History VideoGame / TheKingOfFighters2002

''The King of Fighters 2002'' is the ninth game in ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'' series. It was released for arcades on October 10, 2002 before coming to the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo two months later. It was the second game to be published by Eolith after SNK's bankruptcy.

The game would eventually be ported to the UsefulNotes/{{Dreamcast}}, UsefulNotes/Playstation2, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, with each port adding new content.

In 2009, SNK Playmore released a VideoGameRemake, ''The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match'', for arcades and the UsefulNotes/Playstation2, with an international release coming to UsefulNotes/XboxLive in 2010. It adds the rest of the characters that were left out of the original game (Kasumi, Jhun, Xiangfei, Bao, and the Kyo clones from '''99'', Lin and Hinako from ''2000'', Foxy and Heidern from ''2001'', and all bosses from the NESTS Chronicles). In addition, the graphics and soundtrack was completely revamped, and a new character, Nameless, was introduced to replace K9999. It would later be released on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} on February 27, 2015.

** The UsefulNotes/{{Dreamcast}} version adds King and Shingo, who were conspicuously absent in the original arcade version.
** The UsefulNotes/Playstation2 and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} versions add Orochi Iori, Geese, and Goenitz, who were ported from ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomSVCChaos''.

* DefeatMeansPlayable: All of the bosses, as well as Geese and Goenitz, can be unlocked by defeating them in battle. Averted in the ''Tougeki'' edition, where they're unplayable without cheats, and the UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} version, where they're unlocked from the start.

** Mid Boss 3: '''Team Clones:''' Kusanagi, [[CloningBlues Kyo-1 and Kyo-2]]

** Like ''2001'', ''KOF 2002'' is completely free of Stun, with one exception: Ryo's MAX Super, Tenchi Haohken, makes the opponent dizzy on hit, setting up for another combo. He's the only one who can produce this effect in both the original ''2002'' and ''Unlimited Match''; not even the bosses can do this.

** From ''[=KOF '99=]'', there is Super Cancel that was available in its Counter Mode, which is now changed in ''2002'' as Free Cancel that can be used via the MAX Mode. ''KOF 2002''[='s=] [=MAX2=] also works similarly to ''[='99=]'', where you could perform a MAX Super with one Power Gauge stock if your health is low enough.
** From ''KOF 2000'', ''2002'' adopts the separation of Normal-only and MAX-only Super Moves. So unlike ''[=KOF '98=]'', MAX Super Move still requires a different command input even if its normal version exists.
** From ''KOF 2001'', ''2002'' follows the rule of depleting an extra Power Gauge if you use a Super Move through Super Cancel. This also applies to MAX Mode activation; you can instantly enter the MAX Mode after your Normal Attack connects and keep your combo streak, at the cost of two Power Gauge stocks instead of one. In addition, some character moves have a Wire effect like in ''2001'', which rebounds the opponent against the wall on hit and sets up for extra combo.

** In the MAX Mode, you can now always chain any Special Move into Super Moves regardless of whether said Special Move is compatible to Free Cancel in normal state. This makes MAX Mode combos generally more efficient.

** When the character's health goes below its threshold required to activate [=MAX2=], its color changes to orange to let you know it's ready.

** In the MAX Mode, you can always chain any Special Move into Super Moves regardless of whether said Special Move is compatible to Free Cancel in normal state. This makes MAX Mode combos generally more efficient.

** In the original ''2002'', [=SDMs=] and [=MAX2's=] always required the MAX Mode to be activated, which'd let the opponent know you're preparing for it and therefore make it hard to connect. In ''Unlimited Match'', both can be used instantly without the MAX Mode by spending three Power Gauge stocks at once. It's a very risky thing to do, but you now have more options to make your [=MAX2=] count.
** The highest health limit for [=MAX2=] to be used is increased from the original ''2002'', from 25% to 30% of a full health.

* '''Team K':''' [[NinetiesAntiHero K']], [[{{Cyborg}} Maxima]] and [[WhipItGood Whip]]

* '''Team ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'':''' [[HeirToTheDojo Ryo Sakazaki]], [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob Robert Garcia]] and [[OldMaster Takuma Sakazaki]]

** The original ''[=KOF 2002=]'' temporarily brings back the slight damage of Blow Back Guard Cancel. This was removed again in ''Unlimited Match''.

** Blow Back Guard Cancel does no damage, as with more recent ''KOF'' games.

* AdaptedOut: In ''[=KOF '99=]'', Krizalid had a two-phase battle, beginning with his formal NESTS suits before burning them and turning into an SNKBoss in the second round. In ''Unlimited Match'', he burns them as soon as the battle starts, leaving out the first phase (although it makes little difference, as he had barely any Special Move in that form).

** Many SNK characters, some of who were PutOnABus for this game, appear in the stage backgrounds. For example, Bao and Lin appear in the China stage.

* AbsenteeActor: Orochi Iori is conspicuously absent, even though all of the other console-exclusive characters from ''2002'' made it in.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: The ''KOF'' series was always a pioneer of this in fighting game genre, but it's at its peak in ''Unlimited Match''; at 66 characters (58 if you excluded boss characters that aren't allowed in a match), this has the largest roster of any game in the series.

** Like ''2001'', ''KOF 2002'' is completely free of Stun, with one exception: Ryo's MAX Super, Tenchi Haohken, makes the opponent dizzy on hit, setting up for another combo. He's the only one who can produce this effect in both the original ''2002'' and ''Unlimited Match''.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: The ''KOF'' series was always a pioneer of this in fighting game genre, but it's at its peak in ''Unlimited Match''; At 66 characters (58 if you excluded boss characters that aren't allowed in a match), this has the largest roster of any game in the series.

** EX Robert uses his ChargeInputSpecial-based moveset from '''99'' and ''2000''

* SpritePolygonMix: In the Playstation 2 version, the stage backgrounds are 3D, while the characters are 2D sprites. Averted for all other versions, where both the characters and backgrounds are 2D.

In 2009, SNK Playmore released a VideoGameRemake, ''The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match'', for arcades and the UsefulNotes/Playstation2, with an international release coming to UsefulNotes/XboxLive in 2010. It adds the rest of the characters that were left out of the original game (Jhun, Xiangfei, Bao, and the Kyo clones from '''99'', Lin and Hinako from ''2000'', Foxy and Heidern from ''2001'', and all bosses from the NESTS Chronicles). In addition, the graphics and soundtrack was completely revamped, and a new character, Nameless, was introduced to replace K9999. It would later be released on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} on February 27, 2015.

** '''Team Masters:''' [[ColonelBadass Heidern]], Takuma and Chin

** '''Single Entry:''' Geese Howard (regular and Nightmare version) and Goenitz.

** Mid-Boss 1: Nameless - A clone of Kyo who can wield both fire and ice [[note]]He was meant to replace K9999 with this game being his debut.[[/note]]

** Mid Boss 3: '''Team Clones:''' Kusanagi, Kyo-1 and Kyo-2
** Final: Depending on your rank you can either fight Krizalid, Clone Zero, Original Zero, Igniz or Omega Rugal

** [[KidAppealCharacter Bao]] replaces Chin on Team ''PsychoSoldier''