The King of Fighters 2002 UM

Introduction

The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match (KOF2K2UM) is a remake of the 7 year old classic the King of Fighters 2002. Just like it's former version there is no story present in this game thus allowing them to once again add characters who were long dead or missing in the previous story arc. Boasting a roster of 66 characters (including the 44 from the original KOF 2002 roster excusing K9999, there are 3 EX characters, 12 new Nests characters never before seen in 2002, 7 new bosses, and an all new character named Nameless), it also received a complete system over-haul, including tweaks in character balance, new moves, new DM's, changed properties, re-arranged inputs, new stages for all the teams and bosses, new re-done theme songs, new character art and HUD, all while staying true to the 3-on-3 system which will should please old KOF purists and new comers alike.

Game Systems

Attack Notations

A = Light Punch

B = Light Kick

C = Strong Punch

D = Strong Kick

CD = Blowback Attack

P = With either Low Punch or Strong Punch

K = With either Low Kick or Strong Kick

AB = Evasive Roll, neutral or forward Ab while make the character roll forward, pressing it in the backward direction will make the character roll backward

GCR = Guard Cancel Roll, press AB when guarding an attack, can also be done while using a normal, costs one meter

GCD = Guard Cancel Blowback Attack, press CD when guarding an attack, costs one meter

Movements

                  up (u)
                    |
 (ub)  up left - 7 8 9 - up right (uf)
     
     (b)   left - 4 5 6 - right (f)

(db) down left - 1 2 3 - down right (df)
                    | 
                  down (d)

Movement Abbreviations

qcf - 236 - d/df/f - Quarter circle forward

qcb - 214 - d/db/b - Quarter circle backward

hcf - 41236 - b/db/d/df/f - Half circle forward

hcb - 63214 - f/df/d/db/d - Half circle backward

dp - 623 - f/d/df - Dragon Punch motion

rdp - 421 - b/d/db - Reverse Dragon Punch motion

charge - [4]6 or [2]8 - b~f or d~u - Hold in one direction then shift to the designated direction

tk - 2369 - d/df/f/uf - Tiger Knee Motion

hcb f - 632146 - f/df/d/db/b/f - Half circle back forward motion

b~f - [4]6 - Hold back then press forward

d~u - [2]8 - Hold down then press up

db/f - 1,6 - press down back then forward

d/u - 2,8 - press down then up

d,d - 2,2 - press down twice

f/b/f - 6,4,6 - press forward back forward

qcb hcf - 2141236 - Quarter circle back half circle forward

Other Abbreviations

j. - Jump/jumping - Press up-back/up/up-forward.

sj. - Super-jump - Tap down-back/down/down-forward, then quickly press up-back/up/up-forward.

sh. - Short hop - Tap up-back/up/up-forward.

hh. - Hyper hop - Tap down-back/down/down-forward, then quickly tap up-back/up-forward.

cl. - Close

cr. - Crouch

st. - Stand

bb. - Backdash

Movement and Travel

Running

Pressing twice the forward direction, the character will run, and so we maintain the forward direction, it will continue to run. There is a minimum length limit during which your character is completely vulnerable. It is still possible to cancel the race in a crouch, a special move, a jump (it will become super jump) or a roll. But it is impossible to cancel the run by blocking. Once the forward direction is released by running, the character has a few frames of recovery before they can recover or start any other action (recovery varies depending on the characters).

Pressing twice rear direction, the character will carry a slight leap backward or backdash. The character is in mid-air briefly, so that attacks recieved will reset in the air, and it is unable to be thrown. Unlike other fighting games, the backdashes has no frame of invincibility. The period of startup, frames in the air, recovery, and the distance of the backdash, may vary depending on the characters. Keep in mind that that during the frames in the air while you backdash, it is possible to execute certain special moves or attacks executable command in the air. Only special moves and attacks that are possible to do in all jump heights can be done during the back dash.

Jumps and Hops

In KOF2002UM (along with nearly all KOF games) there are 4 different types of jumps:

Normal jump

This is a basic jump that you've seen in a majority of fighting games. The jump has a very short start-up frames on the ground, and you cannot be thrown out them. It is still possible to take a hit on the ground during a jump start, so be careful.

Hop

This is a short version of the normal jump. Just lightly press (or flick your joystick) the direction of the jump to hop. Some players press the downward direction after jumping to make sure the hop doesn't turn into a normal jump, but it is not mandatory. The startup is the same as the normal jump (very short), but the height and distance traveled is much less.

Super jump

If you cancel a run (or dash) by a jump, you get a super jump. Or if you press down quickly after normal jump, you can super jump. The super jump is recognizable by the effect of doubling the sprite (looks like trails or ghosts) of a character during the jump. The distance traveled by this jump is 1.5 times larger than a normal jump, and the character moves faster in the air. The startup of this jump, however, is longer than a normal jump. Also note that the startup of the super jump frames are throwable. You cannot neutral super jump (super jump straight up).

Hyper hop

Pressing the down direction before performing a small jump, or cancel a run by a hop, you will hyper hop. The hyper hop is recognizable by the effect of doubling the sprite of character during the jump. The distance traveled by this kind of jump is 1.5 times larger than a hop, and the character moves faster in the air. The startup of this jump, however, is longer than that of a hop. The start up frames of the hyper hop are throwable and you cannot neutral hyper hop.

For a visual explanation on jumping and hopping, check out this tutorial video

Rolling

Pressing A + B to roll forward or back A + B to roll away from your opponent when standing. You will be invincible in the first frame of the roll, but has a recovery at the end of the animation which is fully punishable. Remember, the roll is fully vulnerable to throws throughout its animation, and it is impossible to throw break them. Don't let your opponent try to roll through you while you're standing or crouching, learn to throw them on reaction. Rolling can be a good defensive solution, but it can expose you to heavy punishment at the end of it, so try to be careful using them and do not abuse it.

It is possible to perform a "Super Roll" by just canceling a run to a roll (any frame, even the first). It crosses a longer distance, but will last longer than a normal roll, so use with caution. The length of the roll, the recovery and the distance can vary per character.

Defense

Guard Cancel CD (aka Blowback Attack aka Guard Attack etc.)

Press C + D while in blockstun. It cancels the blockstun by a blow that knocks down the opponent. The Guard Cancel CD has short frames of invincibility at startup, but has a recovery. It can get you out of a lot of attack strings while you block, and resume the pace of the match. It makes little damage when it hits (it is possible to kill an opponent if it removes the remaining life to them). However, its use is limited by 3 factors:

1.) It will cost you one level of your super meter

2.) Your opponent might try to bait your Guard Cancel CD by making you whiff a standing CD while you're in blockstun, which has a slow startup and exposes you to heavy punishment. If you sense that bait attempt, just try to block instead.

3.) This move is not instantaneous and it does have startup. You cannot punish EVERY attack with a Guard Cancel CD successfully, and you can be exposed to punishment at the end of it.

Guard Cancel AB (Break Roll/Guard Roll/Guard Cancel Roll)

By pressing only A + B or back + A + B back (to Guard Cancel Roll backwards), while in blockstun, it is possible to roll forward or backward. This roll is completely invincible and unthrowable, and has no frame of recovery. This is one of the most important defensive elements to learn and master, but also one of most outstanding features of the defensive system in KOF.

1.) It will cost you one level of your super meter

2.) If performed at the wrong time and inaccurately, a punishable and fully throw vulnerable regular, normal roll may happen instead or a crouching A (See also Details of the system: priority buttons).

Quick Recovery (Fall-breaker/Tech-Roll/Quick Rise)

If you press A + B when touching the ground during a knockdown, you will perform a 'quick recovery' or 'fall-breaker'. You will obviously recover more quickly off the ground than you would from a hard knockdown. You will not be OTG (on-the-ground) attacked but you can be thrown on the first frame of the standing recovery animation. There are attacks and certain command throws that have "hard knockdown" properties that mean that you cannot quick recover or fall-breaker from the attack or throw, which provides the opponent potential wake-up options and mix-ups.

Offense

Counter Hit

A counter hit happens when you attack then opponent during the startup frames (?) of the opponents attack. This situation can be recognized on the screen by the appearance of the word "counter", and a very brief white flash. In a counter hit, the damage of the attack are increased. Counter hitting on a character in the air has the effect of extending the hit stun the attack and allowing a hitstun juggle, even if the attack had not been counter launcher. A jump CD hitstun is longer on counter hit and it is very easy to recover with another attack. Some characters have certain moves or command stances that put them in a vulnerable counter hit state (Jhun's stances for example), so be careful.

Throws

Throws are performed by standing close to the opponent and pressing forward/backward + C or D. If the opponent is out of reach for the throw, the character will perform a stand C or D depending on the button pressed. In general, the C throw projects the opponent forward, and the mug D projects the opponent back (with some exceptions such as Blue Mary chopper with two projecting backward).

To break an incoming throw or tech a throw, you must press the correct throw button the opponent has, either C or D. This can be option selected by piano pressing quick C then D or D then C (or just pressing CD together) on your pad or arcade stick. The timing to tech throws is quite short; a way to practice them is to set the training mode dummy to the AI/CPU and to only block their incoming attacks and try to only tech their incoming throws. The randomness factor from the CPU will help your build up your throw breaking/teching reflect.

Air throws

Some characters (like Yuri and Clark for example) can throw an opponent in mid air. It can be performed by pressing any direction (except up) + C/D during a jump or super jump.

Miscellaneous

Standard Ruleset

Character Information

Wakeup Speed

Some characters get up faster after they get knocked down, some slower, you can calculate the differences here

(-F) The higher the minus frames the faster they get up

(+F) The higher the plus frames the slower they get up

(-13F) - Ralf, Yuri

(-11F) - Athena

(-9F) - Whip

(-7F) - Yamazaki, Kula

(-6F) - Joe, Robert, Angel, Kasumi

(-5F) - Kim, B. Mary, Hinako, Mature, Ryo, Foxy, Mai

(-3F) - K', Takuma

(-2F) - Yashiro, Lin

(-1F) - Daimon, Terry, Kensou, Clark, May Lee, Vanessa

(0F) - Kyo, Chang, Choi, Vice, Shingo, King, KUSANAGI, Kyo-1, Kyo-2, Nameless

(+2F) - Leona, Iori

(+3F) - Chris, Heidern, Chin

(+4F) - Andy, Bao, Xiangfei

(+5F) - Billy, Shermie

(+6F) - Benimaru, Ramon, Jhun

(+10F) - Maxima

Crouching Height

Crouching Height varies based on the characters height and hitbox data, some character hitxboxes remain high despite crouching which in turn may make them more susceptible to things like Instant Overheads and Cross-ups, while some character hitboxes tend to get smaller when they crouch making it easier for them dodge high hitting attacks and even projectiles, the differences are listed below.

Lowest - Chin, Choi, Bao

Low - Xiangfei, Joe, Benimaru, Iori, Mature, Vice (during weak attacks), Leona, Athena, Kensou, Mai, Yuri, Yashiro, Chris, Yamazaki, Billy, Kim, Kula, Foxy, Jhun

Middle - K’, Whip, Terry, Andy, Kyo, KUSANAGI, Vice, Ralf, Clark, Vanessa,Seth, Ramon, Ryo, Robert, Takuma, May Lee, Shermie, B. Mary, (K9999), Angel, Nameless, Lin, Shingo, Heidern, King, Kasumi, Kyo-1, Kyo-2

High - Maxima, Daimon, Hinako

Highest - Chang