SNK released The King of Fighters '94 for the Neo Geo in 1994, and it became the first game in one of the longest-running fighting series. The game brought together characters from other SNK titles, including Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Ikari Warriors and Psycho Soldier, along with new hero Kyo Kusanagi. Instead of picking a single fighter, players choose one of eight fixed teams of three, each grouped by nationality or story, and the members fight one after another until a whole team is knocked out. A winning fighter keeps their remaining health into the next round, which makes the order of the team important. Players can charge a power gauge by holding buttons, unlocking stronger special moves for a short time. The tournament is hosted by the mysterious Rugal Bernstein, who waits as the final boss. The team format became the signature of the series.