choi Bounge.) Manual Moves: A Manual
Move is really +ust any special move that does not re=uire a Charge to perform. Examples of this are Ryo's DKohohD (fwd, dwn, dwn-fwd [ !), and

2. Terry's DBurn KnuckleD (=cb [ !). Note1: In the previous game, KoF '9>, there was a troublesome problem with move-detection: moves that were
performed using =uarter-circles (i.e. =cf " =cb) came out easily enough, while moves performed with half-circles (i.e. hcf " hcb) would often Dnot
come out.D This year the converse seems to be true: half-circle motions are extremely easy to do, while =uarter-circle motions seem less
reliable. Note2: In order to deal with this problem, many KoF players from around the world have sought out 'shortcutsP' easier, more reliable
ways to do =uarter- and half- circle motions. The following is a list of the most currently known shortcuts: 'Formal' Motion Shortcut: hcf dwn-bk
-5 fwd hcb dwn-fwd -5 bk =cf dwn -5 dwn-fwd =cb dwn -5 dwn-bk fwd, dwn, dwn-fwd fwd -5 n -5 dwn-fwd =cf, hcb dwn -5 dwn-fwd -5 bk =cb, hcf
dwn -5 dwn-bk -5 fwd hcf x 2 (dwn-bk -5 fwd) x 2 hcb x 2 (dwn-fwd -5 bk) x 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (III.):
Advanced Mode vs. Extra Mode KoF '97 lets players play their teams in one of two Modes: Advanced Mode and Extra Mode.: ----ALVANCEL
M\LE---- Features: *Roll Forwards: n [ AB or fwd [ AB *Roll Backwards: bk [ AB *Run Forwards: tap fwd, hold fwd \R tap fwd, hold dwn-fwd
*Lash Backwards: tap bk, tap bk " tap bk, hold bk *Normal Jump: push +oystick up-bk " up " up-fwd *Short Hop Jump: tap +oystick up-bk " up "
up-fwd *Super Jump: push +oystick dwn-bk -5 push +oystick up-fwd " push +oystick dwn -5 push +oystick up " push +oystick dwn-fwd -5 push
+oystick up-bk \R while running forwards -5 push +oystick up-fwd *Super Short Hop: push +oystick dwn-bk -5 tap +oystick up-fwd " push +oystick
dwn -5 tap +oystick up " push +oystick dwn-fwd -5 tap +oystick up-bk \R push +oystick =cf, up-fwd -5 tap +oystick dwn-bk push +oystick =cb, up-bk -
5 tap +oystick dwn-fwd \R while running forwards -5 tap +oystick up-fwd *Throw Escape: when grabbed by a normal throw, you may escape from
it by =uickly pressing a button (A"B"C"L) *May Hold up to X !\W stocks *!\W Explode (go intoMA%): !ress ABC (costs 1 stock) *\n MA%:
characters deal 20z extra damage *LM's cost one stock to perform *SLM: on MA%, perform LM (costs 2 stocks total) one must be used to
!\W explode, the other is used for the LM itself *Lash-in Special Moves"LM: while dashing forwards, DcancelD the dashing animation into a
special move or S"LM ]one that does not re=uire a charge bk, fwd motionP or Ryo's hcf [ ! !unch Lanceq. *Lash-in Normal Throw: while dashing
forwards, stop, then immediately throw by: fwd, hold fwd (to dash) -5 n -5 bk [ C"L \R fwd, hold fwd (to dash) -5 n -5 fwd [ C"L *Standard
Features: -MA% roll: with a stock, press AB (costs 1 stock) -CL Counter: with a stock, press CL (costs 1 stock) -Roll Recover: when knocked
down, immediately press AB -Taunt: !ress Start (does not affect gameplay) --Building up !\W-- *Advanced Mode has an orange bar called a
D!\W meter,D and next to it are three 'boxes' that are initially empty. As the Advanced Mode !layer attacks, performs special moves or defends,
the !\W meter will begin to 4ll up. When the !\W meter is full, it will reset to empty, and one of the three 'boxes' will be 4lled with a green dot,
known commonly as a D!\W stockD ]or simply a DstockDq. As the player then continues to attack, perform special moves or defend, the now
empty !\W meter will begin to re4llP when it does, it will empty out again, and the player will receive another stock in another box. !layers may
accumulate up to three stocks ]one in each boxq. *With one stock, the player may: -!erform a DLM,D or Lesperation Move (also known as a
DSuper MoveD): Each character has his or her own speci4c arsenal of LM's. When a character performs his"her LM, s"he emits a blue 3ash, and
the entire screen darkens brie3y to black. -DCancelD his"her block-stun with a DMA% rollD: An Advanced Mode player with a stock may, the next
time s"he blocks an attack, press AB (or fwd [ AB) to do MA% roll forwards, or bk [ AB to MA% roll backwards. The player may 4nd this
advantageous, as s"he can use this to break out of block-stun, to get clear to safety or perhaps set up a counterattack. Be aware, however, that
a MA% roll costs you one !\W stock. -DCancelD his"her block-stun with a DCL counterD: An Advanced Mode player with a stock, may, the next
time s"he blocks an attack, press CL to do a CL counter -- this is a fast, high priority counterattack that nearly always knocks the opponent
down. !layers should be warned that CL counters will DcostD one stock, and do very little damageP some players may wish to conserve stocks

3. for MA% rolls to set up counterattacks or to perform a far more damaging S"LM later on in the matchupP though using a CL counter is a good
way to break out of a multi-hitting special move, especially when you are low on life. -!ress ABC to D!\W explodeD: An Advanced Mode player
with a stock may press ABC to !\W explode -- after this is done, the player is now Don MA%,D and the player's !\W meter will be replaced for a
short time with a DMA% meterD that indicates how much time the player has left to be on MA%. When an Advanced Mode character is on MA%,
he"she will deliver an additional 20z damage on all attacks(Y). Advanced !layers on MA%, if they have another stock, may also perform SLM's
]see nextq. *With two ]or moreq stocks, the player may: -!ress ABC to go on MA%. This 'costs' one stock, so the player should be on MA% with
one or two stocks remaining in his boxes. While the player is on MA%, any LM that the player performs will automatically be an SLM (DSuper
Lesperation MoveD) -- a stronger version of the LM that will typically deal more damage, deliver more hits and may have a few other interesting
properties besides. When a character performs his"her LM, s"he emits a pink 3ash, and the entire screen darkens to black momentarily.
*Additional Notes: -Advanced Mode features ; types of +ump: Normal Jumps, Short Hop Jumps, Super Jumps and Super Short Hops. -Throw
Escapes: Advanced Mode features throw escapesP tap any button to escape a normal throw. -Roll Recovery: When knocked down, the player
may immediately press AB to roll up from the ground =uickly. -Taunts: !ress Start to perform your character's taunt. This has no effect on
gameplay or !\W meters in either Mode. Advanced Mode seems to most closely resemble KoF '9>'s style of play with rolls, hops, forward-
running and throw escapes, which suggests that it might be a better Mode for aggressive, dynamic players -- note in Advanced Mode you are
unable to manually ABC charge your !\W meterP as such, you will have to move about and attack and defend to build up your !\W. However, in
Advanced Mode you may 4ll your meter up X times, storing up to X !\W stocks for later use. This ability to store up !\W stocks will help a
dynamic player gain access to SLM's more easily than in Extra Mode. ----E%TRA M\LE---- Features: *Lodge: AB *Forward Hop: tap fwd, tap fwd
\R tap fwd, tap dwn-fwd *Lash Backwards: tap bk, tap bk \R tap bk, hold bk *Normal Jump: push +oystick up-bk " up " up-fwd *Super Jump: tap
+oystick up-bk " up " up-fwd \R push +oystick dwn-bk -5 tap +oystick up-fwd " push +oystick dwn -5 tap +oystick up push +oystick dwn-fwd -5 tap
+oystick up-bk \R push +oystick =cf, up-fwd " push +oystick =cb, up-bk *!\W meter chargeup: press and hold ABC (when !\W meter is full,
player is on MA%) *on MA%: characters deal 08z extra damage *LM's can be performed if on MA%, \R when the lifebar is red *Unlimited Use of
LM's: when lifebar is red *SLM: at full !\W and red lifebar, perform LM (empties !\W meter) *Hop-Forward Special Moves"LM: while hopping
forwards, DcancelD the last frames of DhopD animation (+ust as your character is coming to a halt) into a special move or S"LM ]one that does not
re=uire a charge bk, fwd motionP or Ryo's hcf [ ! !unch Lanceq. *Hop-Forward Normal Throw: while hopping forwards, then throwing +ust as you
recover from the hop animation: fwd, fwd (to hop) -5 n -5 bk [ C"L \R fwd, fwd (to hop) -5 n -5 fwd [ C"L *Standard Features: -MA% roll: with a
stock, press AB (costs 1 stock) -CL Counter: with a stock, press CL (costs 1 stock) -Roll Recover: when knocked down, immediately press AB -
Taunt: !ress Start (does not affect gameplay) Note: Extra Mode does N\T feature throw-escapes. --Building up !\W-- *Extra Mode also has a
D!\W meter,D though the Extra Mode !\W meter is colored yellow instead of orange. Unlike Advanced Mode, the Extra Mode player CANN\T 4ll
up the !\W meter by attacking, performing special moves or defendingP the Extra Mode !\W meter can be 4lled only by ABC !\W Chargeup.
\nce the !\W meter is 4lled, the Extra Mode !\W meter immediately changes into a MA% meter and the Extra !layer is on MA%. When on
MA%, all of the player's attacks will deal an additional 08z damagePand the player may also opt to spend his"her full !\W meter on a LM"SLM,
or a MA% roll or a CL counter. *Extra Mode LM's: Can be performed in two instances: -!\W meter is full (when used, !\W meter empties out) -
when the lifebar is 3ashing red *Extra Mode SLM's: SLM's can only be performed if the player has both a full !\W meter and a red lifebar. *With

4. a full !\W meter, Extra Mode players may also perform a MA% roll or CL counterP be aware that doing this empties the !\W meter. *Additional
Notes: -Extra Mode players may Recovery Roll and Taunt as well. Extra Mode seems to most closely resemble the play of KoF '9;: forward-hops
instead of full dashes, dodging, and ABC !\W chargeup. Extra seems geared more towards less dynamic players who tend to prefer to stay in
one place, possibly using the dodge to 'trap' their opponents by buffering a command throw immediately from the dodge. It has in fact been
speculated that the most effective characters in Extra Mode are throw-based Dgrapplers.D Though Extra Mode players don't often have access to
SLM's (since they must have both a red lifebar and full !\W), they have ready access to LM's by ABC !\W charge-up, and can perform
unlimited LM's when the lifebar is 3ashing red. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (IV.) Game Mechanics --(*) The following
is a general list of features of KoF '97 gameplay.:-- 1.) Guard Crush If Oou Block Too Much: After a player forces his opponent to block several
hits within a short period of time, the opponent may get Guard Crushed: when this happens, the blue DGuard CrushD message should appear on
the screen. The opponent will stumble backwards for a moment, unable to block. In certain cases, the Guard Crush may actually be followed up
immediately with another attack which the opponent will be unable to block(Y). 2.) DCounterD Messages Set Up Juggles: If !layer A hits !layer B
while player B is performing a special move (this is known to Tekken players as Dinterrupting a moveD), !layer A's attack will count as a Counter.
When this happens, the red DCounterD message should appear on the screen. In certain cases, if !layer A used an attack that knocks down to
perform the counter, s"he may be able to +uggle !layer B afterwards by immediately buffering a ]specialq move to follow up. This sort of +uggle
is known as a DCounter Juggle.D (see Glossary) The most common and easy-to-use move to set up such a +uggle is with the CL knockdown
blow. X.) DCritical HitD Messages Stun Oou A Bit jonger: Though the exact circumstances for performing a Critical Hit are uncertain, it is known
that certain characters tend to get Criticals much more often (Ralf with his Ralf Kick ]charge bk, fwd [ KqP jeona with her Moon Slasher ]charge
dwn, up [ !qP Shingo with several of his special moves). When a Critical Hit occurs on a blocking opponent, the opponent's guard is broken for a
moment, causing the opponent to stumble backwards a bit. When a Critical Hit occurs on an opponent who was not blocking (i.e. s"he took the
hit), it causes a slightly longer hit-stun. ;.) DCounter CriticalsD Are Juggle Hits Too: When a Critical Hit is performed under Counter conditions, a
Counter Critical may occur (the DCounter CriticalD message, with DCounterD in red letters and DCriticalD in green letters directly beneath it, should
appear on the screen). When this happens, the player that got the Counter Critical will not only 'stun' the opponent a bit longer with the hit, but s"
he may also be able to Counter Juggle the opponent afterwards(Y). 0.) Command Attack(s), Use 'Em If Oou Got 'Em: Certain characters in the
game have 'Command Attacks,' normal move attacks that can only be performed with by pressing the +oystick in a certain direction and
pressing the button (e.g.: Joe Higashi's Ground Circle Shot ]fwd [ Bq). \f these, some command attacks may have special propertiesP for
example, Kyo's fwd [ B Axe Kick is an DoverheadD and cannot be low-blocked. >.) Turn Oour Command Attack Into A Chain Combo: Characters
]who have themq can use their command attack(s) Dby themselvesD (i.e. do nothing before the command attackP simply buffer in the command
and press the button). When used in this way, command attacks have different properties in each case: for example, Ryo Saka~aki's Ice !illar
Smash ]fwd [ Aq is an overhead when used Dby itself.D However, command attacks may also be Dchain comboedD from bufferable normal moves
(e.g.: Ryo can also chain combo his standing C -5 fwd [ A for 2 hits total]Yq). -Note: When a command attack is chained this way, it loses any
special properties it may have had Dby itself.D For example, when Ryo's fwd [ A is chained, it is no longer an overhead and may be blocked low. -
Note: When a command attack is chained, often it becomes bufferable (if it wasn't already)P this can help certain characters perform even
longer, more powerful combos. 7.) Run Up And Lo A Special Move: In '97, every single ]non-chargeq special move and S"LM can be DbufferedD

5. directly from a forward dash (Advanced Mode) or a forward hop (Extra Mode), with the exception of Dcharge bk, fwd [ !"KD moves, like jeona's
DGround Sabre,D and, curiously enough, Ryo's DKyokugen !unch LanceD (hcf [ !). That is, while running forwards, you can DcancelD your running
animation immediately into a special move (in Advanced Mode)P or you can DcancelD the last frames of DrecoveryD animation from your forward
hop (in Extra Mode). All other specials and LM's (including command throwsY) can be buffered directly from a forward dash"hop. &.) Run Up
And Lo A Throw: Advanced Mode players may cancel a forward dash, then follow with a normal throw. Extra Mode characters may cancel the
4nal frames of the forward-hop animation into a normal throw. For Advanced Mode: fwd, hold fwd (to dash) -5 n -5 bk [ C"L \R fwd, hold fwd
(to dash) -5 n -5 fwd [ C"L (Note: Releasing the +oystick to the DnD position causes the character to abruptly stop his"her forward dash.
Immediately cancel this DstopD into a bk [ C"L or fwd [ C"L throw.) For Extra Mode: fwd, fwd (to hop) -5 n -5 bk [ C"L \R fwd, fwd (to hop) -5 n -
5 fwd [ C"L (Note: As soon as your character 4nishes the DleapD from the forward-hop, do bk [ C"L or fwd [ C"L to do a normal throw.)
(Additional Note: This techni=ue may seem rather diZcult, but is very, very useful once mastered.) 9.) Charge Lwn While Running: Forward
Lashing"Hopping can be performed two ways in KoF '97: fwd -5 fwd \R fwd -5 dwn-fwd This is a hold-over from KoF '9> which actually works to
the advantage of characters with charge-based moves. By dashing"hopping using the fwd -5 dwn-fwd command, a character can actually dwn-
charge a Dcharge dwn, upD move using the dwn-fwd part of the dash to charge. Example: -Advanced Mode Ralf dashes forwards: fwd -5 hold
dwn-fwd -After starting to dash, he player continuously holds the +oystick dwn-fwd, which actually holds a dwn-charge. -After dashing halfway
across the screen, Ralf immediately buffers his dash (see Game Mechanics, entry 7) into his Blit~krieg !unch (charge dwn, up [ !). 18.) Aerial
Recovery: Characters with special moves or S"LMs that can be performed in mid-air can use those special moves to DcancelD their falling
animation and DrecoverD from being hit Dout of the airD by a normal (non-special) move. Example: -Mai +umps at Kyo, who hits her out of the air
with his low C punch. -Instead of falling right to the ground, Mai =uickly performs her aerial DMusasabi No MaiD (=cb [ !), which 'cancels' her
falling animation into her special move. 11.) Air-Blocking: Air-blocking exists only to a limited extent in KoF '97. A character may only air-block
an attack if he or she has +umped straight up or backwards. A player may -not- air-block on a forward +ump. 12.) Re3ecting !ro+ectiles: Three
characters in KoF '97 (Oama~aki, Athena, Chi~uru) have the ability to Dre3ectD pro+ectile attacks back at their throwers with a Dre3ectD special
move. Note, however, that the only pro+ectiles that can be re3ected in this way are the following: -Joe's DHurricane UpperD (hcf [ !) -King's
DVenom StrikeD (=cf [ K) -King's DLouble StrikeD (=cf x 2 [ K) -Mai's DKachosenD (=cf [ !) -Iori's DLarkness ThrustD (=cf [ !) -Kensou's
DChokyuudanD (=cb [ !) -Athena's D!sycho BallD (=cb [ !) -DHaohshokokenD LM ]Ryo, Robert, Ouriq (fwd, hcf [ !) \ther DshortenedD pro+ectile
attacks (such as Ryo's DKooh-kenD ]=cf [ !q or Andy's DHishokenD ]=cb [ !q) cannot be Dre3ected.D --(*) Additional Notes About KoF '97's Game
Engine:-- 1.) Command Throws Have Most !riority: Command Throws (see Glossary) have the most priority of any special move in the game. A
command throw, when executed properly, will beat anything else (normal moves, special moves, non-command throw S"LM's) other than
another command throwY Note: As with all KoF games, command throws are also combo-able from a bufferable normal(Y). 2.) Higher Jump
Attacks Beat jower Jump Attacks: When characters +ump at each other and attack, the one who has +umped higher will nearly always win the
exchange. Therefore normal +umps usually beat Advanced Mode short hopsP and super +umps normally beat normal +umps. X.) CL's Aren't What
They Used To Be: The CL knockdown attack was both extremely fast and powerful in KoF '9>. For the most part, CL's have been slowed down
tremendously. When the CL hit does come out, it is usually a fairly high-priority hit, and is also bufferable. Though slow, CL's can still be used to
effect Counter Juggles (see Game Mechanics, entry 2). ;.) Normal Moves Have More !riority Than They Used To: In response to depowering

6. the CL's from KoF '9>, SNK apparently decided to increase the priority of several normal moves -- in fact normal moves seem to play even more
of a role in the game than ever. Experiment with your favorite characters and see. 0.) Some \f Us Have !ower CancelsY: Certain characters have
special moves or S"LMs whose animation can actually be DcancelledD immediately into another special move or S"LM(Y). It is important to note
that only certain characters have this ability, and only with a certain few moves (the only characters with !ower Cancel moves only have one
special move or S"LM that may be power-cancelled). Example: -Terry performs his D!ower ChargeD (hcf [ K) on Shingo, then power-cancels the
!ower Charge immediately into his Rising Tackle for a 9-hit combo. -Not to be outdone, Shingo performs his SLM DBurning ShingoD (=cf x 2 [ !)
on Terry, then power-cancels into his DUn4nished Twilight RideD (bk, dwn, dwn-fwd [ K). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(V.): Glossary of Commonly Used Terms in KoF '97 2-in-1: A combo resulting from the 'buffering' or 'cancelling' of a normal move into a special
move ]or LMq. An example of this might be Joe Higashi 'cancelling' a low C into a DSlash KickD (hcf [ K) for Rush: 2. Abbreviation: the practice of
referring to a phrase only by the 4rst letters of each word in the phrase. Many special moves in KoF '97 (especially those with long Japanese
names) are often abbreviated when discussing them (e.g. Andy Bogard's DChoureppadanD LM is often referred to simply as DAndy's CRLD).
Abuse (DAbusiveD) : taking ]unfairq advantage of a particular 3aw in a gameP this can involve ]repeatedq use of overpowered tactics"moves, or of
3aws in the game's engine itself. Advanced Mode: \ne of the two Modes of play in KoF '97, characteri~ed by AB rolling, !\W stocks, throw
escapes and short hops. Aerial: A move or attack performed while Din the air,D either by +umping or by getting +uggled. Aggressive: A style of play,
or strategy, that stresses offense ]i.e. moving towards your opponent and attacking constantlyP rather than sitting still and blockingq over
defense. (Also known as D\ffensive !layD) Air-blocking: While +umping, pull bk or dwn-bk on the +oystick. Oou will block any attack thrown at your
+umping character. N\TE: air-blocking may only be performed on a vertical (i.e. straight up) +ump or on a backward +ump. Oou may N\T air-block
while +umping forwards. (See Also: Blocking) Air-defense: A move that will hit a +umping attacker out of the air. Air-to-Air: A term used to
describe a +umping move and how it works against other +umping moves. An example is Terry's +ump B, which is excellent air-to-air defense.
Autoguard: The ability of certain special moves to DblockD other attacks while being performed. Example: Terry Bogard's DRising TackleD has an
autoguard, so if an opponent tries to hit Terry while he is doing the move, the Rising Tackle will actually DblockD the opponent's move and
continue to hit him. \ther examples of autoguard moves include Kyo Kusanagi's D\niyakiD uppercut and Ryo Saka~aki's DMoko Rai+in GoD sliding
punch. Block Lamage: The ]usuallyq small amount of damage that results from blocking a special move. Blocking: !ulling back or dwn-bk on
the +oystickP this causes your character to take a defensive stance and guard against incoming hits. There are X kinds of blocking in KoF '97: -
high-blocking: pull bk on the +oystick: this will guard against mostly all standing attacks and overheads, as well as all +umping attacks. This will -
not- protect you from crouching (low) attacks. -low-blocking: pull dwn-bk on the +oystick: this will guard against several standing attacks and all
low attacks. This will -not- protect you from overheads or +umping attacks. -air-blocking: while in the air, pull bk or dwn-bk on the +oystick. This
will guard against any attacks thrown at you while you are in the air. N\TE: Airblocking can only be performed on a vertical (straight up) or
backward +ump. Block Stun: The period of time during which a character goes into his"her blocking stance (pull bk or dwn-bk on +oystick). Block
stun may be interrupted by the blocking player with a MA% roll or with a CL counter, if the player has at least one !\W stock ]Advancedq or a full
!\W meter ]Extraq. Note: O\U MAO N\T BE THR\WN LURING Bj\CK STUN. Bufferable: The property of a normal move to be 'buffered,' or
'cancelled' into a special move ]or a command attackq. A bufferable normal move, buffered or cancelled into a special move, constitutes a D2-
in-1 combo.D (Also known as DcancellableD or DinterruptableD) Buffering: Inputting a special move (or command attack) while your character is

7. performing a 'bufferable' normal move. This causes the last few frames of animation of a bufferable normal move into be 'cancelled' or
'interrupted' into the special move (or command attack). An example of buffering might be Robert Garcia's low C into DHiensenpuu KyakuD (hcb
[ K) -- you should see Robert performing his low C punch, but immediately 'cancel' the last frames of animation of the punch into his HSK: this
is a D2-in-1 combo.D (Also known as DcancellingD or D2-in-1D) The term DbufferingD is also used to describe the 'cancelling' of normal moves into
charge-moves specials. In this case, it refers to the ability of a move to provide suZcient charge-time. Side Le4nition: Bufferable: A move that is
bufferable may be 'cancelled' or 'interrupted' into a special move (or a command attack chain combo). (Also known as Dcancellable,D
DinterruptableD) Cancelling: A reference either to a 2-in-1 combo or to D!ower Cancelling.D Note that in Japan, the arcadegoer's common term for
2-in-1 is Dcancelling.D CL: The Dknockdown attackD performed by pressing buttons C [ L. The CL always knocks down, and is always bufferable.
If used as a Counter hit, buffer the CL into a special move or LM immediately for a Counter +uggle. CL Counter: A knockdown attack that costs
one !\W stock ]Advanced Modeq or full !\W meter ]Extra Modeq to perform. While blocking your opponent's attack, press CL ]i.e. interrupt
block-stunq, though they deal very little damage. CL counters are also accompanied by a brief blue 3ash of light. Chain Combo: A combo in
which one normal move is comboed into another. Chain combos in KoF '97 can only be performed by chaining a bufferable normal move into a
command attack. Note the difference between a Chain Combo and a jink: a Chain involves interrupting the last frames of animation of the 4rst
move into the second (e.g. Joe's close standing C -5 fwd [ B)P a jink involves allowing all of the frames of animation of the 4rst attack to 4nish,
then =uickly following it with a second attack (e.g. Shingo's low B -5 low A). (See Also: Command Attack, jink, Combo) Changeup: Switching
between two ]or moreq alternatives from a single starting point. The most obvious examples of change-ups are Dhigh-low gamesD that involve
mixing up overheads and low hits so that the opponent doesn't know which way to block. In Advanced Mode, mixing up Joe Higashi's short hop
+ump L (which hits high) and his fwd [ B (which hits low) is an example of a high-low Dchangeup.D Character Width: A rough 'unit of measure' of
hori~ontal distance along the groundP about the width of a mid-si~ed character. (Example: The Advanced Mode AB roll is @ 1.0 to 2 character
widths long.) Charge-Moves: A DCharge MoveD is one that re=uires the player to hold the +oystick, or DchargeD it in that direction, then move the
+oystick in another direction ]usually the oppositeq and press ]aq button(s) in order to perform it. An example of this is jeona's DMoon SlasherD:
Dcharge dwn, up [ !D (this means: D'charge' the +oystick down brie3y, then move the +oystick up and press a !unch button, A or CD). Combo: A
'combination' of one attack 'cancelled' into anotherP this can take the form of following a +umping hit with a well-timed hit on the ground for a
'+ump-in combo,' or in the form of a 2-in-1 or chain. Usually the best way to tell if two moves 2-in-1 combo is to watch their animation: if the last
frames of animation of the 4rst move are 'cancelled into' the second, the two moves are said to 'combo into' each other. KoF '97 also features a
Rush Meter to count up comboed hits. Command Attack: A normal move that can only be performed by pushing the +oystick in a certain single
direction and the appropriate button. Command attacks may be used 'by themselves,' in which case they may have certain special properties
associated with them ]e.g. Ryu+i Oama~aki's Lownward Scratch (fwd [ A) is an overhead when used 'by itself'q. Command attacks can also be
used in chain combos ]i.e. bufferable normal move into command attackq, but when they are, they will lose any special properties associated
with them ]e.g. the Lownward Scratch will no longer be an overheadq. Note that some unbufferable command attacks do become bufferable
when chained. Note also that command attacks are treated as normal moves, as they do not deal block damage. Counter: An attack that hits
the opponent +ust as s"he is performing a special move. \n a successful Counter, the DCounterD message should appear on the screen in red
letters. \n a successful Counter with an attack that knocks down, it may also be possible to follow-up immediately with another attack for a

8. DCounter Juggle.D Counter Critical: An attack that hits the opponent +ust as s"he is performing a special move, and is also performed under
Critical Hit conditions. \n a succesful Counter Critical, the DCounter CriticalD message should appear on the screen with the word DCounterD in
red letters and DCriticalD in green letters beneath it. As with Counter hits, Critical hits may allow the player to follow-up immediately with another
attack for a DCounter Juggle.D Counter Juggle: This '+uggle' results from hitting the opponent with a Counter (see Counter). The most reliable
way to perform a counter +uggle is to counter your opponent's special move with a CL knockdown attack ]or a bufferable normal that knocks
downq, then 'buffer,' or 'cancel' the knockdown attack into a special move ]in some cases counters can be +uggled with LM's insteadYq -- if it is
successful, the special move follow-up should hit the opponent as s"he is falling to the ground from the CL attack. Critical Hit: An attack that
causes a slightly longer 'stun' on one's opponent. If a Critical Hit is blocked, it will momentarily break the opponent's guard and cause him"her to
stumble backwards a stepP if a Critical Hit connects ]i.e. the opponent takes the hitq, it will cause a slightly longer hit-stun. Crossup: A +umping
attack that is performed so 'deep' that it actually 'crosses over' the opponent and forces him"her to block in the opposite direction: -!layer A is
standing on the leftP !layer B is standing on the right. -!layer A +umps to the right, towards !layer B and performs an attack that crosses up ]it
hits !layer B in the back of the neck"shoulderq -!layer B would normally pull the +oystick to the right to block the attack, but since the attack was
a crossup, !layer B must Dblock the other way,D by holding the +oystick to the left ]otherwise s"he will get hitYq (Also known as DCrossoverD) LM:
DLesperation Move,D DLeath Move,D etc. A LM is a move that costs one !\W stock ]Advancedq or a full !\W meter ]Extraq, and typically does
=uite a bit more damage than any normal or special move. Each character has his"her own speci4c LM's. When used on MA% ]Advancedq or
with both a red lifebar and a full !\W meter ]Extraq, a LM becomes an SLM. LM's are always accompanied by a blue 3ash of light and a
momentary darkening of the rest of the screen to black. Leep ]hitq: A hit that connects from fairly close range. A deep hit from a +ump-in attack
or close ground attack usually allows the player to follow-up immediately with another attackP a deep hit with a special move usually means that
all of the special move's hits will 'connect.' Lodge: The ability to =uickly turn to the side and avoid all non-throw attacks. The Lodge is only
available to Extra Mode players, and is performed by pressing AB. Note that Extra Mode players are vulnerable to throws while dodging. Early:
!erforming a counterattack more or less +ust as or right after your opponent has initially attacked. An example of an early move is jeona's C-
button DMoon SlasherD (charge dwn, up [ !)P when done 'early' against a +umping or otherwise attacking opponent, it will hit that opponent
cleanly out of his"her attackP if it is done late, jeona will most likely trade hits. (See also: jate) Extra Mode: \ne of the two Modes of play in KoF
'97, characteri~ed by super +umps, forward hops, ABC !\W charge-up and dodging. Finisher: The ending hit on a special moveP usually re=uires
an extra +oystick [ button input. An example is Kim Kapwhan's L-button DHien~anD: after performing the Hien~an, you can push dwn [ L to get
the '4nisherP' an extra down-hit that ends the move. Glitch: A computer error that usually results in some strange effect. An example is Billy
Kane's DWhirlwind Fire WheelD LM: when Billy is command-thrown out of this LM, he will fall down, but because of a glitch, the 4re wheel will not
disappearP instead, it will stay on screen (even after Billy has fallen) and hit the command thrower multiple times(Y). Grab: see Throw Grappler: A
character that bases most of his"her special moves, LM's and strategy on command throws. Ground: Term used to describe a character who is
standing or crouching on the ground (i.e. not +umping or falling down). DGround attacksD are either standing or lowP Dgrounded charactersD are
standing or crouching 4rmly on the ground. An example: jeona's A-button DMoon SlasherD will knock down a +umping opponent, but will not
knock down a 'grounded' opponent. Guard Crush: A Guard Crush occurs when a player blocks too many attacks within a short period of time.
\n a successful Guard Crush, the player will stumble backwards a bit, and the DGuard CrushD message should appear on the screen in blue

9. letters. If reacted to very =uickly, Guard Crushes may be followed-upP most easily by performing a Guard Crush with a bufferable or 'cancellable'
move, then buffering a special move or ]LMq immediately afterwards. Hit Letection: jocation on a sprite where a move will hit. For instance, the
hit detection on most low attacks is at the legs and lower body of the sprite. Hit Stun: The brief period of time after a character has been hitP
this is indicated by the character's DreelingD animation. While in Hit Stun, a character is essentially helpless -- the attacking player may effect a
hit stun with a cancellable move, then buffer it into a special or LM to perform a 2-in1 combo. Note: O\U CANN\T BE HIT BO A N\RMAj
THR\W WHIjE IN HIT STUN, though you are vulnerable to a command throw, if it was comboed. Invulnerable: Cannot be punished. Advanced
Mode AB rolls have a bit of invulnerability to getting hit at startup, for example, though they are still vulnerable to throws. (Also known as
DInvincibilityD) Juggle: The act of DlaunchingD one's opponent in the air (as opposed to cleanly knocking them down), then doing a follow-up to hit
them as they are still in the air, falling to the ground. In KoF '97, +uggles can be performed from Counters, from special D+uggle movesD (like Andy
Bogard's DLam Breaker,D ]hcf [ !q) and from certain combos in the corner. (Also known as Dlauncher,D D3oat,D Dpop-upD) Juggle Move: A special
move that +uggles the opponent in the air, when connected successfully. An example of this is Ryo Saka~aki's DKyokugen !unch LanceD (hcf [
!). Keepaway: Attempting to stay away from your opponent by knocking him back from you with long-ranged moves and by constantly moving
away. jag: A delay during which the player can do nothing ]elseq. jag usually occurs at the beginning (Dstartup lagD) or the end (Dend lagD) of a
normal or special moveP either when it is performed normally or when it is successfully blocked. jate: !erforming a counterattack Don reaction,D
that is, well after your opponent has started his"her initial attack (note difference between a jate and Early counterattack). An example is
jeona's C-button DMoon SlasherD (charge dwn, up [ !)P if done 'late' against an attacking opponent, jeona will most likely trade hits against the
attackP if done early it will usually cleanly hit the opponent out of his"her attack. jearning Curve: An ambiguous term used to describe how
diZcult a game is to play, or how diZcult a character is to use. A DsteepD learning curve indicates higher diZcultyP a DshallowD learning curve
indicates lower diZculty. jifebar: The bar at the top of the screen that indicates how much energy, or DlifeD your character has left. In Extra
Mode, when the lifebar drops low enough and begins to 3ash red, the player may perform unlimited LM's. In Extra Mode, the lifebar is yellowP in
Advanced Mode, the lifebar is orange. jink: A combo that involves following one normal move with another. Note the difference between a
Chain and a jink: a chain combo involves interrupting the last frames of animation of the 4rst move into the second (e.g. Mary's close standing
C -5 fwd [ A)P a link combo involves allowing all of the animation of the 4rst attack to end, then =uickly following it with the second attack (e.g.
Kim's low B -5 low A). (Also known as Djink CombosD or DjinkupsD) MA%: The condition occurring after a player uses a !\W stock to ABC !\W
Explode (Advanced Mode) or ABC charges his"her !\W meter to full (Extra Mode). \n MA%, the player deliver 20z extra damage and LM's
become SLM's (Advanced Mode)P or the player delivers 08z extra damage and may perform a LM. Note that an Extra Mode player with full
!\W ]and therefore on MA%q and a red lifebar may perform an SLM. MA% Meter: The meter that replaces the !\W meter when a player uses a
!\W Stock to !\W Explode (Advanced) or has charged up to full !\W (Extra). The MA% meter is a glowing bar that gradually shortens in
length, indicating how much time the player has left to be on MA%. While on MA%, characters 3ash white. Mode: Extra or Advanced. Move
Letection: The ability of a game to take +oystick and button input and interpret it correctlyP or DdetectD it. For example, KoF '97's Move Letection
is =uite good, and is excellent at detecting half-circlesP however, it isn't =uite as good at detecting =uarter-circles. (See Section IV.) Normal
Move: The 'normal' punch or kick that comes out simply by pressing A, B, C, L, or CL. Most normal moves re=uire no extra +oystick input to
perform (other than up to do a +umping normal attack, or down to do a low attack). Normal moves deal no block damage. Note that command

10. attacks are also treated like normal moves, in that they also deal no block damage. (Also known as DNormalsD) \ption Select: Basically a
situation overlapping moves that work in the player's favor (as opposed to working to the player's disadvantage, which is far more common). An
example of an option select would be Mai Shiranui's +ump C or L and her air-throw (any +oystick direction [ C or L): occasionally Mai will
attempt to do a +ump C or L attack on a +umping opponent, and she will air-throw the opponent instead (usually by accident). \verhead: A move
]usually on performed on the groundq that must be blocked high and will hit opponents who are blocking low. Several command attacks in KoF
'97 are overheads -- certain special moves are as well. (See Also: Blocking) (Also known as DTop Lown AttackD) \verlap: A term used to describe
two moves that have such similar motions to perform that sometimes Dthe wrong move comes out.D An example of this is Oashiro's
DSledgehammerD (=cb [ !) and DMissle Might BashD (hcb [ !)P since the +oystick motions for the moves are so similar, sometimes players will try
to do a Sledgehammer and get the Missle Might Bash instead. \verpowered: A term used to describe a character or set of moves that is clearly
far more powerful than most ]if not allq others. !alatte-Swap: The switchable color-scheme used for an ob+ect in the gameP usually refers to the
color of a character's out4t. In KoF '97, characters have two palatte-swapped colors per ModeP they are selected by the player at the character
select screen. Choose your character with the A-button to get the DdefaultD palatte-swap, or the L-button to get the DalternateD palatte-swap. An
example of this might be starting the game, choosing Advanced Mode, and picking King with the A-button ]for the burgundy palatte-swapq or the
L-button ]for the sky blue palatte-swapq. !oke: A long-ranged move (normal or special) that can be used to DpokeD at opponents from a distance.
!\W Chargeup: !\W chargeup is done by pressing and holding ABC in Extra Mode. !\W chargeup 4lls the player's !\W meter to fullP when it
does, the !\W meter changes to a MA% meter and the player is on MA%. Note that Advanced Mode players cannot !\W chargeup. !\W
Explode: !\W Explode re=uires the Advanced Mode player to have at least one !\W stock. It is performed by pressing ABC, and afterwards,
you will be on MA% and deal an additional 20z damage on all attacks, and any LM's performed will be SLM's instead. While on MA%, players
may not !\W explode again. Note that Extra Mode players cannot !\W explode. !\W Meter: The small meter in the lower corner of the screen
(yellow for Extra Mode players, orange for Advanced Mode players) that 4lls up either by attacking, defending and"or performing special moves
]Advanced Modeq or by ABC !ow chargeup ]Extra Modeq. !\W Stock: The green DdotsD that appear in the three boxes next to the Advanced
Mode !\W meter. !\W stocks accumulate every time the Advanced Mode player 4lls his"her meter by attacking, defending and"or performing
special moves. !\W stocks may be used to perform LM's at the cost of one stock per LMP or to perform a CL counter or MA% roll during block
stun at the cost of one stock per CL counter or MA% rollP or to ABC !\W Explode at the cost of one stock per explosionP and any subse=uent
LM's performed on MA% will come out as SLM's at the cost of one stock per SLM. (Also known as a DstockD) !ower Cancel: The ability to
cancel the animation of certain special moves or LM's into other special moves or LM's. \nly a certain few characters possess this abilityP for
example, Terry Bogard can power cancel his D!ower ChargeD (hcf [ K) into a DRising TackleD (fwd, dwn, dwn-fwd [ !). !ressure ]Tacticsq:
Continuously attacking with normal"special moves and throws without letting the opponent rest. !riority: The DpriorityD of a move refers to how
often and how many different other moves it will beat. A high priority move will usually always beat a low priority move: for example, Clark's
DArgentina BackbreakerD (hcf [ K) will outprioriti~e Ralf's low C: the result is that the Argentina Backbreaker Dsucks inD Ralf, whose low C gets
outprioriti~ed. !ro+ectile, Full-Screen: A special move that throws a pro+ectile across the entire length of the screen. Examples of these are Iori
Oagami's DOamiharaiD (=cf [ !) and Ouri Saka~aki's DHaohshokokenD (f, hcf [ !). !ro+ectile, Shortened: A special move that was once a full-
screen pro+ectile before KoF '9> (in which most full-screen pro+ectiles were 'shortened'). Shortened !ro+ectiles will travel a maximum of 1"2

11. screen distance. Examples are King's DVenom StrikeD (=cf [ K) and Terry Bogard's D!ower WaveD (=cf [ !). !ushback: !ushing your opponent
away, by using fast, weak normalsP strongerP longer-ranged normal move pokes, no-lag special movesP throws that end up pushing the opponent
far awayP or by some other means. Reversal: A special move whose main purpose is to 'reverse' an attack. In many cases, performing the
reversal causes the character to initially take some sort of defensive stance and waitP if the character is attacked, and the reversal is successful,
the character will perform a special counterattack that can only be triggered via the reversal. Examples of these are Blue Mary's Reversals
DReverse FacelockD Q DReverse Head BusterD (=cb [ B"L) and Billy's DLragon RaveD Q DLragon BusterD (=cb [ B"L). Reversals are typically
performed with either a Kick button (B or L) or with a !unch button (A or C). The DweakD version (A or B) will usually reverse +umping attacks and
special moves, while the DstrongD version (C or L) will usually reverse standing ]and sometimes lowq attacks. Reversal, \ffensive: An offensive
reversal is different from a regular reversal in that the initial part is actually an attack itself (as opposed to a defensive stance)P so that the initial
part itself will actually deal some damage, and the counterattack will come out automatically if the initial part 'touches' the opponent. Therefore
offensive reversals can actually be used in combos(Y). The only offensive reversals in the game are possessed by Real Oashiro ]DUpper Luel,D
fwd, dwn, dwn-fwd [ !q and Real Shermie ]DShermie Whip,D fwd, dwn, dwn-fwd [ Kq. Roll, AB: The normal roll of the Advanced Mode playerP fwd [
AB (or +ust n [ AB) to roll forwards and bk [ AB to roll backwards. Rolls have a tiny bit of invulnerability at the startup and travel a preset
distance of about 2 to 2-1"2 character-widths forward or about 1 character-width backward. Roll, MA%: When a player has at least one !\W
stock (Advanced) or a full !\W meter (Extra) to Dspend,D s"he may press AB while in block stun to interrupt the block stun with a MA% roll: this
will cause a slightly longer-ranged roll trailing blue 'shadows' behind it. !ress fwd [ AB (or simply n [ AB) to MA% roll forwards or bk [ AB to
MA% roll backwards. Roll, Recovery: When a player is knocked down by an attack, the player may press AB immediately to =uickly roll and get up
from the ground. Note that both Extra and Advanced Mode players may use Roll Recoveries. Rush Meter: A 'meter' that appears on-screen every
time two or more hits are landed in succession ]i.e. as a comboq. For instance, Oashiro Nanakase's DMissile Might BashD (hcb [ !) does ; hits, or
DRush ;.D SLM: The D!\W-ed upD version of the LM. SLM's are performed on MA% after ABC !\W Exploding (Advanced) or with a red lifebar and
a full !\W meter (Extra). SLM's are always accompanied by a pink 3ash of light and a momentary darkening of the rest of the screen to black.
SNK: The video game company responsible for KoF '97 and it's hardware platform, the Neo Geo. Scrub: A player who fails to grasp the early
parts of the learning curve (e.g. how to perform combos, how to counterthrow, etc.), no matter how many times s"he tries. Scrubs tend to
choose characters who are easy to use and whose strengths are easy to exploit. Scrubs often tend to rely on easy-to-do, repetitious patterns,
such as Turtling (see Turtling). Shortcut: An abbreviated +oystick command: for example, a shortcut for an hcf is simply dwn-bk -5 fwd. (See
section II: Manual Moves Note2) Short Hop: The vertically shorter but hori~ontally farther +ump of Advanced Mode. To do a short hop, tap the
+oystick up-fwd, up or up-bk. Note that short hops are unavailable in Extra Mode. Skill: A rather nebulous term used generally to describe how
DgoodD a player is at a game, or how diZcult a character is to play. My own personal criteria for 'skill' are as follows: -Manual Lexterity: The
ability to physically perform complex +oystick [ button maneuvers (like long combos). This also includes DTiming,D or how well a player can time
each of his"her attacks"strategies. -Knowledge of \ne's Character: The familiarity of a player with his"her character, and how well that player
can exploit his"her character's strengths and weaknesses. This includes knowledge of one's character's normal and special moves, combos
and strategies. -Knowledge of the Game: The familiarity of a player with the game and how it works, and how well that player can put that
knowledge to use. This includes knowing how and when to throw"counterthrow, having a good general idea of different moves' priorities and so

12. on. -Strategy and DMind GamesD: The ability to use one's character 'intelligently,' using different tactics and strategies (instead of no-brainer
patterns) to win games. This includes D!lacementD or D!ositioningPD the ability to locate your character strategically on the screen, and to force
your opponent's character into moving into a strategically favorable location. -!resence of Mind: !ossessing all of the above, and the ability to
remember most ]if not allq of it, and use most ]if not allq of it on a regular basis. -Non-Scrubbiness: Independence from abusive, repetitious, no-
brainer patterns (like turtling). Skill Character: A character believed to re=uire a good deal of DskillD to play successfully. Special Move: A move
that ]usuallyq re=uires an input more complex than a single +oystick direction [ button press. A special move may have any number of different
properties, the most obvious of which is that when blocked, a special move will deal block damage ]be warned that some specials, like
command throws, are unblockableYq. Examples of special moves are Mai Shiranui's DRyuenbuD (=cb [ !) and Oama~aki's Exploding Headbutt
command throw (hcf [ !). (Also known as DSpecialsD) Sprite: The technical term for the 3at (D2-LD) computer- generated representation of a
character on the screen. Sprites' si~es are roughly indicated by the si~e of the character. Startup: The beginning of a move. Super Jump: A +ump
that travels farther and higher than a normal +ump. To do a super +ump in Advanced Mode, push the +oystick dwn-bk, then up-fwdP or dwn then
upP or dwn-fwd then up-bk \R while running forwards -5 tap +oystick up-fwd To super +ump in Extra Mode, you can: tap +oystick up-bk " up " up-
fwd \R push +oystick dwn-bk -5 tap +oystick up-fwd " push +oystick dwn -5 tap +oystick up " push +oystick dwn-fwd -5 tap +oystick up-bk \R push
+oystick =cf, up-fwd " push +oystick =cb, up-bk \n a super +ump, your character will be covered in trailing 'shadows.' (Also known as DShadow
Jump,D DLouble JumpD) Super Short Hop: The super short hop is a short hop that travels about twice as far hori~ontally along the ground. In
Advanced Mode (only), to super short hop: push +oystick dwn-bk -5 tap +oystick up-fwd " push +oystick dwn -5 tap +oystick up " push +oystick
dwn-fwd -5 tap +oystick up-bk \R push +oystick =cf, uf -5 tap +oystick dwn-bk push +oystick =cb, ub -5 tap +oystick dwn-fwd As with super +umps,
on a super short hop, your character will be covered in trailing 'shadows.' (Also known as Dsuper +ump short hopD) Sweep: Any normal attack that
both hits low and knocks down. T\L ]DTouch of LeathDq: A combo that both deals 08z or more damage ANL di~~ies the opponent. A T\L is so
named because it can be performed on an opponent with a full lifebarP take away half ]or moreq of that lifebar and di~~y the opponentP then be
performed a second time to defeat the opponent's character outright. Taunt: An incitement to attack, formerly used to deplete charging !\W
meters in previous KoF's. In '97, taunts to do not affect !\W meters or any other aspect of gameplay. Taunts are performed by pressing the
Start button. Team: The group of X characters you and you opponents choose to play KoF '97. Throw ]Normalq: A physical hold or toss"grapple.
Normal throws are completely unblockable, though they can be escaped in Advanced Mode ]see Throw Escapeq. Throws are normally
performed by pressing fwd or bk [ C or L while close to the opponent. Throw, Air: A throw performed while +umping, usually by +umping and
pressing a +oystick in a single direction and pressing C or L. In KoF '97, jeona, Mai, Clark, Benimaru, Ouri, and Athena are all e=uipped with air-
throws. N\TE: Air-throws cannot be escaped in any circumstance or either Mode of play. Throw, Command: A command throw is a special
move in which the character performs an unblockable special throw that has no whiff animation (Shermie Spiral, hcf [ !, is a good example).
Command throws may be comboed from normal moves the same way other special moves are comboed. Note that command throws are the
most highly prioriti~ed moves in the game, and will outprioriti~e any other type of move. Throw, Counter: The ability of a player to throw the
opponent 4rst in the case of tick-throws or walk-up throws. Whenever an an opponent attempts to throw the player using a +ump-in" walk-up
tick, or a walk-up throw, the player may AjWAOS throw the opponent 4rst. The only exception to this is when the thrower simply has more throw
range than the player, as with certain command throws. Throw, Running: A special move throw that automatically causes the character to dash

13. towards his"her opponent and throw him"her. Running throws may be avoided by +umping up, hitting the running-thrower out of the dash with a
high-priority normal or special move, or by counterthrowing ]provided you have enough range to successfully counterthrow the running throw).
Real Shermie, Clark, \rochi Oashiro, and Goro are all e=uipped with running throws. Throw, Tick: A tick throw is a throw that is set up with a
fake-out attackP either a =uick +ab or weak kick on the ground or a suspicious-looking +ump-attack. The fake-out is intended to trick the opponent
into pulling bk or dwn-bk on the stick to attempt to block an attack that is faster than that opponent expects (or an attack that simply isn't
coming). Tick-throws are easily thwarted with a counterthrow (see Throw, Counter)P and in KoF '97 can often be stopped simply by doing
several low A's. Note that in KoF '97, as with many other 4ghting games, characters may --N\T-- be thrown while in block-stun. Throw, Walk-up:
The simple act of walking up to one's opponent and throwing him"her straightaway. Easily preventable by counterthrow, provided you have
enough throw-rangeP or simply by not sitting in one place long enough to get thrown. Throw Escape: An Advanced Mode feature onlyP when an
Advanced Mode player is caught by a normal throw, s"he may escape from the throw by immediately tapping a button. Note that Extra Mode
does not have throw escapes. Throw-Range: The ]maximumq distance from which a character can throw. While most normal throws have
roughly e=ual range, certain command throws (most notably Shermie's DShermie SpiralD and Clark's DSuper Argentina BackbreakerD) have
noticeably above-average throw-range. Tick: DTickD has two main de4nitions: -Block-Tick: The ]usuallyq small amount of block damage resulting
from blocking a special move. Be aware that some special moves and S"LM's in KoF '97 actually do many block-ticks, resulting in a lot of block
damage. -Tick-throw: the weak or feigned attack used to set up a throw attempt. Trading Hits: When two characters attack each other
simultaneously with moves of similar priority, often each character's attack will hit the otherP i.e. both characters will take damage and both
characters will get knocked down"back. This is called Dtrading hits.D Turtling: A manner of playing characteri~ed by several backward +umps,
backdashes and ]most oftenq sitting for long periods of time in a low-block (+oystick dwn-bk). Underpowered: A term used to describe a
character or set of moves that is clearly far less powerful than most ]if not allq others. Vulnerable: Can be punished, by a normal"special move, a
throw, etc. Whiff: What happens when a move neither connects nor is blockedP i.e. when a move completely misses Xoning: Trying to keep your
character at a certain distance from your opponent's character for a certain purpose. For example, Oama~aki can D~oneD his opponents to about
1"2-screen range using his 1"2-screen DSnake ArmD attacks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (VI.) Credits, Version
History The following list of people helped contribute to this guide. Many thanksY -The King of Fighters Mailing jist: kof-mlYumich.edu A list full
of KoF enthusiasts who provided a good deal of information. -Greg Kasavin: ShrikeYslip.net For many valuable suggestions about terminology
and general formattingP his excellent SNK website, the Mega Shock (formerly located at http:""www.slip.net"@shrike) is alas, no more. -Kao
Megura: kmeguraYyahoo.com " cgfm2Yhooked.net Several move names and Japanese translations were borrowed from his excellent KoF '97
FAZ at Kao's new homepage, which can be accessed at: http:""kao.home.ml.org -Tony Wedd: mikuYcamtech.net.au For several editting tips
and suggestions. The Wedd KoF '97 jeona Guide is now up at: http:""www.adelaide.net.au"@miku"leona.txt -Matt Hall: KensouYaol.com "
KensouYix.netcom.com For pointing out that Chang and Choi are also charge-move characters. Matt's new edition of the KoF '97 Combo FAZ
is at: ftp:""users.aol.com"kensou"97combo.txt -Gerald DOagyuD Joubert: gx+1717Yusl.edu For pointing out several Game Mechanics and
Additional Notes I completely neglected in earlier versions of the guide. -Kabeer Ali: wadaYaol.net.pk For the name of Joe's fwd [ B command
attack taken from his Joe Higashi Strategy Guide at at his new website: http:""www.fortunecity.com"underworld"worms"202 -Joe !alanca:
JG!alancaYaol.com For the alternate motions on performing a super +ump, taken from his FAZ at: http:""www.geocities.com"

14. TimesS=uare"9>7X -The UC Berkeley DUndergroundD Campus Arcade For actually getting KoF '97. BravoY -SNK Corp. For turning out one of the
best 4ghting games in recent memory -- and one of the very best ever, in my opinion -- KoF '97. Oou can access SNK on the Web at: http:""
www.neogeo-usa.com (USA) http:""www.neogeo.co.+p (Japan) http:""www.neogeo.com.br (Bra~il) -Version History- V.1.28 Completed at exactly
0:29 !.M. Friday, March 28 199& -Added several Game Mechanics, Additional Notes and Advanced vs Extra Mode Features I should have added
long, long ago. Special thanks to Gerald DOagyuD Joubert for most of the additions. V.1.18 Completed at exactly 12:X8 !.M. Tuesday, November
11 1997 -Added a few more Glossary terms (Running Throw, etc.) V.1.88 Completed at exactly 2:88 !.M. Wednesday, November 0 1997 -Fixed
several minor typographical errors -Added Tony Wedd and Matt Hall's names and webpages to credits ]for their help with aforementioned
errorsq -Added a few more Glossary terms (Early, jate, Trade Hits) V.8.88 Completed at exactly 9:88 !.M. Sunday November 2 1997. -First
version of Guide: -Features: Introduction, Control Basics, Mode Lescriptions, Game Engine Letails and Glossary
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- !lease remember that this guide is intended for entertainment purposes only, and is
therefore to be distributed freely--the only cost incurred should be the price of reproduction (making photocopies). It is also my property and if
part or all of it is to be used in any way shape or form, proper credit must be given. Thanks again, and en+oy KoF '97Y -E% Andy (aspYslip.net)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Guide v.1.2 Copyright 1997 Andrew S. !ark aka E% Andy KoF '97 and its
characters are trademarks of SNK Corp, Copyright 1997 Restore !age