Long is the road that the fighting game genre has traveled. While really one of the youngest genres around, fighting games (especially 2D fighting games) have probably burned out the fastest, suffering criticism after criticism from gamers and press alike for (usually) not offering enough of an improvement from one iteration to the next. "It's just the same game with a couple new characters (or new stages)," go the usual comments about the newest fighting game that comes out.

But that isn't to say that there hasn't been any improvement or forward movement of the genre. There have been many fighting games that have come along to serve as landmark games, pushing the genre forward and providing a rich and fulfilling experience that is at once exciting, fun and fresh. One such game is Capcom's newest 2D fighter for the Dreamcast (and PS2): CAPCOM VS. SNK 2: MILLIONAIRE FIGHTING 2001. So what makes this game so exciting and worthy of your time? How about 48 playable characters (all unique); all-new, beautiful 2D and 3D backgrounds; a completely redesigned fighting engine; and six different fighting styles per character!

Yes, in a nutshell, CAPCOM VS. SNK 2 is the true evolution of 2D fighting games. Capcom has taken the time to carefully redesign, tweak and adjust the fighting engine so what you get is the slickest, most in-depth 2D fighting game on the planet. You get to choose your own Groove (fighting system) at the start of the game: C, A, P, or S, N, K Grooves. "C" Groove is closest to the STREET FIGHTER ALPHA (ZERO) style of playing: you can build up to 3 levels of Supers to use, you get Air Blocking, and more. "A" Groove gives you Custom Combos (where you create your own combos strung together once your Super Bar is filled). "P" Groove is similar to STREET FIGHTER III with Parrying (you can essentially "parry" any move (including fireballs) without any damage!) "S" Groove gives you the original KING OF FIGHTERS style of charging up your Super Bar manually, and when you get into the red (almost dead), you can unleash as many supers as you can pull off. "N" Groove is similar to later KOF games' "Advanced" system where you can stock up to 3 Supers, but you can also "blow it out" and it'll give you the ability to unleash Max Supers. And finally you have "K" Groove, which is a combination of various SNK games of the past, like SAMURAI SHODOWN's Rage Gauge meter where, once it fills up, you get to do more damage and unleash hell. You also get the excellent new "Just Defense" system where if you block a move at the very last second, it'll not only deflect damage, but restore a little bit of life back! If these sound a bit intimidating, don't worry, you can get into any Groove quickly. But that's only the tip of the iceberg, and mastering each Groove system offers more than enough replayability.

The graphics are similar to CAPCOM VS. SNK 1, a wonderful blend of 2D characters with some sharp 3D CG effects, giving the game an overall modern, polished, eye-appealing look. The only downside on the graphical end this time around is that not all the fighters were redrawn. All of the SNK characters are redrawn (necessary for them to appear in this Capcom game), but Capcom cut some corners and just reused old sprites on some characters like Morrigan and Rolento. But overall, most of the characters are very nice and polished (although GUILTY GEAR X still rules in terms of pure high-res 2D character sprites).

The music deserves special mention this time around. Unlike the utter crap that is MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 2's "muzak" / Elevator Music, someone down in Capcom's Music Department finally woke up and realized what we gamers really wanted, and what we get is some of the most kick-ass fighting music for a 2D fighter in quite some time. The End Credits song is an awesome, hip blend of Trip-Hop / Club-style music, with hauntingly beautiful female vocals.

But the highlight of CAPCOM VS. SNK 2 has to be the 48 fighters from Capcom and SNK's long-vaulted history. It's still utterly amazing that we gamers are lucky enough to get something like this—the collaboration of the top two 2D fighting companies is unprecedented. Looking at the roster, one can't help but be awed by the sheer coolness of playing these fighters with their rich histories, and now the roster is far richer than what we sampled in Part 1 even. Check out the coolness of playing SAMURAI SHODOWN's legendary hero, Haohmaru against Guile! Or how about RIVAL SCHOOL's Kyosuke versus LAST BLADE's Rurouni Kenshin-like Hibiki, with her special sword styles. Or, of course, the classic "poster boy" matchup of Capcom's Ryu versus SNK's Kyo (or some would argue FATAL FURY's Terry Bogard). The matchups are endless.

To conclude, CAPCOM VS. SNK 2 is a stunning testament to the power of 2D fighting games, and a fitting tribute to the genre. This is probably the last 2D fighting game to be released by Capcom as their own top brass stated that the future of this franchise may not be in 2D anymore, and with SNK bankrupt as well, this may very well be the case. No matter what, if you're looking for a great game to play this holiday season, look no further than the greatest, finest 2D fighting game to date: CAPCOM VS. SNK 2.

Rating: 9.3 / 10.0