While "vanilla" KOF 2002 and its remake, KOF 2002: Unlimited Match (UM) , have different balances, several characters consistently dominate competitive play:

) : Provides invincibility during most of the animation; use it to bypass fireballs or cross through opponents.

Decades after its initial Neo Geo release, the game is not just a retro relic; it is actively played. The subsequent release of The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match polished the visuals and expanded the roster even further, cementing the title as a permanent fixture on modern platforms with rollback netcode.