Collection essentials #579: Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO (Xbox)

Retro gamers may be surprised to find that this is the first time in the history of this blog that I’ll have talked about SNK. Before talking about this game, I’d better briefly give some background about them.

SNK was one of the notable companies of the arcade era, coming to prominence in the 1980s, and making both arcade and console games. They are probably best known for their innovative “Neo Geo” hardware. They created and sold Neo Geo arcade cabinets which were unusual because they weren’t dedicated to one singular game. The cabinets were compatible with games produced on a cartridge, and each one had a few slots to insert multiple games at once, allowing players to switch between games. This proved convenient and economical for arcade operators, because they could have more games playable in their arcades with fewer cabinets taking up space, plus they could buy and swap in new cartridges without having to move any big heavy cabinets. It was a pretty neat idea.

SNK also produced a home console Neo Geo system. It wasn’t compatible with the arcade cartridges because they were physically different, but the actual system specs were identical. Therefore, gamers could truly get a 100% authentic arcade experience at home, something that was practically unheard of in the early ‘90s. SNK and Neo Geo weren’t quite household names because ultimately this stuff was very pricey and only something to consider for wealthier gamers who wanted the top-of-the-line hardware. So Neo Geo didn’t really “compete” with the major home console at the time since it had its own unique niche. In fact, many games on the Neo Geo were ported to other contemporary consoles such as the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, and of course these versions had various compromises due to the weaker hardware.

SNK produced a wide variety of games across different genres. One of their most famous series is Metal Slug, which delivers arcade run ‘n’ gun action with impressive 2D graphics. However, there is no question that SNK is best known for their 2D fighting games. When Capcom kicked off the glory days of the genre with Street Fighter in 1991, SNK was one of the biggest competitors that hopped on the bandwagon, and it helped that they had a former employee who had helped create the not-as-successful original Street Fighter. SNK went on to produce a variety of different 2D fighter series of their own, including Fatal Fury, The Art of Fighting, World Heroes and Samurai Shodown. Starting in 1994, they created another series called “The King of Fighters” which collects characters from other SNK games (primarily Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting) while introducing completely original fighters as well. Of all SNK’s series, King of Fighters is arguably their most successful.

In the mid-90s, Capcom started making a habit of partnering with other companies for crossover games as they developed a strong relationship with Marvel. X-Men vs. Street Fighter made a splash in 1996, and spawned several more sequels, eventually leading to the very popular Marvel vs. Capcom titles. Capcom must have figured, why stop at Marvel? They partnered with competitor SNK to start making crossover fighting games as well. I wasn’t paying attention as a young kid back in the day, but I’m sure to many fans this was quite a sight to behold, as if two rival sports teams like the Red Sox and Yankees had combined players to make one all-star team.

Capcom vs. SNK 2 is probably the most popular game to come out of this partnership, first hitting arcades with the subtitle “Mark of the Millennium 2001” in that year. It boasts a great deal of content and variety, especially for an arcade fighter of its time. There are 48 playable characters, less than the ridiculous number Marvel vs. Capcom 2 boasted the year before, but still a very high and impressive number. 

What is the gameplay like? If you’re coming from Marvel vs. Capcom, it’ll seem a little less frantic and over-the-top. Ryu’s Hadoukens, for example, are no longer absolutely enormous and now are back to the size you’d expect them to be in a Street Fighter game. Characters can’t jump way up in the air like fleas, call on a friend to jump in and perform a quick attack, or swap out with teammates tag-team style. In other words, it’s more like a typical ‘90s 2D fighter. It’s worth noting that in some modes you can have a team of up to three fighters, but you can’t freely switch between them during fights, and substitute fighters will only come in when a teammate is defeated.

This game features a “Groove” system, which gives you six different “Grooves” (fighting styles) to choose from before picking your character. Three of them are based on gameplay mechanics of Capcom games, while three mimic the style of SNK. I’m not going to go into detail on the differences between them, but they affect things such as how your character’s super moves work, certain maneuvers that can be performed, and more. It’s a pretty neat way to make both fans of Capcom and SNK games feel comfortable at the same time. Different modes can give players the ability to select teams of three, just one individual fighter, or use a “ratio” system where any player can choose to have one or two very strong fighters or three relatively weak fighters.

Capcom vs. SNK 2 didn’t get ported to every home console all at once. It first hit the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 in 2001. In the following year, we got a port to the Nintendo GameCube. Now, the GameCube controller is NOT well-designed for 2D fighting games, and Capcom knew this, so they introduced a bonus control mode that simplifies gameplay so the controller layout doesn’t matter so much. The most notable thing about it is that you can use the C-stick (which is basically a right analog stick) to effortlessly perform your character’s special moves simply by pushing it towards a certain direction. The Xbox version, which came out last, retains this mode as well. If you’ve played 2D fighting games, you’re likely familiar with the fact that some characters in these games have moves that are difficult to pull off because of the complicated directional and button inputs they require. And so, this is a fun little way to get around that for those who want to. Of course, this can really wreck the balance of the game because some moves are hard to perform for good reason. But as a little bonus option, I think it’s fine to have it.

As for my own history…would you believe that, despite being born at the start of the ‘90s, I had NEVER heard of SNK until this game came out on the GameCube? It’s certainly possible that I unknowingly saw their games in arcades at some point, but I was never consciously aware of their existence. I’m not sure how that happened, but it does go to show that they weren’t quite on the same level as companies like Capcom in their best days. But anyway, when I saw advertisements for this game in Nintendo Power magazine, I was excited regardless. I loved Marvel vs. Capcom, and the lack of 2D fighters on the GameCube left a hole in my library that I wanted filled. So I pounced on it, probably sometime in 2003. I played it quite a bit and enjoyed getting acquainted with SNK’s characters, although I think my attention faded when I got my hands on the Marvel vs. Capcom games the following summer. I wound up selling the game, so I don’t have my original copy. But at some point down the road I grabbed the Xbox version, which is arguably the best port of the game.

There are obviously an absolute ton of 2D fighters out there, but Capcom vs. SNK 2 certainly has its merits which make it worth a look even today. The arcade version recently saw a rerelease on modern platforms as a part of Capcom Fighting Collection 2, so it is pretty easy to get your hands on these days. As a quality classic fighter that introduced me to a major gaming company that had flown under my radar in my younger days, I’d say it’s well-deserving of essential status in my collection.