DESCRIPTION

The King of Fighters XI moves from the arcade to PlayStation 2 with 47 playable characters. SNK's signature series, which combines combatants from the publisher's previous fighting franchises into a team-based tournament, features a number of enhancements for its console debut. New to PlayStation 2 are four exclusive stages and the following controllable characters: Mai Shiranui, Mr. Big, Geese Howard, Tung Fu Rue, Robert Garcia, Hoaru Futaba, and EX Kyo Kusanagi. Also included are seven playable boss characters, ten new songs, and 14 new endings.

Game modes include Arcade, Team, Endless, Challenge, Practice, and Color Edit. The latter lets players customize the colors of each character's hair, outfit, and special effects. Fans of previous entries will need to master new techniques, including the Quick Shift, Saving Shift, and Dream Cancel. Quick Shift has players instantly swapping characters in the middle of an attack to extend combos, while Saving Shift involves rescuing characters before they receive a potentially finishing blow. A Dream Cancel adds more clout to combos by interrupting moves and replacing them with stronger attacks. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide