Sound:  
Once again, the sound in Capcom vs. SNK 2 is very reminiscent of past Capcom fighting games. Ryu’s Hadouken and Sagat’s Tiger Punch sound just the same as they did way back when during the Street Fighter 2 days. Each level has its own catchy theme, but much like the levels themselves, gets old after a while. And let’s not forget the always-present announcer. He has that game show-esque enthusiasm that only game show hosts and nutcases seem to possess, which suits the game well seeing as though it is set up like a broadcasted tournament. With the exception of lack of variety in the music department, the sound is top-notch.

Gameplay:  
There are so many gameplay options in Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO that it will take me hours just to write them all down. But only because we here at NGenres care about our readers, I shall include everything. Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO brings all your favorite Street Fighter characters (and some others) together to battle characters from such popular SNK fighting games as Fatal Fury and Samurai Showdown. Personally, I would have preferred more variety in the Capcom selection (where’s Mega Man and Jill Valentine?), but over 44 selectable characters is good enough for me…I guess.

The following are your various modes of play:

In Arcade Mode, you compete against randomly assigned opponents. In Arcade mode, you choose a character and up to two teammates. If one character bites the dust, the next takes his or her place in the battle. Once every character in a team is defeated, the fight is over. You always have the option of classic Street Fighter mode, wherein you choose one character and fight a set number of rounds to determine a winner. Arcade Mode is just the same as if you played the game in the arcade (hence the name), and is more fun than a barrel full of Blancas.

Survival Mode is set up just like any survival mode in any fighting game - keep fighting until you are defeated. You can choose between All Fight, where you fight every character in the game, and Infinite Fight, where you keep fighting until you are beat. If you are going to play Survival Mode, make sure you have a lot of time on your hands – it is going to be a long fight.

VS. Mode is the game’s multiplayer mode, which will be explained later.

Training Mode, much like Survival Mode, is similar to any other fighting game. Here, you can practice your various moves against a computer opponent. There are many options in Training Mode, such as different positions and actions for your opponent and yourself. The training mode is an excellent way for newcomers to the series to hone their fighting skills, and for seasoned pros such as myself to master their techniques.

In Color Edit Mode, you can change the color of your favorite fighter. You can then save the edited character, and select his or her new look by pressing Start at the character select screen. This is nothing spectacular, but it is a nice addition to all you creative geniuses out there.

In Replay Mode, you fight a regular match and save it for your viewing pleasure. This takes up 9 blocks in your memory card, so unless you prefer to watch instead of participate, this may just be the mode for you.

You can change your controls, difficulty level, and others in Option Mode. There is another, hidden mode that you can access by fulfilling a certain requirement, but I’m not going to tell you what that is. Once again, because I care.

OK, now that we have the modes of play down, let’s talk about your various selectable grooves. Grooves are different types of fighting styles you can assign to your character. Each groove has a different approach to building up your special move meter, as well as avoiding and countering attacks.

The C-Groove works like the classic Street Fighter Alpha 3 power gauge. The more you attack, the higher your gauge goes. When completely filled, you can execute up to three Super Combo moves, depending on how strong they are. In S-Groove, you can charge your power gauge by holding down the High Punch (HP) and High Kick (HK) buttons. When the gauge is maxed out, you can use your Super Special Move. The A-Groove was also evident in Street Fighter Alpha 3. As you attack, the gauge builds up. When the gauge is full, you can perform a Custom Combo, which makes your character faster, and also increases your number of landed. N-Groove is more of an updated version of the Street Fighter combo system. Once again, as you attack, your gauge increases. When the gauge is full, you store a Super Special Move, and can keep up to three. You can also max out your power by pressing HP and HK, and can perform a MAX Super Special Move. P-Groove is based on landing and avoiding attacks. If you successfully parry an attack, the gauge increases. Once it is full, you can execute a level 3 Super Combo. The K-Groove builds up as you get hurt. Once the gauge is full, your character enters Rage Mode, and not only is more powerful, but can perform a MAX Super Special Move.

Whew.

Yes, that certainly feels like too much to handle. But I guarantee, once you get to know every mode and groove, you’ll love the game.

Control:
If you’ve read other reviews for this game, I’m sure somewhere there was bitching and moaning about the GameCube’s controller issues. Well, I completely disagree with those whiners. The GCN controller isn’t “unfit for fighting games,” it’s just different. You just need to get used to it, like a hot tub, or a lobotomy. I do admit that the GCN controller is a bit awkward at first, but once you get going, you won’t see any problems at all. But for those who just cannot get used to the controls, Capcom has included two separate control schemes. The first, AC-ISM, works like every Street Fighter game, with low to high punch and kicks, quarter-circle forward special moves, and the like. The other, GC-ISM, takes full advantage of the GCN controller. The shoulder buttons act as the punch and kick buttons, and the A, B, X and Y buttons act as counterattack, sidestep/dodge, power up, and recover, respectively. The real kicker is that the C-Stick is used in GC-ISM as your special move button. Instead of going through all those control stick motions in AC-ISM, all you need to do is move the C-Stick in a certain direction, and your character will perform that pre-set move. This can be done for super moves and super special moves. This is an excellent way that Capcom utilized the GCN controller layout. Control itself is responsive, and could not be any more perfect. You’ll have no problems pulling off those level 3 Super Combos in this game.

Multiplayer:
Multiplayer mode in Capcom vs. SNK 2 is just as fun as it can possibly be. You and a friend choose up to three characters, select a level, and fight it out. Replays can also be saved in multiplayer mode. Other than that, no huge options, but honestly – how much variety do you need when you’re beating the crap out of your best friend?

OVERALL:
Fighting game fans everywhere, buy this game! It is an amazing fighting game, which is no surprise as it came from Capcom. Don’t expect anything incredibly innovative in Capcom vs. SNK 2 - just look forward to some good ol’ fashioned 2-D fighting.

 

The Lowdown on  Capcom VS SNK 2: EO Aesthetics: Very Good Control: Awesome Gameplay: Awesome Multiplayer: Very Good Sound: Above Average Innovation: 3/6 Lasting Appeal: 5/6 Overall: Awesome! "Top of the Genre"