SNK VS Capcom: Match Of The Millennium

For many, SVC:MotM was the reason to buy a NGPC. For many others, this game was the reason they’re hitting themselves for not getting a NGPC. For the many of you in the latter category, have no fear as both the NGPC and this game have been re-released in some stores (Namely Electronics Boutique). Even so, they’re still remarkably hard to find.

SNK has always had a certain charm to their games. Many thought that charm was lost when Capcom made the Capcom vs. SNK games. In some cases, they’re right. I, on the other hand, always found that it was Capcom’s laziness for their own characters that made those games feel awkward. Morrigan’s sprite for instance. Everyone knows it’s a direct rip from a Dark Stalkers game. Worst of all, it shows. She looks too bright, too under detailed, and simply awful. In the NGPC SVC: MotM, SNK managed to get it right. Since there was no way the little handheld could handle such graphics as those from the arcade, they decided to redraw everyone. As a result, Morrigan and Felicia both feel like they belong in the game. Both their moves and their sprites fit nicely in the mix. While the backgrounds aren’t as pretty as some (Last Blade), they do mirror their arcade and console counterparts marvelously.

The system’s digital analog stick works wonders on performing both dragon punches and rising storms. Serious arcade fans and those used to d-pads should both equally enjoy the control this game has to offer. Ripping combos into a friend is easier than ever with the Rush mode. This mode focuses on speed and stringing regular attacks together more than it depends on building up a super gauge to finish off your opponent. All together, there are three styles of play, each with varying differences: Average, Counter, and Rush. Average is just the opposite of what I described above. Instead of constantly pecking away at your enemy’s life bar, your main goal is to do massive damage with a max super gauge. Counter is a more KoF style of play. In this mode, you can dodge attacks and, as the name states, counter an enemy’s move. Nifty, huh? Another way to think of these modes is Average = Street Fighter, Counter = King of Fighters, and Rush = Samurai Showdown/Dark Stalkers.

What makes this game better than the Capcom developed CVS games is that you can choose what type of fight you want to partake in. A single battle is just that, one on one, SF or FF style. Tag battles resemble the fights you’d likely see in Marvel VS Capcom – yes, you can switch your guys on the fly. Lastly, we’ve got Team style fights. This is ripped straight from KoF and makes for some variety. I enjoy Team and Tag most of all. While there’s nothing wrong with Team mode, I’ve just never like the team fights of the KoF games.

Just in case all these modes weren’t enough, SNK has added a special treat for us in the form of 7 minigames: 3 universal, 2 Capcom, and 2 SNK. The universal minigames are your average Survival, Time Attack, and a new thing called First Blast. This is essentially survival but the first hit of every fight wins. The Capcom games revolve around Arther (Ghouls and Ghosts) and Felicia. Arther’s game is a fun ledge-jumping game where you need to go back and fourth, picking up treasure while avoiding the gargoyles along the way. Felicia’s game is a DDR clone that goes to the beat of the different stage background music. On the SNK side, we’ve got Jubei’s Blade Arts. This is one of the best games on here. Your goal is to cut various colored signs as they pop up. The other SNK minigame involves Marco from Metal Slug. This time, you’re shooting down aliens as their ships come into Earth’s orbit. All of these games just add to the package and none of them take away from the fighting (although, you might find yourself spending a lot of time on one of them).

I could go on and on about how great this game is. There’s really nothing wrong with it. If you really hate big-headed characters, I guess that’s a fault. Likewise, if you can’t stand seeing your favorite fighters in two-tone graphics, I guess that could be a fault. If you just give this game a chance, I think you’ll enjoy all the things it has to offer, both as a 2-player fighting game and as a single-player experience. There’s only one game that I’ve found to be better for this little system and it shares half of its name with this game, SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash. Pick ’em both up if you’re a die-hard fighting fan.

-Originally Posted by Bloodspoor