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).

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
 * Ralf Jones
 * Clark Still

Psycho Soldiers Team

 * Athena Asamiya
 * Sie Kensou
 * Chin Gentsai

Women Fighters Team

 * Mai Shiranui
 * Yuri Sakazaki
 * May Lee

Korea Team

 * Kim Kaphwan
 * Chang Koehan
 * Choi Bounge

KOF '96 Team

 * Iori Yagami
 * Mature
 * Vice

KOF '97 Team

 * Blue Mary
 * Billy Kane
 * Ryuji Yamazaki

KOF '98 Team

 * Yashiro Nanakase
 * Shermie
 * Chris

KOF '99 Team

 * K'
 * Maxima
 * Whip

KOF 2000 Team

 * Vanessa
 * Ramon
 * Seth

KOF 2001 Team

 * Kula Diamond
 * Angel
 * K9999

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

 * 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 the PS2 and Xbox 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.