The King of Fighters 2002: Challenge to Ultimate Battle

The King of Fighters 2002: Challenge to Ultimate Battle is the ninth game in the King of Fighters series, and is the second and last King of Fighters game produced by Eolith. Much like The King of Fighters '98, this game is more of a "dream match" for characters from all previous King of Fighters games, including killed-off characters. The series's canon storyline would resume in The King of Fighters 2003 - adapting, however, a character introduced in this game, Kusanagi.

It was later released for the Dreamcast, this time adding two characters absent from the original version, King and Shingo Yabuki. The PlayStation 2 version included Wild Iori, Goenitz and Geese Howard.

An alternate rebalanced version of this title, The King of Fighters Neowave, was released first in Japan on July 30, 2004 on arcades. An actual remake known as The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match, was eventually released in Japan on February 26, 2009.

Gameplay
The game brings back the team play composed by three characters each that was a tradition in previous games. The game has also several important changes in the gameplay, like the "Free Cancel System" or "Max Mode System", the "Quick Emergency Evasion" and "Quick MAX Mode Activation", aside from the countless changes in each character's special moves and their properties.

Max Mode compared to the previous games, while it enables Free Cancels (which use up a set duration of the mode), now halves the damage done at a cost for its duration. Normal DM's now no longer use up an extra gauge stock when performed, and now only instantly end Max Mode. SDM's instead use one extra stock while also ending Max Mode as well.

One of the most notable changes is the inclusion of MAX2 Desperation Moves (also known as Hidden Super Desperation Moves), which are DM's that can be used only with 3 stocks and at a certain threshold of low HP.

Another notable changes are the allocations of both normal DM's and SDM's, as not all normal DM's have SDM versions and some SDM inputs may be completely different attacks depending on the character(s).

KOF '99 Team

 * K'
 * Maxima
 * Whip

Japan Team

 * Kyo Kusanagi
 * Benimaru Nikaido
 * Goro Daimon

Fatal Fury Team

 * Terry Bogard
 * Andy Bogard
 * Joe Higashi

Art of Fighting Team

 * Ryo Sakazaki
 * Robert Garcia
 * Takuma Sakazaki

Ikari Warriors Team

 * Leona Heidern / Wild Leona
 * Ralf Jones
 * Clark Still

Psycho Soldier Team

 * Athena Asamiya
 * Sie Kensou
 * Chin Gentsai

Women Fighters Team

 * Mai Shiranui
 * Yuri Sakazaki
 * May Lee Jinju

Korea Justice Team

 * Kim Kaphwan
 * Chang Koehan
 * Choi Bounge

New Faces Team

 * Yashiro Nanakase
 * Shermie
 * Chris

'97 Special Team

 * Ryuji Yamazaki
 * Blue Mary
 * Billy Kane

KOF '96 Team

 * Iori Yagami
 * Mature
 * Vice

KOF 2000 Team

 * Vanessa
 * Seth
 * Ramon

KOF 2001 Team

 * Kula Diamond
 * K9999
 * Angel

Bosses

 * Omega Rugal
 * Kusanagi (Without fighting Kula and using continues)
 * Shingo Yabuki (Without fighting Kula and Angel and using continues)
 * King (Without using continues)

Orochi Team

 * Orochi Yashiro
 * Orochi Shermie
 * Orochi Chris

Alternate Character

 * Kusanagi

Console Exclusives

 * Shingo Yabuki
 * King
 * Geese Howard (ripped from SvC Chaos)
 * Goenitz (ripped from SvC Chaos)
 * Wild Iori (ripped from SvC Chaos)

Trivia

 * In console versions, Goenitz, Geese, Shingo and King's CD/Blowback attacks do not inflict any damage via a programming oversight. Technically however, Geese's CD attack through its SvC Chaos incarnation as a command normal (6C) is still able to do so.

Stages
Note: The NESTS and Omega Rugal's stages is many different in the console version.
 * Japan: A garden of a temple. Can be seen some people cheering, the other side of the temple, trees and shrubs, two geishas, a small lake and two fans, one of them with tiger print, a sun umbrella and two flags. The game's name can be spotted on the floor of the temple and on one of the flags. Changes: in 1st and 2nd round, it's afternoon; in the 3rd round, sunset; from the 4th round, night of full moon and the stage partially empty.
 * Korea: A boat in the front to the 63 Building, in Seoul. Can be spotted people cheering, childs, other buildings, flags, seagulls flying over the stage and tires. Changes: in 1st and 2nd round, it's afternoon; in the 3rd round, sunset; from the 4th round, night.
 * China: A courtyard near a lake and temples. Can be seen people cheering and holding plaques with Chin's name, a bridge, a sign with the franchise and Athena's name and balciones in the background,a gate next to the courtyard and a big vase in the left. Changes: in the 1st round, the gate is closed; in the 2nd round, the gate opens; in the 3rd, it's sunset; from the 4th round, night.
 * Holland: A farm. In the two first rounds, can be seen windmills, one with the franchise's name, a hot air balloon with the game's name, people cheering and photographing, a fence, giant clogs, sheep with the initials of the game and barns. From the 3rd round, it's sunset and the stage is partially empty. The only changes among the 3rd and 4th round is the animals: can be seen dogs and sheep in one, and crows in the other. Also can be seen giant clogs.
 * Cambodia: The fight takes next to the Angkor Wat Temple. Can be seen a tree, shrubs, stones and a electric post. The weather in the stage is cloudy and lightings can be seen in the sky.
 * Mexico: The Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan. The fight takes in a ancient building. Can be seen people cheering, a screen with Heidern, plaques with the game's name with the inscription MEXICO-TV by IO-NET, an antenna, the Mexican flag, a river and the Quetzalcoatl Temple, in the background. Changes: in two first rounds, it's day; in the 3rd round, it's sunset, the stage is empty and the screen it's off; from the 4th round, it's night and a torch is on.
 * Italy: An aerial plataform next to the Cathedral and the Tower of Pisa. Can be seen Mr. Big and Krauser, two screens, one showing Heidern, a cameraman and the Italian flag, in the left and in the right. Changes: from the 2nd round, the plataform rise, and appears a blue flag with game's short name in the tower; from the 4th round, one more rise until the top of the tower, where can be spotted the two villains and a sign FINAL: THE KING OF FIGHTERS.
 * Nests: In the arcade version, the Italy stage in a dark and empty version. In the console version, the fight takes in a military airplane, next to a helicopter. Can be seen obstacles, a miltary jeep and a war tank. There's a little turbulence and things start to fall. Associated with the Nests Team.
 * Unknown: In the arcade version, a heap of debris, possibly military aircraft. Can be seen a control panel screen in the background. In the console version, is a version of Sky Noah stage. Can be seen control panels, screens and ladders. Associated with Omega Rugal.