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EVO Vegas 2026 had many different announcements for Fighting Games, including the reveal of surprising projects in the genre from well-known developers. One such project was the re-release of a fighting game from the arcade era, bringing back an underrated classic for players to enjoy on modern systems. However, a variety of new features for this game make it better than ever, creating a definitive version no fan was expecting.
Many of the reveals at EVO this year were tied to new characters for established titles, such as Id for Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising or Mina from Mina the Hollower as a guest fighter in Rivals of Aether 2. Older titles are also getting updates, such as a surprise balance patch for The King of Fighters 15 years after its launch. There has been a trend of arcade fighting games getting remastered in collections, bundles, or netcode updates too, which is continued in 2026 through one of SNK’s other plans.
Art of Fighting 3: Path of the Warrior Is Gaining Two New Characters After 30 Years
A new version of a classic SNK 1996 fighting game is being re-released as part of the NEOGEO Premium Selection label, called Art of Fighting 3: The Path of the Warrior R. This remastered edition of AoF 3 is an overhauled port of the arcade classic, featuring fan-favorite characters from the Art of Fighting SNK series. Although it was not given a release date during its announcement, several details reveal just how far this remaster goes beyond player expectations.
For starters, this remaster includes online multiplayer through rollback netcode, refining the competitive experience to be smooth on any system. The game is coming to PC through Steam, following the original Art of Fighting story line’s conclusion through Path of the Warrior with multiple new characters added to the roster, including:
- King
- Yuri Sakazaki
King and Yuri are classic characters from the very first Art of Fighting, and have been seen in multiple SNK fighting games, including the recent The King of Fighters 15. The suave kick variations of Muay Thai fighting of King are combined with the variations of Kyokugenryu Karate of Yuri to add great gameplay diversity to a game that should have included these fighters to begin with. In many ways, King’s close friendship with series protagonists Robert and Ryo, or Yuri’s status as Ryo’s sister, easily makes this mainstay fighters welcome in the roster for the remaster.
Art of Fighting 3 is often considered one of the most distinctive versions of Art of Fighting as a whole, with unique gameplay distinguishing it from The King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, or SNK’s other fighting game franchises. With a new Practice Mode and local Vs Mode coming to AoF 3: The Path of the Warrior R, players will be able to dive into mechanics in a way they’ve hardly been able to do before, even during the arcade era’s height.
NEOGEO Premium Selection Title Remasters This Game Into A Version Everyone Can Play
The systems in Art of Fighting 3: The Path of the Warrior R have been completely preserved in the remaster, marking a continuing trend of SNK arcade games being ported for new audiences. As of this time of writing, this game may only be available on PC through Steam, but it’s likely that the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S might gain this title in their libraries too. Pricing and release date details are still to be shown, but if previous games are any indication, this will likely be a fairly cheap remaster compared to other fighting game revivals.
This game marks another NEOGEO Premium Selection entry, or a list of NEOGEO arcade titles being re-imagined and enhanced for modern gaming needs. Some of the other titles from SNK’s past being included in this restoration project have included:
- Ninja Master’s
- World Heroes Perfect
- Kizuna Encounter Super Tag Battle
- Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers
This project has aimed to bring more obscure titles back, rather than just numbered The King of Fighters entries or other games SNK has already ported in some way. Considering how the Art of Fighting was considered forgotten by today’s standards, to see it return alongside Fatal Fury‘s newest title is perfect for SNK fans. In fact, the Art of Fighting 3: The Path of the Warrior R project could suggest a new focus on that fighting game series, perhaps hinting at a potential new game in its future.
What do you think of the Art of Fighting 3 remaster announcement? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the Forum!
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