REVIEW : THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH (PS5)
If you ask a King of Fighters fan what’s their favourite game in the series, the vast majority will answer with The King of Fighters ’98. But if you ask them what’s the most satisfying game in the series, the most common answer will be an odd one: The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match. It was first released for the PS2 in 2009 in Japan, then later ported PC and Xbox 360. It was a remake (and later remaster) of SNK’s second-to-last Neo Geo title, starring a ludicrous roster of fighters and strong online multiplayer.
SNK’s decision to re-remaster this play to the PS4 with the help of Code Mystics is a delightful surprise, even though KOF XV is slated to be released later this year. An even more beautiful and better-performing variant of the best King of Fighters game ever made? Let’s take a look at this bad boy.
If you have never played a King of Fighters game before, the best way I can explain them to you is that they are a much less newcomer-friendly, but fairly (if not more) rewarding than a rival to Capcom’s Street Fighter series. It highlights slightly more complex commands (an arcade stick isn’t needed, but it does enhance the overall experience), a more ruthless difficulty slider, and bigger stress on tag battles comprised of 3-on-3 fights. It’s as great as any of its main combat competitors, even if it doesn’t have the same charm or fame. The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match is the pinnacle of this famous KOF formula.
This PS4 remaster features an enormous roster of sixty-six fighters, two kinds of local arcade modes (Tag and Solo), plus an infinite survival mode, your run-of-the-mill training mode, and a wide variety of challenges. Considering the fact this is mostly a multiplayer-focused game, I was shocked with how much fun you can have on your own, as the ginormous volume of playable figures and varied styles at your disposal. That alone would be adequate to make me recommend this title to all fighting lovers out there.
But I cannot ignore the quality of the online multiplayer. The reason why the Xbox 360 version of The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match was so loved by fans was due to its excellent netcode. The same can be said here. Casual and ranked matches are available, and while there aren’t as many players hanging out at the moment, I am pretty sure the KOF community will move to The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match‘s lobbies in masses, even after the release of the polygonal and more newcomer-friendly KOF XV.
What I love about Neo Geo plays is that they have managed to age beautifully in terms of graphics and music, even though they were all based on an arcade board originally released in 1990. The system’s sprite skills were way superior for the time, as was its sound chip. Thanks to some additional tinkering by Code Mystics, The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match looks astonishing for its age. The animations are crisp and the framerate will never even dare to go below 60.
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