Once you can assume a decent roster depth, I'm genuinely more interested in the stages than characters .... I know that's kind of difficult for a team fighter like kof, but it probably remains the one shortfall for me of 2002, which wasn't really fixed in UM imho ...
Being that they're kind of the between years ones 95+97+99 I think are well worth a nod in this regard.
But yeah, discounting non fighters like metal slug, everything last blade is really just one of the finest productions at this kind of res ever (especially for it's time - hitting the right kind of anime feel), it's kind of boring to say, but you'd do it a disservice not to mention, and they all complement/contrast each other well... garou's nice too, but not quite as complementry, and for some reason lacking a bit of that ng ambition, though there's plenty of low key charm.