The King of Fighters 2000

The King of Fighters 2000

Overview & History

Released by SNK in the autumn of 2000, The King of Fighters 2000 stands as the penultimate entry on original Neo Geo AES hardware during SNK’s golden era. Serving as the direct narrative sequel to the acclaimed 1999 chapter, this game plunges players deeper into the nefarious plots of the NESTS cartel. The storyline revolves around the corrupt mercenary organization and the mysterious disappearance of K', accompanied by agents like Vanessa and Ramon. Amidst the chaos, Zero—a high-ranking NESTS commander—prepares to unleash a devastating satellite weapon known as the Zero Cannon. The game is celebrated as a bittersweet milestone, marking the final project developed by the original corporate iteration of SNK before their initial bankruptcy.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Building upon the foundational 3-on-3 framework, KOF 2000 introduces the revolutionary Active Striker System. Instead of choosing a static assist character, players can summon their fourth team member at almost any point during a combo, stringing together devastating custom attacks, extending aerial juggles, or escaping enemy pressure. While the striker system deeply expands offensive creativity, it requires careful management of the Striker Gauge, which depletes with every summoned assist. Players can execute Desperation Moves (Super Specials) by draining the Power Gauge, or push the system further into MAX Mode for heightened attack power and cancelled special moves. Iconic characters like Terry Bogard, Kyo Kusanagi, and Iori Yagami return alongside fresh faces like Lin and Seth, all executing their signature projectile specials, devastating command throws, and multi-hit DM supers with fluid sprite animation.

Keyboard Controls

• Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move
• Action Keys: Attack / Jump
• Enter: Start / Pause