THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2000/2001 – PS2 – Review

Unfortunately, the
Playstation 2 isn’t home to many 2D fighters. Even more unfortunate is the fact
that the 2D genre is dying all together, save for the few companies that are
fighting to keep it alive; SNK NeoGeo is one of those companies. SNK NeoGeo is
the American version of the deceased SNK, and thanks to them The King of
Fighters series isn’t quite a memory just yet.

The King of Fighters
00/01 collects King of Fighters 2000 and 2001 in a single PS2 game with
additional features never before seen in previous arcade or console versions.
Both 2000 and 2001 are almost identical as far as control and gameplay mechanics
go, but 2001 sports improved graphics, more fighters, and a more intricate
soundtrack.

The King of Fighters
series does a really good job of balancing all the fighters. King of Fighters
2000 has 35 playable characters, all with their own unique characteristics and
moves. On top of that, each character has an additional Striker. Strikers are
fighters that don’t actually fight, but they offer a helping hand when called
(much like the support characters from Marvel vs. Capcom). You can call your
Striker in 3 times per fight.

There are even more
available Strikers if you can survive long enough in Party Mode, which is like a
timed survival mode. King of Fighters 2000 offers other modes, including Team
Play, Single Play, Practice, Memory, and Party Mode. Single and Team Play are
two different ways to play through the Arcade Mode – In Single Play You pick one
character to fight as, while in Team Play you choose a team. One fighter fights
at a time, and when one is defeated the next in line fills in. Practice Mode is
where you can practice your moves and Memory Mode allows you to watch footage
from older King of Fighters games. Finally, Party Mode is a survival mode where
you can see how long you last against waves of enemies…the longer you survive,
the more Strikers you can unlock.

King of Fighters 2001
adds even more playable characters; upping the roster to 40 characters available
from the beginning. Additional Strikers are unlockable in the same fashion as in
2000 – in Party Mode. KoF 2001 has all the same modes as 2000: Single and Team
Play, Practice Mode, and Party Mode.

The graphics and sound in
KoF 2000 are a bit dated; the character sprites are pretty rough and the music
is somewhat plain. In KoF 2001 the graphics seem much smoother and the gameplay
takes the speed up a notch. The soundtrack even sounds better, with higher
quality sounds and catchy music.

The controls in both are
sharp and precise. The button layout is nice and simple too; light punch and
kick and hard punch and kick, taunt, and a button to call in your Striker. Moves
are easy to figure out and, with the Practice Mode, perfect.

The King of Fighters
00/01 is a great collection of classic fighting games. Don’t expect breakthrough
graphics or new innovations, expect King of Fighter nostalgia and good old
fashion 2D fighting. The graphics and sound are definitely Playstation-level
quality, but you’re getting two for one. Plus, the gameplay is good enough to
make up for it.

Reviewer’s Scoring Details

Gameplay: 8
The controls are
responsive and the different modes keep the gameplay varied. There are also
plenty of things to unlock so there are reasons to play each mode. All the
unique fighters and Strikers add strategy to the battles and will keep you busy
trying them all out.

Graphics: 6.8
The graphics in
KoF 2000 are a bit gritty, but they get a nice little facelift in 2001. Both
games definitely look like Playstation games, but that doesn’t mean they look
terrible. The animation in both games is smooth and the framerate is constant.
Overall it doesn’t look great, but there’s also nothing to complain about.

Sound: 6.5
KoF is full of
the battle cries, punching and kicking, and explosive sound effects everyone has
come to expect in a fighting game. Although these sounds are a bit lower in
quality than the recent 2-dimensional fighting games, they’re there and they
serve their purpose. The soundtrack is decent in KoF 2000, but picks up in
2001. 

Difficulty: Medium
You can change
the difficulty in the options menu, but the default setting is pretty good for
experienced fighters. Towards the end of either Arcade Mode it can get fairly
tough, though. Taking some time in Practice Mode or on an easier setting can
give you the practice you need and help in mastering your favorite character.

Concept: 8
I love seeing new
2D fighters come out, even if they’re just revivals of older games. This genre
definitely needs more attention, and I hope more collections of various classic
fighting games are released in the future.

Multiplayer: 7

As with any fighting game, the real treat is putting your moves to the test.
There’s nothing quite like fighting your best friend, and King of Fighters is no
exception. KoF 2001 feels a bit faster than 2000, making the battles a bit more
intense. Either way, this is a great game to play with friends.

Overall: 7.3
The King of
Fighters 00/01 brings two classics to the very small library of 2D fighters on
Playstation 2. The idea to package two together was a good one, since both games
are fairly outdated. Although these are both great games, some gamers might want
more than just gameplay. Games like Guilty Gear and Marvel vs. Capcom set the
bar pretty high for 2D fighters these days, and they definitely raise
expectations. KoF 00/01 is a wonderful homage to the series, and hopefully SNK
NeoGeo decides to bring more to the PS2 in the future.