Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001

"Revival fighting company clash once again! The winner? Why the fans, of course."

Capcom and fighters. Two words that go together like peanut butter and jelly (in my mind, at least). It is because of the undeniably pivotal, arcade rejuvenating hit Street Fighter II that I am the gamer that you see before you today. This was the stuff of hardcore legends, the game that would test the mettle of a man and separate the gamers from the newbs. Naturally, Capcom has exploited this love of Street Fighter to the nth degree and released an immeasurable amount of upgrades, spin-offs and sequels. Enter the latest, Capcom vs. SNK 2.

If there's a real story anywhere in this game, I must've completely overlooked it. As far as I can tell, this game is about beating the crap out of Capcom and SNK characters. I seem to recall a few blurbs of text here and there, taunts mostly, that might have contained the inklings of a plot, but I was too busy hammering the start button to actually pay attention to their meaning. You won't here me say this often, but not every game needs a story and Capcom vs. SNK 2 is definitely one of those games. If you want to see what happens when too much thought goes into the story about people beating each other to a pulp, rent Street Fighter: The Movie (starring Jean Claude Van Damme).

Graphically this game is a mixed bag- on one hand you've got the high resolution 3D backgrounds (also seen in Marvel vs. Capcom 2) that look absolutely gorgeous on a high end television with S-Video cables while on the other hand there's still the same old character sprites Capcom has been recycling for the past ten games. While it's not all that bad, when you put it next to Guilty Gear X or the more recently released X2, it looks rather dated and pathetic. At this point, Capcom must invest some time into new character sprites or risk losing the 2D fighting market to companies that put a little more effort into their work.

If you're looking for that ultimate sound experience (or any sound experience, really) you might be a little disappointed. Just like the character sprites, the audio effects are second-hand samplings of what we heard in arcades ten years ago. The music, on the other hand, is mostly familiar, newly remixed tunes that are catchy during a match but forgettable five minutes later. Yes, it does indeed do the job, but it feels like very little effort was put into the sound, almost as if Capcom felt it just wasn't important enough to give a damn about.

Okay, so if I wasn't all that impressed with the graphics and even less enthusiastic about the sound, why the do I even like this game? One word- control. Capcom still has the tightest, most refined control scheme for any fighting game ever and that's what makes playing a game fun. Once you mast the controls, you can do any amazing number of things that just aren't possible on most 3D fighters. Sure, a certain visual flair is missing from the combos, but I'll take hard-as-hell to pull off combos over the dial-a-string crap there permeates most modern fighters any day. There's something immensely satisfying to landing a fourteen consecutive blows and then punctuating your opponents humiliation with a super finish to end the match.

Capcom may have run the concept into the ground, but I still maintain that the entire versus series was a well-conceived and well-designed bunch of games. The great thing is, they come in two flavors- the more party-friendly Marvel versus titles and the more hardcore SNK versus games. Having a fighting game where you choose teams, select their power level and even select their fighting style makes for one kickass strategic brawler since the possibilities are nearly endless. The next chapter in the versus series (SNK vs. Capcom: Chaos) is being developed by Playmore (the reborn SNK), so here's hoping they bring something new to the table before 2D fighters go the way of the dodo.

Not surprisingly, there are a few things you can unlock if you play the game enough. Shin Akuma and Ultimate Rugal await those brave enough to take the challenge (defeat them and they're yours to select). You can also open a Boss Battle Mode, extra options and a Groove Edit Mode (along with infinite Groove Edit points) which allows you to customize a fighting style to your liking. It would have been nice to have a few more hidden characters, but the Groove Edit Mode more than makes up for it.

It's hard to figure out who to recommend this game and for what reasons. It's a classic fighter, so veterans of Street Fighter II or Fatal Fury will feel right at home despite the various additions to the core gameplay. However, it's a tough game, so new-schoolers who think Tekken Tag Tournament is when fighting games hit their stride might be put off by the 2D graphics and non-button mashing moves. Despite it's flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed Capcom vs. SNK 2 and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fight.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/10/09

Game Release: Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 (US, 11/06/01)