Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001

Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 (Millionaire Fighting 2001 in Japan) is the sequel to the fighting game Capcom vs SNK, and the sixth game in the Capcom's VS. Series. This game was released on NAOMI hardware in the arcade. It was later released for the Sega Dreamcast (Japan only) PlayStation 2 and Playstation 3 (as a Playstation 2 Classics title in the PlayStation Network), with the GameCube and Xbox receiving an updated version called Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO.

Capcom vs. SNK 2 combines characters and gameplay elements from various Capcom and SNK fighting games, mainly the Street Fighter and The King of Fighters series. Other elements, most noticeably different fighting styles, incorporated elements from other games as well, such as Street Fighter III, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, and the Samurai Shodown series.

Contrary to the previous game, characters no longer have a specific "Ratio". The player can select up to three characters in a team and give an amount or ratio (up to four) to each as he/she pleases. In console versions of the game, players can also choose a 1 on 1 game (like Street Fighter) or a 3 on 3 game (like The King of Fighters) in Arcade Mode with the Ratio System removed.

Capcom Characters

 * Ryu - Street Fighter
 * Ken Masters - Street Fighter
 * M. Bison (Vega in Japan) - Street Fighter II
 * Sagat - Street Fighter
 * Vega (Balrog in Japan) - Street Fighter II
 * Balrog (Mike Bison in Japan) - Street Fighter II
 * Akuma (Gouki in Japan) - Super Street Fighter II Turbo
 * Chun-Li - Street Fighter II
 * Guile - Street Fighter II
 * Sakura Kasugano - Street Fighter Alpha 2
 * Cammy White - Super Street Fighter II
 * Dhalsim - Street Fighter II
 * Eagle - Street Fighter (newcomer)
 * Maki Genryusai - Final Fight 2 (newcomer)
 * Yun Lee - Street Fighter III (newcomer)
 * Zangief - Street Fighter II
 * Dan Hibiki - Street Fighter Alpha
 * Blanka - Street Fighter II
 * Edmond Honda - Street Fighter II
 * Kyosuke Kagami - Rival Schools (newcomer)
 * Morrigan Aensland - Darkstalkers
 * Rolento Schugerg - Final Fight (newcomer)
 * Evil Ryu (Satsui no Hadou Ni Mezameta Ryu in Japan) (console only) - Street Fighter Alpha 2

Capcom Boss

 * Shin Akuma (Shin Gouki in Japan) - Street Fighter Alpha 2

SNK Characters

 * Kyo Kusanagi - The King of Fighters '94
 * Iori Yagami - The King of Fighters '95
 * Benimaru Nikaido - The King of Fighters '94
 * Mai Shiranui - Fatal Fury 2
 * Joe Higashi - Fatal Fury: King of Fighters
 * Terry Bogard - Fatal Fury: King of Fighters
 * Geese Howard - Fatal Fury: King of Fighters
 * Ryuji Yamazaki - Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory
 * Rock Howard - Garou: Mark of the Wolves (newcomer)
 * Haohmaru - Samurai Shodown (newcomer)
 * Nakoruru - Samurai Shodown
 * Chang Koehan & Choi Bounge - The King of Fighters '94 (newcomers)
 * Ryuhaku Todoh - Art of Fighting (newcomer)
 * Athena Asamiya - Psycho Soldier (newcomer)
 * Hibiki Takane - The Last Blade 2 (newcomer)
 * Kim Kaphwan - Fatal Fury 2
 * King - Art of Fighting
 * Raiden - Fatal Fury: King of Fighters
 * Vice - The King of Fighters '96
 * Yuri Sakazaki - Art of Fighting 2
 * Ryo Sakazaki - Art of Fighting
 * Rugal Bernstein - The King of Fighters '94
 * Orochi Iori (console only) - The King of Fighters '97

SNK Boss character

 * God Rugal - Original character

Stage Cameos

 * Aomori: Kyoshiro Senryo (as one of the floats on the stage, along with E. Honda and Haohmaru)
 * Shanghai: June (from Star Gladiator), Bao, Chin Gentsai, Mai-Ling (from Red Earth), Li Xiangfei, Hsien-Ko
 * Nairobi: Leona, Falcon (from Power Stone), Alex, Clark Still, Ralf Jones, Heidern
 * London: Elena (Round 1/daytime only), Karman Cole, Billy and Lilly Kane, Dudley (Round 1/daytime only), Rouge (from Power Stone), Rose (both Round 2/Christmas nighttime only)

Other Cameos

 * Goro Daimon: Watches some fights between Kyo & Benimaru.
 * Kasumi Todoh: during Todoh's intros and win poses.
 * Hon Fu: cameo in Yamazaki vs Chun-Li intro
 * Mature: cameo in Vice vs. Rugal intro.
 * Yang: Appears during Yun's finishing moves.
 * Batsu & Hinata: Appear during Kyosuke's finishing moves.

Gameplay
Capcom vs. SNK 2 is based on the three strength system of punches and kicks (weak, medium, and hard) native to the Capcom games Street Fighter II and Street Fighter Alpha. The overall system is derivative of Street Fighter Alpha. However, a number of different fighting styles called 'Grooves', which mimic other Capcom and SNK games, are included in the engine. These dictate both the character's Super Gauge system (energy for super attacks, or desperation attacks), and special techniques (such as dashes, running, and guard cancels) called "Subsystems". There are six in total, along with custom grooves that can be programmed in home versions of the game. Each player designates prior to the match which groove his or her team will use. Each groove represents a system derived from a different game:


 * C-Groove: Utilizes a system akin to the one seen throughout the Street Fighter Alpha series, represented by the A-ISM in the third entry. Its main feature is a Super gauge divided in three levels, which fills up as the fight goes on, allowing for the use of Super Moves/SDMs. The power of the button used on such moves, as well as affecting the damage inflicted, also determines how much of the gauge will be depleted (one, two or all three levels). It is also the only groove which allows aerial blocking. Other gameplay features: Dash, Guard Cancel Counterattacks (Alpha Counters in its native game), Rolling Dodge and Tactical Recoveries.
 * A-Groove: Similar to the V-ISM from Street Fighter Alpha 3, it disables Super Moves/SDMs in favor of Custom Combos, which are combos in which any hits can be strung together into one another. These can be only performed by pressing both Hard Attack buttons when the gauge is full, at which point it will start depleting. Other gameplay features: Dash, Guard Cancel Counterattacks, Rolling Dodge and Fall Breakers.
 * P-Groove: It uses the classic Super gauge style from Super Street Fighter II Turbo, also utilized in Street Fighter Alpha 3's X-ISM. Consists of a single gauge which fills up as the user deals or takes damage and, when it is full, enables the use of a Super Move/SDM. It also allows for parrying, i.e. repelling an attack to get in position for a counterattack, like in the Street Fighter III series. Other gameplay features: Dash, Short Jump and Tactical Recoveries.
 * S-Groove: Has a mechanic similar to The King of Fighters '94 and 95 (as well as the Extra mode of 97 and '98), with a power gauge that the player must fill up by having his/her character focus their chi. Low health (the traditional flashing red gauge) allows for infinite Level 1 Supers/SDMs, while Level 3 Supers/SDMs can only be executed in low health and with the power gauge at MAX. True to form, it is the only groove with a sidestep dodge mechanic. Other gameplay features: Run, Short Jump, Guard Cancel Counterattacks and Tactical Recoveries.
 * N-Groove: Similar to the mechanic adopted from '96 onward: stocks are gained as the power gauge is filled, and with them one may use them up to either use a Super Move/SDM, gain attack and defense buffs for a limited amount of time (also powering up Supers/SDMs) or Guard Cancel into an evasive movement (each of which consumes one stock). Other gameplay features: Run, Short Jump, Guard Cancel Counterattacks, Rolling Dodge and Fall Breakers.
 * K-Groove: Adopts a system similar to the Samurai Shodown series, with a POW bar, which fills up as the character takes damage. Once it fills up (signified by the 怒/Ikari/Rage icon on fire), the character will flash red and the gauge will start depleting; however, his/her moves become stronger, and he/she will also be able to perform Level 3 Supers/SDMs until the gauge returns to zero and the character is restored to his/her normal color. This groove also borrows the Just Defend mechanic from Garou: Mark of the Wolves. Other gameplay features: Run, Short Jump and Fall Breakers.

Characters sprites and graphics
Because Capcom vs. SNK 2 features a roster composed of characters from numerous games and hardware eras, the appearances of several of Capcom's characters have been considered substandard in comparison to the newly drawn SNK characters. Instead of choosing to redraw its characters, Capcom took the approach of reusing old character sprites from previous games (mainly Street Fighter Alpha 3) and inserting them in among the other characters. The result created a significant disparity, particularly in the case of characters like Morrigan Aensland, whose low-resolution sprite from the original Darkstalkers games appears washed out and lacking in detail when compared to other of Capcom's newly drawn characters, such as Maki, Eagle, Ryu, Ken, and M. Bison (even Chun-Li and Yun have new sprites, which are based on their CPS-3 sprites from the Street Fighter III series). This has led to criticism of Capcom's art department by critics.

Capcom vs SNK EO
Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO is the same game but with minor changes in gameplay, such as adding the ability to cancel special moves into super combos -- a mechanic found in Street fighter 3 series -- to P groove and the inclusion of an EO ('easy operation', or 'extreme offense' for Western releases) system that allows the player to perform specific attacks by simply moving the right analog stick (C Stick for the GameCube) in a certain direction. Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO also removed the Roll Cancel glitch that was in the original versions.

Like all other home versions of the game, CvS2: EO also contains four bonus characters: Evil Ryu, wild Iori, Shin Akuma (Shin Gouki in Japan), and Ultimate Rugal (God Rugal in Japan), powered-up versions of four regular characters. Shin Akuma and Ultimate Rugal are the boss fighters, and display tactics typical of bosses from SNK Playmore's fighting games. However, the damage taken by Shin Akuma and Ultimate Rugal is increased to balance their above-average speed and special attacks.

Before selecting a team, the game offers a selection of "Grooves", which change the way the game is played, as well as "AC-ism" or "GC-ism" Grooves; GC-ism simplifies the control scheme, originally designed for the GameCube gamepad. In the Xbox version it's called EO-ism.

In addition, the Xbox version of CvS2: EO also includes online play for up to 2 players on Xbox Live as well as progressive-scan (480p) support, which was noticeably absent in the PlayStation 2 version.

Critical Reception
Edge reviewed the GameCube version of Capcom vs SNK 2 EO in issue 114, awarding it only 3 out of 10. It was felt that the special move shortcuts diminished the impact of basic punches and kicks, destroying the game balance; no subtlety, nothing to learn, and no reward. The two player mode was especially criticized: "How can you celebrate some glorious special move victory when all it took was a single movement?".