The King of Fighters 2000 /
2001 is SNK’s first release since returning from the grave, and it is an
excellent value if you can get into it. You see, the King of Fighters
series isn’t exactly the most user friendly out of the 2D fighting
genre, but it does feature some of the most satisfying and rewarding
fighting you can find once you get your head around everything. KoF
00/01 is a two disc set that includes two full games released in 2000
and 2001, respectively, and is an excellent value for hardcore fighting
game fans and King of Fighters newbies alike. It is hardly the best the
genre or even series has to offer, but it is still worth checking out
since there are so few 2D fighters being released these days.
Each game in the set has a
few unique features, but for the most part the biggest differences
between the two games are the slight variations in the gameplay. 2000
gives you 35 characters, 3 on 3 team-based combat with strikers, and
unlockable movie demos from previous KoF games. 2001 features 40
characters and lets you build teams of 1-4 people with multiple
strikers. Each game has team, single, versus, and practice modes along
with a new mode called party mode where you face an endless stream of
opponents.
The combat in King of Fighters
2000 / 2001 is deceptively complex. When you pick up the controller and
shoot off a fireball with a quarter-circle on the d-pad and a punch
button, the game definitely feels familiar. For the most part, KoF plays
just like a Street Fighter game but with an even bigger emphasis on
special moves. Of course, there are also other moves like armor and
counter moves as well as cancels for pretty much everything and also
massive super moves and combos that you can launch with somewhat complex
button inputs.
What sets it apart is the team
based fights and the addition of strikers. In 2000, you choose three
members to fight on your team and as one is defeated the next one will
jump in to fight. You also get to choose a striker who will jump in at
the press of a button and smack your opponent around a bit. In 2001 you
choose a team of four characters but you can have different numbers of
strikers and fighters in any combination from 1-4. You could have one
powerful character fight and the other three be strikers or you could
have three weaker characters fight and have one powerful striker, for
example. In both games, being able to choose your team and strikers
allow you a ton of variation so that every fight is going to play out
very differently from the last. The strikers also allow you to build
massive combos because you can start a combo with your character, call
in a striker for a few extra hits, and then continue the combo with your
character in a pattern that could potentially go on forever if you have
the skills. King of Fighters purists have pooh-poohed the concept of
strikers ever since they appeared in KoF ’99, but I like them, and I
think it adds a lot of strategy and depth to the game.
The gameplay is definitely fun,
but it is also insanely difficult. You can select a difficulty level
between 1 and 8 and if you are just starting out I highly recommend
switching it to 1 or 2 for a while because the AI is going to kick your
butt on anything higher for quite a while. You absolutely cannot button
mash in KoF and expect to be successful, unlike a lot of other 2D games.
Unless you have a FAQ handy or slave away in the practice mode for a
while, the AI is going to be pulling of moves that you didn’t even think
possible for the first couple of weeks of playing. There is a lot to
learn, but it is a fun process because every new move you find will open
up new combo opportunities, and it is a thrill to just play this game
and learn. Of course, that is the case with every great fighter, but it
just never seems to get old for me.
Controlling the game is an
issue with the Dual Shock because the game is a little stiff and
unforgiving. You have to be absolutely precise with your motions on the
d-pad, and it takes a while to get used to this. You will get used to
it, but it is unacceptable that controlling this game is so tricky when
other 2D games on PS2 are smooth as butter with the Dual Shock. At any
rate, if you are serious about putting in the time to learn the ins and
outs of KoF I recommend that you get an arcade stick.
The graphics in both games
leave a lot to be desired. These are older games in a series that has
never been too graphically impressive, but the lack of detail on the
characters and the blurry looking backgrounds are just plain ugly. The
animation is none too smooth either, and it only makes these games look
even worse. It also has to be noted that the menus for both games are
absolutely atrocious. 2000 uses a bland (but very “arcade” looking)
listing of modes and nothing more. 2001 features a more traditional menu
screen and it looks like you are flipping through cards when you make
different selections, but it is very blurry and actually pretty hard to
see what you are doing. Of course, the gameplay is what is most
important in a 2D fighter, and both KoF 2000 and 2001 provide an
excellent experience. Just don’t expect them to look like Guilty Gear
X2.
The sound isn’t that great
either, but it is typical of the KoF series. The music features a lot of
techno beats and other music you would expect to hear in a fighting
game. All of the characters have a fair number of sound bytes for taunts
and things like that and it goes a long way towards giving each
character a real personality.
In the end, King of Fighters
2000 / 2001 is a solid purchase for 2D fighting fans as well as people
wanting to get into the KoF series. There are two full games in the set,
but you’ll undoubtedly pick a favorite and play it more than the other,
but the fact that we have that choice is welcome, and for under $40 you
can’t really go wrong. I think that this is also an excellent package
for newbies to KoF to start with because they are just a little easier
to get into than previous console versions of the series, and you’ll
probably enjoy yourself a little more when you can actually put up a
fight and not get your butt kicked like in past games. This set doesn’t
represent the best the fighting genre has to offer on PS2, but if you
are looking for a new 2D fighter or you want to get your feet wet with
the KoF series, King of Fighters 2000 / 2001 is worth a purchase.
Eric Qualls (01/01/2004) |