"Better than the last two DC KoF games."

King of Fighters 2000 has to be one of favourite KoF games. The game play is pretty much the same as in the last one but this offered more in the arcades with all the extra characters and strikers.

The Dreamcast version of the game is excellent. It's arcade perfect and it even has no load times for the characters, unlike the last two Dreamcast King of Fighters games. Graphically the game is spot on, but the graphics for King of Fighters games have never been that great anyway. The sprites are still lacklustre, but at least the backgrounds look pretty nice (even if there isn't that much going on in them)

There are a grand total of 35 playable characters, with one to unlock. There is another but he can only be used in training mode which isn't much use. Each character has their own range of special attacks and super moves.

The Dreamcast pad control has been improved over the last one and is more responsive. However using an arcade stick, again just like before, is the best way to play the game. The controls are the same as usual; with 2 punch and kick buttons plus since the Dreamcast has more buttons than the Neo Geo there are buttons for taunting and calling in your striker.

Game play is pretty similar to the last one with you taking on other teams of fighters. Beat another team to progress through the one player mode. You can use strikers to help you if you have them. Use special and super moves as well as standard punches and kick attacks in the fights.

If you never played KoF 99 before then I'll explain the striker system here. In this KoF there are teams of 4, but one character who you choose last will be your striker. By pressing the striker button the striker will appear on screen and do something (normally an attack) You can call a striker on a few times per match. Unlike last time though, each character has a ANOTHER striker, usually a cameo from a different SNK game. Look out for strikers from Metal Slug, Samurai Shodown, Burning Fight and more. There are even extra hidden strikers you can use with a code.

The sound for the game is straight from the arcade but Playmore have also included a remixed version of the sound track. Sound effects and speech samples are arcade perfect.

I'm kind of disappointed that Playmore haven't but any of the modes from Dreamcast KoF 99 in. There are just the standard modes of play: team play, single play, practice (training), team vs. and single play. Why didn't they put in survival and time attack modes?

What you do get is a gallery puzzle mode. You have to sort out slide puzzles, with many modes of difficulty. You can unlock more by completing the one player mode, and then when you complete a puzzle you can view it.

Overall this is a pretty good conversion of the arcade so if you liked that you should get this game. It is a shame that there aren't any extra modes but the game is still superior than the last two Dreamcast KoF games.

8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/06/05