The King of Fighters 2002 UM/FAQ

Q&A

The sections' names are pretty self-explanatory for regular players but to have a quick idea of what we'll be talking about in each, you can refer to the questions they answer:

Q: I saw a different version of one character. How do I pick that version? A: #Ex-characters

Q: Sometimes when I run, I press a button but it doesn't come out. Can I avoid that? A: #Running

Q: I heard you can charge moves while moving in KoF, how? A: #Running-charge

Q: Damn, some of these cancels involve way too long motions. Aren't there any shortcuts? A: #Shortcuts

Q: It's weird, I'm getting a super when I'm not even doing the complete motion. Can I get around that? A: #Longcuts

Q: I'm doing the motion but the move doesn't come out, cancel windows are so tight. Do I have to time it frame-perfect? A: #Button_hold

Q: I saw really cool extension combos on youtube. How do I do that? Is it hard? A: #Max-mode

As each section goes over the topic in a pretty detailed way, an arrow ' ----> ' will point to the direct answer(s) to the question(s) in each case.

Ex-characters

Ex/Ura/Orochi

The game features alternate versions of some characters, essentially reworked versions that appeared in previous games. They usually share the same normals (buttons + command normals) as their originals with a few exceptions and/or differences in properties on some of the shared normals and mostly have a different special moveset making them often play completely differently.

----> To pick them you simply need to press and hold the start button when highlighting the originals. All the ex characters are:

• Ex Robert for Robert
• Ex Kensou for Kensou
• Orochi Yashiro for Yashiro
• Orochi Shermie for Shermie
• Orochi Chris for Chris
• Ex Takuma for Takuma
• Nightmare Geese for Geese (banned)

All these characters are either as strong or stronger than their originals, you might not like the original version but come to love the alternate. Be sure to check them out! (Even N.Geese)

Running

The second big part of KoF's mobility, running. It's not merely how you move your character around but actually an intricate part of the game's system as you can see in #running-charge, #max-mode and will see further down, so knowing all that is to know about it is valuable information.

A run is triggered by a quick double forward input, f, f, and you can then hold forward or down-forward(df) before the run is over to continue running. (holding the second f input that activated the run works) This basically means two things:

• There's a minimal length to running. Only double-tapping forward and letting go, your character will run for exactly 10 frames before stopping. This is very useful for connecting moves just out of reach after tight juggles.

One example is Kusanagi's "qcf+D.D, rdp+D" conversion in midscreen. After qcf+D.D, you aren't in range for rdp+D to fully connect. Double-tapping forward after qcf+D>D triggers the minimal run during which you can then input rdp+D so that it comes out just as the run is ending to perfectly reach and connect. This means you have around 10f to input rdp+D rather than manually running to get in range, then stop, then input rdp+D in time.

• Since the minimal run is a thing of its own, its end comes with a recovery, 2 frames to be precise. This leads to two consequences :

- During those 2f after a minimal run, the game is only waiting for you to decide if you want to continue running or not, thus won't respond to any other input than f/df.
- When manually running, as soon as the game detects any input that isn't f or df, that's a sign the run has to end, so yet again 2f of run-end during which the system doesn't accept any additional f/df but will obviously let you attack and so on.

These two consequences are the reason why sometimes you feel like you were running and hit a button but your character just stood there.

----> To avoid that:

• After a minimal run, you need to properly input something before the 10 active frames of the run are over or after 10f+2f have passed.
• After a long run, you need to properly either keep hold of f/df while pressing whatever button you want or cleanly let go f/df before pressing your button. You can't slightly let go of f/df before pressing it again with a button until the 2f of run-end are over which is often what happens when you're slightly moving your hand to get ready for the confirm/combo you want.

Running-charge

KoF is a game where movement is mandatory, to the point you could argue that if you're stuck in place for a while, then more often than not you and/or your opponent are doing something wrong. With such a premise, the old trend of charge characters having to crouch all day wouldn't quite fit. That's where running comes in.

----> You can hold down-forward(df) instead of forward(f) to run, see #running. Doing so makes you charge down while running, thus your opponent can't rule out a flashkick anti-air/reversal because you're running. Added to that, while charging is usually required for 60 frames -a full second- in other games, it's half of that in KoF, 30 frames, half a second. Thx to that, as long as you have a move with, for example, enough hitstun, even using your charge moves in combos isn't limited to ones you started while crouching or holding back. You can also count that charge moves don't need to be charged when canceling from another move in max-mode so you can freely use them in max combos. see #max-mode

This makes charge characters a much different beast than in other titles. If you thought that playing a charge character was just lame and boring, KoF's got you covered with plenty of interesting charge characters (Heidern, Ex Robert, Leona, etc) and a very mobile way of playing them. Give them all a shot!

Shortcuts

Remember that last combo video you saw and thought "how the hell is this guy canceling these moves into each other so fast? This game looks hella hard!"? Well, it's true 20% of the time, but it's often easier than you'd think at first. Although there are some exceptions, and of course the faster pace of the game comes into play, difficulty in KoF combos compared to other titles is usually due to how clean your execution needs to be more than how much you need to input in little time. KoF isn't aiming to make your fingers go 60 miles an hour and as such, you've got shortcuts and #longcuts to soften your workload.

Rules

There are a number of useful shortcuts for cancels to use in KoF but before getting to those, it's important to note two things:

• Diagonals that don't start/end a motion don't matter in KoF as in any diagonal that isn't on the border of a motion can be omitted. Ex: qcf = d, df, f = d, f ; hcb = f, df, d, db, b = f, d, b and so on...
• A repeating input between a full motion and a motion, in this order, can be omitted. For instance in qcf,hcb = d, df, f, f, df, d, db, b, the second forward input can be omitted as long as you always do qcf fully (d,df,f, not d,f)

(These two rules are common to every KoF but a few exceptions, the most well-known of them being KoF 2003.)

You'd usually need to go out of your way to do some of these motions that way but it can be pretty useful in some cases. If we apply the two rules respectively qcf,hcb = d, df, f, f, df, d, db, b = d, df, f, f, d, db, b = qcf, qcb which can be an easier way to do qcf, hcb in some cases. It's important to note that the input reader is still fairly lenient. As long as your inputs aren't all over the place you can be forgiven, an example is although dp = f, d, df you can do it as f, d, df, f (f, qcf) which is better for people who don't like stopping at df.

Those are the rules at the core of shortcuts.

Usage

----> When you perform a motion, the game keeps it in a buffer (~25f in 02um) and if you want to cancel the ongoing move during that allowed time and the two motions overlap you can simply input the remaining part of the next move's motion.

For example, if you want to cancel Iori's dp+P into his qcf,hcb+P, you can simply do dp+P as f, qcf+P and since qcf,hcb+P can be done as qcf,qcb+P, you simply need to input qcb+P after the dp before the buffer runs out for the game to read qcf, qcb+P aka qcf,hcb+P, Iori's Maiden Masher DM. Following this example, you simply need to look out for overlapping end and start of two moves' motions to find an easier way to cancel one into the other. If you have trouble with it at first, be sure to ask one of the more knowledgeable members on the appropriate discord server. We'll be happy to help ! 02UM server: [1] | DreamCancel server: [2]

Longcuts

As useful as they most certainly are, KoF's #shortcuts come at a price. We learned in that segment that Iori's dp+P xx qcf,hcb+P cancel can actually be done as simply as f,qcf+P xx qcb+P but qcb+P is one of Iori's moves, one he really wants to cancel from dp in his max combos for juggle. Fortunately enough, Iori's dp+C's cancellable window is bigger than the buffer so after getting used to delaying it, it's not much of an issue but what about the moves with tinier cancellable windows? What if the player needs to cancel fast rather than delay ?

The answer is longcuts. As opposed to shortcuts, it's lengthening a move's motion in order to, in most cases, make an upcoming cancel more manageable.

----> The most used longcut in KoF is the dp's. Just like you can input it as f,qcf you can also input dp as hcb,f. Let's have a look at how Kusanagi uses it.

• A cancel Kusanagi wants to go for in max-mode is dp+C xx qcf+D but if you do it as f,qcf+C xx qcf+D, there's an overlap with his qcf,qcf+K super which takes priority and comes out instead. You can only cancel his dp+C on the first hit so you can't delay it enough to outdo the buffer either. Doing dp as hcb,f = f, df, d, db, b, f , the first qcf the game need to trigger super is nowhere to be found in the dp's motion anymore so you can safely do qcf+D to cancel into that move.

• Another cancel Kusanagi wants is dp+C xx qcb,hcf+P which can be done raw but it's fairly tight. An easier way to do it is to input the dp as hcb,f = f, df, (d, db, b), f = f, df, qcb, f then as qcb,hcf=qcb,qcf, the player only needs to input the remaining qcf+P to get the cancel. ( see #shortcuts )

One flaw of this method is that you obviously can't use it if the character already has a separate hcb,f move like Iori does. So in his case, if you want that cancel early or not have to manually delay, your best bet is properly inputting the dp as f, d, df then canceling normally into qcb+P.

Button_hold

Although it's much less of a blind guessing game than in other titles, in KoF too, a knockdown into okizeme can be a loop leading right to death. In which case, mistiming a reversal on wake-up would surely be frustrating. Not only that, when dealing with some combos, KoF can ask of you to input a special as soon as your character recovers or is able to cancel from another move. If you had to time it all manually it'd certainly be tedious, but KoF makes it much easier for you with a simple trick.

Trick

----> In KoF, if you input a special/super and hold down the button(s) at the end, the game will repeat the motion for several frames. Which means for wake-up reversals, tight cancel windows, or specials as soon as you recover, you can simply do the motion a tad early and hold down the button, hence the name, button hold trick. The longer the motion, the longer the allowed buffer, going in 02um from about 10 to 30f. ( Note: The trick is common to every KoF but the length of the buffer varies )

Mastering this trick is all the more important when timing big motions isn't your forte. The game allows you to be as early as about half a second for a hcbx2 input then just hold the button and breeze through the extra challenge of timing it perfectly. Use of this trick for cancel purpose is actually very situational in 02um but knowing your options can't hurt.

Special Shutdown

An extension of this trick is that if you hold a button, no matter the situation, you won't be able to execute specials anymore. Uses of this are few and far between but one instance is to perform Iori's cl.C, f+A, qcf,hcb+P combo. To normally do it, you have to input the full super motion during f+A's cancellable frames which can be tough for beginners. A way out of it is to do cl.C, hold C, qcf+A, hcb+P. Holding C will make qcf+A just be f+A instead of Iori's qcf+P projectile and then you simply input hcb+P to complete the DM's motion. (see #shortcuts) ( Note: This extension of the button hold trick is not in XIII and XIV. )

Max-mode

Here comes the flashy stuff most have their eyes out on 02um for, max-mode. As the last stage at the time of what started in KoF 97 as Advanced mode, 02um's max-mode offers everything that worked wonders with vanilla 02's while correcting every flaw the latter had.

Details of the mode

• The player has access to free cancels, at the cost of a part of the mode's remaining time, the player can cancel some specials into others. Possibilities depend on each move and character so experimenting is key. It's the main tool extending combos.
• Charge moves don't need to be charged when canceling from another move.
• Super Cancels are free.
• You have an extra bar in storage so a level 1 super won't cost any meter but will end max-mode, just like a level 2 will cost one. Using a super at the very end of the mode is the common thing to aim for.
• Although not progressive like XIII HD's, there is damage scaling to 02um's max-mode as well. It affects normals and specials with a distinction for 3+ hits specials who have different scaling depending on the number of hits they do, the more hits the softer the scaling. Supers always do full damage.

Activation

Max-mode is activated by pressing B+C (LK+SP) either during neutral stance or to cancel the active frames of a normal on hit/block :

• Activation from neutral stance, raw activation, costs 1 stock and has a start-up with no invincibility, so it's punishable. It's usually unpractical because there's no guarantee you'll get anything worth it before max-mode runs out but some characters like Daimon and Ralf can do some cool stuff with raw activation.

• ----> Cancelling the active frames of a normal on hit/block, max cancel, costs 2 stocks and instantly puts you in max-mode and back at neutral. This is where the money's at. Taking advantage of a move with good hitstun, usually a strong normal or a command normal:

        You can max run (or BC run) and manually combo the first canceled normal into another move to go on with a devastating combo. Max running is simply implementing the double forward f,f input you need to run while max canceling. Three ways to do it:
            - normal, BC, f,f  , the less likely to mess up but also the most likely to get a delayed run
            - normal, f+BC, f  , the one you should always use when running as you can just hold forward through running, hitting the normal and max canceling
            - normal, f, BC, f , the one to use when trying to max cancel cl.C/D from neutral or while walking to avoid getting a throw

        You can max cancel the normal using a motion with B+C as buttons rather than just a press. Often referred to as BC bypass, if you do, the game will max cancel the normal into the motion using C as the button in priority, then B. One example is Kyo's cl.C, df+D, qcf+BC which max cancels df+D into his Dokugami (qcf+C)

Note: If you try max canceling a normal late on hit without using a motion, you'll get a "B" input upon activation. That is unless you do so while holding df with a character that has a df+C command normal, in which case you'll get that instead upon activation. You usually want to avoid both of these scenarios, so learning to cancel properly on hit is important. Just as much as it is to remember how to properly combo after a run, see #running.

Damage scaling

If you max canceled and combo'd into a normal/special, said move will deal about 1/2 its full damage. If not, about 2/3. This means that resetting right after a max activation often leads to more damage but is obviously a big risk as you have two stocks on the line.

Difficulty

----> Max canceling with a motion even though not optimal most of the time is much easier than going for a max-run so anyone that has a special with enough reach and juggle potential gets an easier max combo route. Then it really depends on what inputs does the combo needs you to do at what speed and how you feel about the given #shortcuts and #longcuts. If not that, having long normals to connect from and/or fast moves to connect into obviously makes going for max-run a tad easier as you usually want to avoid having to go for a really tight run to be able to connect.

As the main damage bringer of the game, max-mode is where the game shows all it has to offer as a singular KoF and playing with it although tedious at first, can soon be very rewarding and become a trustworthy tool to turn around the tide of a match. Some max combos can go as far as killing a character in one touch. That being said, you still need that first hit in first and foremost, so in the end this is still KoF, learning neutral and fundamentals should always take priority. Beginners, being obstinate about max-mode and only that will not make you better KoF players.

Discussion

Discuss about this F.A.Q at [3]