$20 game of the week: The King of Fighters 2002/2003 (Xbox, PS2)

In the world of 2-d fighting games, 2 names remain at the top; Capcom and SNK.  Sure Arc System and Sammy’s Guilty Gear series may be the better game at the moment, it, as well as other fighting games (both 2-D and 3-D) owe thier existence to the two top dogs of the genre.  The KOF series, with it’s 3 on 3 team-oriented fighting, cast of characters spanning nearly the entire SNK catalog, and it’s heavy storyline has proved to be the fighting genre’s equlivalent to John Madden football.  Ever since it’s inception in 1994, each yearly installment of the series has managed to keep the action fresh as well as satisfy it’s leigons of fans even as the Neo Geo hardware shows it’s age. 

This double pack is a compiliation of the 9th and 10th entries in the series.  KOF 2002 is a “Dream Match”, which is a break in the series’s main storyline.  As such, there is no real plot or endings, but the nature of this game allows for the return of several characters who were either killed off or M.I.A. in the previous installments.  (Most notable of which are Yashiro, Chris, and Shermie of the Orochi team as well as long time SNK villain Rugal.)  KOF 2003 makes the biggest impact however, as it adds a brand-new tag team system as well as lays the ground work for a new storyline featuring the return of the Orochi.  Both of these games are filled with extras, such as hidden artwork, remixed music and backgrounds, and online play (for Xbox only of course).  Anyone who considers themself a fan of fighting games needs to pick this up, and learn some history.  Hopefully we’ll see Neo Geo Battle Coliseum and King of the Fighters XI over here in the near future, but until then, this will definently tide fighting game fans over.