Wikipedia

SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos

SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos[a] is a 2003 fighting game produced by Playmore (now SNK) for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It was then later ported to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, although only the Xbox port was released in North America[1] and both platforms were released in Japan and PAL regions.

SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos
Japanese arcade flyer depicting the characters Kyo Kusanagi and Ryu with art by Falcoon
Developer(s)Playmore (Arcade)
SNK Playmore
Code Mystics (PC, NS, PS4)
Publisher(s)SNK Playmore, MEGA
Ignition Entertainment
(PS2/Xbox)
Producer(s)Eikichi Kawasaki
Designer(s)T. Mieno
Programmer(s)Bok Mannami
Cyber Kondo
M. Yusuke
Artist(s)Nona
Falcoon
Composer(s)Masahiko Hataya
Yasumasa Yamada
Yasuo Yamate
SeriesSNK vs. Capcom
Platform(s)Arcade, Neo Geo AES, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
Release
24 July 2003
  • Arcade
    • WW: July 24, 2003
    Neo Geo AES
    • NA/JP: November 14, 2003
    PlayStation 2
    • JP: December 23, 2003
    • EU: April 15, 2005
    Xbox
    • NA: September 28, 2004
    • JP: October 7, 2004
    • EU: March 18, 2005
    • AU: May 13, 2005
    Windows
    • WW: July 20, 2024
    Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
    • WW: July 22, 2024
Genre(s)Fighting
Mode(s)
Arcade systemNeo Geo MVS

It was the third arcade game in a series of crossovers between these two companies (see SNK vs. Capcom series) and the second developed by SNK (SNK previously produced SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium for the Neo Geo Pocket Color).

The game was re-released in July 2024 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam and GOG.com, adding online rollback netcode from Code Mystics and an in-game gallery.[2]

Gameplay

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Arcade version screenshot of a match between Kyo and Ryu

The gameplay is based on the KOF series (particularly The King of Fighters 2002), with the same four button configuration and many of the same techniques. However, the game does not use the Team Battle format, but follows the traditional round-based one-on-one format. Each match begins with a dialogue exchange between the player's character and the opponent. One new technique introduced in the game is the Front Grand Step, which allows the player to cancel attacks with a forward dash. The player can perform this technique while guarding from an opponent's attack, which will consume one Power Gauge level.

The game uses a different type of Power Gauge known as the Groove Power Gauge System, which has three levels. The Groove gauge fills as the player lands attacks against the opponents or guard attacks. When the gauge fills to Lv. 1 or Lv. 2, the player can perform Super Special Moves, a Guard Cancel Attack or a Guard Cancel Front Step maneuver. When the gauge is full, its reaches MAXIMUM level and a MAX Activation occurs. During MAX Activation, the gauge will change into a timer and the player gains the ability to cancel any of their moves anytime (in addition to Super Special Moves and Guard Cancels). Once the timer runs out, the gauge returns to Lv. 2.

In addition to the regular Super Special Move, each character also has an 'Exceed' move which can only be performed once when the player's life is less than half.

Characters

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This crossover features a total of 24 standard fighters, plus 12 boss characters for a total of 36. These characters are drawn primarily from both SNK and Capcom's respective fighting game sequels such as The King of Fighters '96 and Super Street Fighter II Turbo, alongside additional character appearances from Samurai Shodown, Art of Fighting, Metal Slug 2, Athena, Darkstalkers, Final Fight, Mega Man Zero, Ghosts 'n Goblins, and Red Earth. Most of the boss characters are normally inaccessible and require the use of cheat codes to become playable, while two of the bosses, Athena and Red Arremer, are fully inaccessible in the arcade and AES releases, and can only be unlocked in the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of the game. All 36 characters are immediately accessible in the 2024 release. Original characters from this game Violent Ken (based on his brainwashed state from Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie) and Serious Mr. Karate (based on original Mr. Karate's first appearance in Art of Fighting) were later being introduced to the main canon games Ultra Street Fighter II and The King of Fighters XIII respectively.

SNK characters

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Capcom characters

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Plot

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Following a cataclysmic event, all life on the planet has been wiped out. In purgatory, a group of fighters are drawn into a tournament by Athena and Red Arremer, avatars for the forces of Order and Chaos, who promise that the winner will receive one wish. Now the fighters compete to win the tournament and have their wish granted, with the fate of all life hanging in the balance.

Reception

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SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos has received mixed reception, such as the rushed and bland presentation of the game (as seen in stages with very few colors and devoid of "life"), and the low resolution of the Neo Geo (320 × 240) made the game's visuals considerably rough considering the game's 2003 release. The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[5][6] In Japan, Famitsu gave the PS2 version a score of three sixes and one seven for a total of 25 out of 40.[9]

In 2012, Complex ranked it as the 14th best SNK fighting game ever made, adding that "the game’s secret characters (Firebrand, Mars People, Zero, etc.) had to be the best part about this game," as well as newly animated sprites (Demitri, Earthquake, Tessa, etc.) But it was also criticized by others due to the lack of certain "token" characters (like Haohmaru, Benimaru, Zangief, etc.), and the omission of the selectable fighting styles called "Groove Systems" all showcased by Capcom, instead featuring only one-on-one modes with extended vital gauges, not giving any choice to players who favored other styles, even those created by SNK itself.[19]

Merchandise

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An eight-volume graphic novel series of translated Chinese manhua was published in the U.S. by DrMaster Publications Inc., originally created by Happy Comics Ltd.

References

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Notes
  1. ^ Japanese: エス・エヌ・ケイ バーサス カプコン エスブイシー カオス, Hepburn: Esu Enu Kei Bāsasu Kapukon Esbuishī Kaosu
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Boss character
  1. ^ Sheffield, Brandon (May 16, 2004). "E3 2004: SNK Interview". Insert Credit. Archived from the original on June 10, 2004. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  2. ^ Fanelli, Jason (July 20, 2024). "SVC Chaos Gets Steam Re-Release, Console Versions Coming Soon". GameSpot. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
  3. ^ "SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom for Xbox". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom (ps2: 2003): Reviews [mislabeled as "2004"]". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  6. ^ a b "SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 17, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  7. ^ "SVC Chaos: SNK Vs. Capcom Review from 1UP.com". Archived from the original on 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  8. ^ EGM staff (December 25, 2004). "SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom (Xbox)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 186. p. 126.
  9. ^ a b "エス・エヌ・ケイ バーサス カプコン エスブイシー カオス (PS2)". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 785. January 1, 2004.
  10. ^ "SNK vs. Capcom SVC Chaos (Xbox)". Game Informer. No. 139. November 2004. p. 163.
  11. ^ Kasavin, Greg (October 11, 2004). "SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom Review (Xbox)". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  12. ^ Maragos, Nich (October 27, 2004). "GameSpy: SvC [sic] Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom (Xbox)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on December 27, 2005. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  13. ^ Aceinet (October 21, 2004). "SNK vs. Capcom: SNK Chaos - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  14. ^ Perry, Douglass C. (October 8, 2004). "SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom (Xbox)". IGN. Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  15. ^ Amrich, Dan (December 2004). "SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom". Official Xbox Magazine. No. 38. Future Publishing. p. 90. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  16. ^ Sell, Chris (March 20, 2005). "SNK Vs Capcom - SVC Chaos Review (Xbox)". PALGN. Archived from the original on March 23, 2005. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  17. ^ Oct 2004, p.77
  18. ^ Soboleski, Brent (October 12, 2004). "SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom Review (Xbox)". TeamXbox. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  19. ^ Jones, Elton (September 18, 2012). "The 25 Best SNK Fighting Games Ever Made (14. SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos)". Complex.
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