What THE KING OF FIGHTERS '97 GLOBAL MATCH is
This is the final chapter of the Orochi Saga, the original KOF storyline, brought back with online play. The roster holds 35 playable characters, and the 6 secret characters from the NEOGEO version are unlocked from the start, so nobody has to hunt for them. The game also includes both ADVANCED and EXTRA modes, which give you two different ways to build and spend your meter, so you can pick the one that fits how you like to fight.
How your group plays it together
Online PvP is the core of it: match up against each other and settle it in the arcade-style 2D fights the series is known for. Online matchmaking is built in, so getting a game going does not take much setup. Remote Play Together is also supported, which lets friends join in over a single copy. Between matches, the gallery mode is there to browse, and you can set the menu BGM to whatever you prefer, which is a nice touch when a group is sitting in menus picking teams.
Before you start
Know that this is a classic pixel-art 2D fighter with a long history behind it, and the Orochi Saga story runs across the series rather than being explained away in one sitting. The revival of Orochi has to be stopped, and finishing a fight centuries in the making is the framing for the whole thing. Decide early whether your group wants ADVANCED or EXTRA mode, since that choice changes how each round plays out, and make sure everyone is clear on which mode is on before the first match. The secret characters being available from the start means you can go straight to the roster you actually want instead of working through unlock requirements.