SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom

It's hard to say just why 2D fighting crossover games exist. Well, actually, I think I know why they exist (hint: it starts with a $ and ends with another $). Aside from that, however, there's not much rhyme or reason as to why Ryu would square off with, say, Spider-Man like in Marvel vs. Capcom. So with that in mind, know that there's no way to try and explain why the characters from Street Fighter, King of Fighters, and Fatal Fury are duking it out in SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom. However, if you want an explanation why SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom doesn't live up to the legacy of the franchises it bears, then read on.

Like the recent release of Metal Slug 3 on the Xbox, SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom is also a port of an old Neo Geo favorite. However, just because it's an older game doesn't immediately mean it's a classic. Instead, SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom is more of a novelty fighter. It's somewhat similar to the Marvel vs. Capcom series in this regard, since a lot of the fun is derived from matching up the favorite fighters from the two companies' established franchises. Any fan of either Capcom or SNK has probably always wanted to see who would prevail in a fight: Ryu or Ryo? Chun-Li or Mai? Ken or Terry? With SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom, you can finally put these age old questions to rest, and being able to pit these favorite fighters against each other is where a lot of the game's appeal lies.

However, the trade-off for the well-rounded cast of characters is the fighting engine's depth. Translation: it really doesn't have any. There are few technical gameplay aspects that need to be taken into account, and the few features that are there can be completely ignored, more or less. It's not a total button masher, but it lacks the finesse required of other 2D fighters.

SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom's biggest addition is the option to take it online, but this too is a mixed bag. Lag, as always, will vary from server to server, and the match-up and lobby systems aren't too polished, but nothing is too debilitating to the online experience.

From a technical standpoint, SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom isn't that hot either. For the most part, the animation looks fluid, but there are occurrences when it looks as if a few frames of animations were left out, making combat appear sketchy from time to time. All of the character and background sprites are composed in a low resolution, too, and when compared to the ultra sharp sprites of Guilty Gear X2 #Reload, it really shows its age. While 2D titles like SVC Chaos won't be wowing the masses, it's still a shame that little to no effort was put into cleaning up the visuals a bit.

SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom is a decent 2D fighter, but 'decent' might not cut it when there are better alternatives already out there in this 2D infested holiday season (Guilty Gear X2 #Reload and Street Fighter Anniversary Collection, among others). Old school fans of SNK or Capcom crossover titles will dig this, but 2D fighting enthusiasts might want to rent before taking the fifty dollar plunge.