You'd think that since I just got a ton of games that are newish (to me, anyway) and that I still have a long ways to go before I've even become comfortable with those, much less tired of them, I wouldn't be on the lookout for new games for a while.
However, that's not the case. I really want a copy of the King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match. Much like the KoF '98 remake, this really cleans the game up, adds back in all the "missing" characters, rebalances and tweaks most of the characters, does the backgrounds all over again in 3-D, releases a bunch of new backgrounds, releases a bunch of new modes... all in all a great package. SNK had said that they wanted King of Fighters XII to be the ultimate 2-D fighting game, a goal which it appears to have spectacularly failed to achieve, while ironically this 2002 remake, released at about the same time, could make a claim for that title. Word on the street is that this is the best King of Fighters game yet, even better than the '98 remake.
Sadly, it doesn't look like I'm going to be getting it any time real soon. It was released about a year ago for the PS2 in Japan, but does not have any PS2 release in the US scheduled at all. Instead, it's supposed to get an Xbox Live Arcade download release "sometime this year." That means that the game is sadly destined for almost certain obscurity here. I'm left with the rather poor choices of getting an Xbox 360 and a live account, or importing the game, and picking up Swap Magic or some other way of running import games on my PS2. I don't really like either choice.
The 360 would at least open the door for Super Street Fighter 2 HD Remix, Street Fighter IV, Super Street Fighter IV (assuming that's not just a rumor), and King of Fighters XII; but let's not kid ourselves. I was OK waiting on those indefinately. It's King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match that really gets to me. Mostly because I believe it should get a US PS2 release. In fact, I sent an email off to the old email account I had for SNK telling them as much. I know, I know, they're not going to change their strategy simply on my account. But man, that would sure be convenient for me! I'd like to think that not only for me, though. Any King of Fighters fan worth his salt is going to have a PS2 anyway. It's how you get your '98 remake. It's how you get your XI. It's how you get all your Fatal Fury games, and really all of the rest of the King of Fighters titles except Neowave and XII. King of Fighters fans have PS2s. Releasing it for that system sells it to your current, installed, fanbase. Releasing it on Xbox Live Arcade? Not necessarily so much. Granted, you do save on pressing, printing and distribution costs, but you're also leaving some long-time fans out in the cold.
Anyway, I've included a HSDM exhibition from youtube. That's the game I want, folks. Right there. And I won't be able to get it, easily. Ironic; I've got the "regular" Xbox port of 2002, and Neowave, which is a remake of this game as well. This, version, though, is the truly definitive one.
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