The King of Fighters 2002

Game Overview

Released in arcades on October 10, 2002, The King of Fighters 2002 was developed by the Korean studio Eolith under Playmore (the company that continued the SNK legacy after the original company’s bankruptcy). It abandons the four-character teams and Striker assists used in KOF 1999–2001 and returns to the traditional three-character team format with the Advanced Mode power system from KOF ’97 and ’98.

Players select a team of three fighters and battle through single-player arcade mode or versus matches. The roster is one of the largest in the series up to that point, combining characters from the NESTS saga, earlier KOF titles, Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, and other SNK properties. The game emphasizes fast, technical 2D fighting with cancels, combos, and the MAX system for enhanced supers. It runs on standard Neo-Geo MVS hardware and was later ported to Neo-Geo AES, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. In MAME the main set is kof2002 (NGM-2650 / NGH-2650). Emulation is fully supported.

Quick Specifications

• Title: The King of Fighters 2002 (Challenge to Ultimate Battle)
• Developer: Eolith
• Publisher: Playmore
• Release Year: 2002 (Arcade – October 10)
• Platform: Neo-Geo MVS (arcade)
• Genre: 2D Fighting / Team-based Versus
• Players: 1–2 simultaneous
• Controls: 8-way joystick, 4 buttons
• Hardware: Neo-Geo (68000 @ 12 MHz + Z80 @ 4 MHz, YM2610 sound)
• Display: Horizontal, 320 × 224
• MAME ROM set: kof2002 (parent)
• Serial: NGM-2650 (MVS) / NGH-2650 (AES)

Key Features

• Classic 3-on-3 team battles (no Striker system).
• Large “dream match” roster featuring characters from across SNK history.
• Advanced Mode power gauge and MAX system for enhanced special moves.
• Fast, technical gameplay focused on combos and cancels.
• Single-player arcade mode plus versus play.
• Runs on original Neo-Geo MVS hardware with excellent MAME support.
• Foundation for later enhanced versions such as The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The King of Fighters 2002?

It is a 2002 Neo-Geo fighting game and the ninth main entry in the King of Fighters series. It is a non-story “dream match” title that returns to traditional 3-on-3 team battles.

Who developed and published it?

It was developed by Eolith and published by Playmore (the company that continued SNK’s fighting-game legacy).

How does the team system work?

Players select three characters and fight in classic 3-on-3 matches. The Striker assist system from previous games is not present.

What is the main MAME ROM set?

The parent set is kof2002. It requires a Neo-Geo BIOS (neogeo.zip) to run.

Is this the same as KOF 2002 Unlimited Match?

No. The original 2002 arcade version is a separate game. Unlimited Match is a later enhanced remake with additional characters, balance changes, and extra content.

What are the basic controls?

Standard Neo-Geo layout: 8-way joystick + four buttons (Light Punch, Light Kick, Heavy Punch, Heavy Kick).