The KOF 2000 Appreciation Thread

So I'm at a friends house and I get to play kof 2000 again
for the first time in about 4 or 5 years.
I've always kind of been a big fan 2000 and my feelings has
always been that the series basically ended on 2000.

1 because it was one of the last games that SNK really made
2 it was the last SNK game shinikiro did the art for
3 it wasn't as crappy as 2001 and 2003 (2002 was basically a less interesting 98)

I understand why people may have an appreciation for 2001 despite it's
terrible bleeps and bloops music and goofier still art,
but the combo system was wrong with some of the characters
and just seemed entirely uninteresting to play.
It had interesting rules like the variable character count instead of the
normal 3 on 3, but I didn't like the system practically.
2003 as far as I'm concerned doesn't deserve a mention.

2000 was SNK's swan song, they even thanked everyone in the end credits.
For the last game that was probably made with limited resources,
the presentation of art and cut scenes were stellar.
The music and backgrounds were good,
although they were a small step down from 99.
Some folks made mention in the past that it's because thematically it was a
representation of a less popular king of fighters, taking place in bleaker areas,
like a ship yard, a construction yard, a warehouse factory setting, egypt?, etc.
but everyone's entitled to their own opinions.
but in my opinion.
00 is where the story shoud have ended.
01 is garbage, and this is coming from a pretty big AKIRA fan, and well,
a fan of just about anything in korean too.

btw. not a big fan of strikers really. not that they set me wrong,
but I really don't care to use them.

yeah, it´s the best kof for art and presentation.

but the backgrounds were bland and I dind´t like the striker system.

plus 99 and forward were a big change for me since the EX system was removed.

I really like the bulldozer background in 2000.

I might put it in today actually sod it, its been ages.

kernow said:

I really like the bulldozer background in 2000.

Click to expand...

Holy shit, kernow actually likes something! For those keeping score at home:
Likes: Bulldozer in background on KOF 2000
Dislikes: Kits, shockboxes, AES collectors, people who think X > 2.

Theres more than that

You don't know me well enough yet obviously - I guess you did only join in 2007 though.

Easily the best in the series as far as art direction and overall presentation go (I liked the backgrounds and roster as well). Definitely showed potential for the NESTS saga at the very least before Eolith came along and delivered the trainwreck that was '01.

Well, I'm not a KOF fanatic, but I've played them all.

And I like 2000 the best - and its the only KOF I'll own.

(If I get into it any further, I'll be sure to check out '98)

I've thought about getting this game quite a lot lately, I actually saw a dream in which I received a parcel which contained a kof2000 jp home cart.

I've never played a 'strikers' kof

I used to just love this one. It was the first KOF I spent any real time with.

Going back and playing it now the gameplay and backrounds feel a little bit incomplete. I still enjoy the game, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite.

2000 is defeintely towards the top of my KOF list. Not to piss on anyone's parade, but I like 2003 best simply for the tag battle system. Second to that, though, I think it's either 00 or 98 for my favorite. I can't really get into the pre-97 games too well. 2001-02 are okay but just seemed like filler to get us from the stellar 00 to a new style of play in 03.

So yeah, 00 is badass. One of the few best-playing KOFs, imho.

Yeah I loved this game to, I even made a combo video for it that I can't find anymore, really wanna add that to my youtube at some point if anyone knows of a copy of the file

counter/armour mode are still pretty much a waste of time though.

I much prefer the simplified 98 ADV system. Love it.

fuck, 98 is the best by utter miles.

You know, I thought counter mode was pretty devastating with someone like
Chang, who kind of obviously is one of my favorites.
If you can get past the lack of supers, which I can do with Chang since
with him I usually use normals anyways so it's pretty easy to freak
someone the hell out.
I figure it works well for people with multiple hit moves,
like kensuo's hop kick punch deal, or the Chin's drunken dragon punch move

The counter mode though, I never had an appreciation for,
since, sure you have supers for an limited time,
but there tended to be some strange delays to make it productive
for my tastes. my style of play is typically to be close and use normals
for space and range of distance games.
delayed supers leave me open too much for that.

and I really don't recall if it was in 99,
but 2000 has the selective level 2 supers except with the
execution of using both punches or kicks to use them,
instead of busting a bar and then doing the super.
I'm used to the whole breaking a bar and then doing a super,
but I think the 2000 way is more conducive to a faster fight,
instead of telegraphing your intentions before hand.

chang is so sick in 2002. Didn't use him much in 2000. Armor mode is ridiculous, it allows for dash crouch jab infinites, 100% combo's you wouldnt think even exists.

The game basically has some of the most notiously bad glitches because of this mode also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0MAH1JX2o0

Lord Wolfgang Krauser said:

chang is so sick in 2002. Didn't use him much in 2000. Armor mode is ridiculous, it allows for dash crouch jab infinites, 100% combo's you wouldnt think even exists.

The game basically has some of the most notiously bad glitches because of this mode also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0MAH1JX2o0

Click to expand...

that made me laugh.
and to chime in with the striker thing,
I'm not sure if SNK intended to make some of the strikers
as insane as they did,
but there were some dirty combos that you could pull using the strikers in a combo.
I don't really use them, like I said.
But I when I monkey around with them in practice mode,
the whole juggling thing could get kind of annoying.
I could figure out 75% combos with Clark or Ralph which is pretty crazy
given how scary they are in the first place.

2000 is really fun.

I remember using Joe as my striker a lot. Made it really easy to piece together big damage combos.

I really dig all the cameo special Strikers. With all them included, I think this has the most SNK characters on any Neo Geo cart.

First homecart I ever bought. The sideways insert is way rad.

I like it, it's not my favorite.
backgrounds weren't its strong side, had kind of industrial vibe to it.
seemed like kind of lacked palette of colors,
but gameplay was solid and soundtrack rocked.

'96 is by far my favorite followed by '97. I find '98 very very bland and boring and very easy too.

I'm hoping to pick up '94 and '99 soon but after reading this thread I'm tempted to skip and go straight for '00 for now.

I'm aiming for a full KOF set eventually.

I wouldn't discount 99, it's quirky, but it starts off the nests saga
and the new sprite style.
It might feel stripped down after playing 98 with all the characters,
but I think it's pretty worth taking a look at.
Some of the coolest backgrounds too.

yeah, can't beat that horizontal insert.

if i'm too lazy to put the cart in, sometimes i just flip through the "all characters bible" to remind myself how fucking sick the presentation in that game is.

my favorite portrait ever of terry on the character select screen.

kula and vanessa.

great intro.

Ukyo said:

great intro.

Click to expand...

great outro.
I think the ending title sequence is the best out of the entire series.
awesome music to go with some awesome art.
Makes you almost think the art was made for the end titles and not for the intro.

Everything drawn in this game is beautiful. From intro, character screen, in-game demos, and endings.

I really liked messing with the strikers and making them take hits for me... It was really fun, even though the boss at the end was too easy. Personally my fav. is XI.

I think this is the pinnacle of Shinkiro's work for SNK. The characters look full of life and very dynamic. KOF2000 is bad ass and superfun, this is the only KOF that I don't take all too seriously 'cause of the zanny strikers. I do love it though!

the first kof i bought, awesome game!