Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001

"Simply Spectacular!"

Introduction: This is a 2d fighter on the ps2. In this review I will speak of the various options, gameplay, characters and some other things as well. So sit back and enjoy this review that I've written for you gamers out there. I hope this review is informative and gives you a better aspect on one of the finer fighting games that you'll probably ever play.

Characters: You have over 40 people to choose from. The characters are separated, they have the capcom side and the snk side. Each side has the same amount of characters to choose from. This is probably the only weak point of the game though, the selection of characters could've been much better than it was, but they still have some top notch fighters from all different types of games. Some of the characters have been improved from their previous games, and some have been slightly down graded. With some many fighters in a game, it will take awhile find someone you really enjoy using. Also when you fight the computer or a friend, if you have two compatible characters so to speak, they will do something unique before they fight. Each fighter has a wide selection of clothes to choose from, you can do so by pressing a different button when you choose your fighter.

Grooves: There are six starter grooves for you to choose from when you play. A groove is something that allows your character to perform different special techniques. Each groove has something very different about it, so you will have to try each one to see which one fits your style of fighting. The grooves are meters at the bottom of the screen that show your special meter, they are all from other games from they're respective companies. So if you've played a game like Samurai Showdown, you would probably use the K-groove since it's from Samurai Showdown. Also you have two customizable grooves called ex-grooves. If you don't like the grooves that the game has set for you, then you can make your own. The game has all the options of all the other grooves for you to choose from. Don't get to excited though, you have only four thousand points to use, and each option costs a certain amount of points. The up-side is if you can customize a groove to your liking you could be more or less unstoppable. You do have to have talent though. With some grooves you cannot do super moves, but you can do other things instead. The grooves keep it so that every body doesn't fight the same exact way.

Gameplay: The gameplay in this game is very solid. It could either be a fast game or it could be more methodical, pending on the type of characters you use. The load time of the game is nice and fast so you will be able to get right to the action. There isn't any lag time from the time you perform the move combination to the time the move is performed. Also there are some super moves that can bypass most special moves, and all regular attacks, so you'll have to figure out which ones can do this. The game has a specific time limit that you can change to fit your liking. You can also set your groove meter to be filled all the way, or completely empty. The gameplay is a very strong part of this game, and is much better than most games in the past. There are a lot of other options to choose from, this way you could make the game the way you want it. The fighting is like an upgraded version of StreetFighter Alpha 3.

Graphics: The graphics are very polished for a fighting game. The characters are detailed nicely, and the stages aren't to bad themselves. Although the gameplay is more like streetfighter, the graphics lean more towards an snk type of game. Most of the super moves look really nice, but there are some that look rather plain. Depending on the groove you pick, your characters picture will look different. If you pick a capcom groove, your character will look like he's from a capcom game, and if you pick an snk groove, your character will look like he's from an snk game. Let me get into the stages graphics a little more. Some of them look really nice. They have nice colors and some even have people from other fighting games making cameo appearances.

Modes: This game has four different modes of play. They have Arcade Mode, Versus Mode, Infinite Survival and All Survival. There are also different ways you can choose to fight. There is One on One, Ratio Battle and Three on Three. One on One and Three on Three are self explanatory. Ratio Battle is a little different. In Ratio Battle you can choose one, two, or three characters. If you choose one, your character will be more powerful than normal, if you choose two, they'll both be at 50% power and if you choose three, they'll all have limited strength. In Arcade Mode and All Survival you are able to unlock secrets to increase the number of options and also you can unlock other things that I'll let you find out for yourself.

Overall: Overall the game has many options, a large cast of characters, and some secrets to increase the level of fun in this already great game. This game is very well put together from the graphics to the fighting. The only flaw is the character selection like I said earlier, there are about 7 characters that I would change. This is why I can't give the game a perfect score. This is a must have for anyone who loves a good 2d-fighter. Nothing short of Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 is better than this great game. Whether it's one on one or three on three, you're bound to have a good time.

Closing: Thank you for reading my review on this game. I hope I have been helpful in further educating you on this game. Good luck and good bye.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/13/04