The King of Fighters '98 UMFE/System

Universal mechanics

Blocking - b or db

• in order to guard yourself from attacks you hold back for attacks with the high or mid properties and db for attacks with the mid or low properties. You cannot block throws or attacks that have the unblockable property.

Overhead attacks

• an overhead attack is one that has to be blocked standing and will hit opponents blocking while crouching. All regular air normals are overhead attacks and has to be blocked standing. Additionally some characters have grounded attacks that are also overheads.

Low attacks

• a low attack is an attack that has to be blocked while crouching and will hit opponents blocking while standing. Every character has a low kick with cr.B and a low sweep with cr.D and then characters may have additional lows depending on their moveset as well.

Mid attacks

• a mid attack is an attack that can be blocked either standing or crouching. Most attacks in the game belong in the mid category.

regular jump - u/ub/uf

• this is a normal jump where your character jumps pretty high into the air. You can cancel jumps to air normals, command normals or specials, though some specials may have extra restrictions on them.

Super Jump - d then u/ub/uf

• This is a version of the jump that goes higher and further than the normal jump. you can tell that a jump was a superjump by the afterimages that appears behind a character during it.

Hop - u/ub/uf briefly

• By pressing up quickly and releasing you can do a smaller jump. This is very useful for pressure as it's faster and harder to react to than regular jumps.

Hyper hop - d then u/ub/uf briefly

• This version of the hop goes faster and further than the regular hop. You can tell that you've executed it correctly by the afterimage that appears behind the characters when hyper hopping.

Air Blocking

• In '98UM, you are able to block some ground or aerial attacks from the air. This is only possible during neutral or backwards full or super jumps, so you cannot air block while jumping forwards or hopping. Air blocking will consume your guard meter more than normal ground blocking.

Triangle Jump

• Triangle jump is the ability to jump off of the invisible walls on the left and right of the stage diagonally. Characters able to perform this include Mai, Choi, Athena

Backdash - bb

• by pressing backdash you can make your character take a small skip backwards. It has no invulnerability but since your character is airborne for a brief period it can go over low attacks. Backdashes can be cancelled into air command normals or special moves.

Throws - b/f + C/D

• to execute a throw you need to be right next to the opponents character and then press b/f + C/D. A throw is an attack that will grab your opponent if they try and block. Throws are 1f startup. In most cases the C throw will throw the opponent forwards and the D throw will throw them behind you though some exceptions to this exists.

*Throw Escapes - (when being grabbed) b/f + P/K.

• When the opponent grabs you, you get a small window to break the throw by inputting a throw of your own. In order to break a throw you need to match the button that the opponent threw you with. One way to break both throws is to input the throw break with a CD input or to quickly tap C and then D in order to break both. There are some throws [called hold throws] that you cannot break. Instead these throws will hit multipe times and you can mash to reduce the number of hits they do to you. You can't break throws while performing roll or fix dodge Making throws a guaranteed punish against these moves.

knockdowns

• a knockdown is when a character is knocked off their feet and falling to the ground. There are 2 types of knockdowns: Hard and soft knockdowns. A Hard knockdown is one where the opponent cannot do anything until their character has gotten up on their feet. A soft knockdown is one where the opponent can avoid that by doing a recovery roll. Additionally there are 2 types of knockdown direction, front facing and back turned knockdowns. during a back turned knockdown the character will get up still facing the opposite way from the opponent.

recovery roll - AB during a knockdown

• When you have been knocked down you can press AB right as you hit the ground to perform a backwards roll. This is useful as it gives the opponent less time to pressure you as you're getting up from a knockdown. Recovery rolls do have a weakness though, they lose the throw invulnerability that you have during regular knockdowns. Some knockdowns can not be recovery rolled.

blowback attack - CD or j.CD - this is an extra normal that all characters get access to. As the name implies when these attacks hits the opponent the opponent will be sent flying back into a soft knockdown state. All blowback attacks are special cancelable and also whiff cancelable. If a blowback attack counterhits the opponent it causes a juggle state allowing you to connect an extra attack afterwards. Jumping blowback attacks differ from regular jumping normals in that you can block it either standing or crouching.

Power Modes

Advanced

Using Advanced, you will have a green health bar and power stocks built up for various uses, including DMs and SDMs. On your first character, you can have up to 3 stocks, 4 on your second, and 5 on your last. Some of your abilites in this mode include being able to:

• run forward (ff, holding forward or down forward)
  • by tapping ff twice your character will start running and then stop after a small distance. If you hold forward or down forward the character will continue running until you let go. A run can be cancelled into all of your movement options except forwards full jumps which will be turned into super jumps and forwards short hops will become hyper hops. You can also cancel run into any of your normals or specials. If you don't cancel the run into something there are a few frames of recovery where you will be unable to block.
• roll forwards and backwards (AB + direction, just AB will be forward)
  • rolls are invulnerable on start up and move you either backwards or forwards depending on the direction you press. Rolls have recovery frames that can be punished. Rolls can be thrown at any point.
• Attack cancel roll.
  • You can cancel any cancelable normal into a roll, this costs 1 power stock. You can use this to make some unsafe attacks safer on block by canceling them into a roll. Some characters like Clark and Ex Geese can get combos using this mechanic.
• activate Max Mode using one stock (ABC)
  • In Max Mode, your character will be yellow-tinted and have stronger attack power, but will also slightly push opponents back and make some combos harder to pull off. While in Max Mode, you can pull off one SDM, and using it ends Max Mode.
• use SDM moves outside of Max Mode by spending 3 power stocks.

Extra

Using Extra, you will have a yellow health bar and can charge your meter to maximum to perform DMs. When your health is low and flashing, you'll be able to perform DMs at will. Some abilities exclusive to Extra are:

• front step (ff), you walk faster by 130% than advanced.
• fix dodge (AB)
• dodge attack (P/K during dodge), can be canceled into specials or supers.
  • dodge is fully invulnerable and does not have punishable recovery. Dodge is only weak to throws and command grabs.
• Attack cancel dodge
• You can cancel into a dodge move from cancelable normals for the full extra mode bar. If you are in maxmode it costs a chunk of the max mode meter. This can be used to extend combos by cancelling into the dodge attack and canceling that into a special or super.
• charge power gauge (holding ABC)
  • press ABC to activate MAX mode when you have full meter, you are only able to build meter from charge, getting hit or blocking.
  • you can use supers straight without going MAX mode with a full meter. you can also spend a full meter for guard cancel.
• perform Quick Max (pressing ABC on the connecting hit of certain attacks when you have a full meter)
  • Quick Max is the ability to activate Max Mode during normal, command normals and special attacks (command grabs except proximity unblockables, projectiles and supers will not work)

Performing SDMs in Extra Mode require low flashing health and a fully-charged meter.

Ultimate

Using Ultimate, you will have a blue health bar, and you will be able to customize your own power mode. You can choose between:

• Advanced power stocks or Extra chargeable meter
• front step or running
• rolling or dodge
  • When using power stocks alongside the dodge an attack cancel dodge takes 1 power stock.

Miscellaneous

- Character crouching height list -

Large: Brian, Chang, Daimon, Heavy D!, Krauser, Lucky, Mr Big, Rugal

Regular: Blue Mary, Clark, Chizuru, Eiji, Geese, Heidern, King, Kyo, Ralf, Robert, Ryo, Saisyu, Shermie, Shingo, Takuma, Terry

Small: Andy, Athena, Benimaru, Billy, Chris, Joe, Iori, Kasumi, Kensou, Kim, Leona, Mai Mature, Vice, Yamazaki, Yashiro, Yuri

Tiny: Chin, Choi