King of Fighters '99 on the Genesis is one of those ports that shouldn’t work but somehow does—it’s rough around the edges, but the core fighting still feels surprisingly solid. You pick your team of three (or go solo if you’re feeling bold), and right away, you notice how chunky the sprites look compared to the arcade version. But hey, the moves still flow: Terry’s Power Wave comes out smooth, and Iori’s flame combos hit just right.

The roster’s trimmed down, but you’ve got favorites like Kyo and Mai, plus the new striker mechanic keeps fights chaotic. It’s not as polished as the Neo Geo original, but there’s charm in the way the Genesis grunts through the animations. If you grew up with a Sega controller in hand, this version’s got that weird, scrappy appeal.

Just don’t expect arcade-perfect timing—some combos take extra patience to land.