Okay, I'll be straight with you. This is probably one of the hardest reviews I've had to write (well, maybe - but we won't discuss that...), not because it's a bad game - but just that it's hard to really put into words. Where to begin? Well, since graphics go first on this form we'll start there.

The first thing anyone will notice about Capcom vs. SNK 2 (CvS2) is that it's 2D...yes, before the days of Tekken and Virtua Fighter this is how we played fighting games. The presentation is very over the top, taking what seems to me like the most logical presentation for a fighting game - television coverage. While there's no pre-fight interviews or anything of that nature, it still feels right. I actually would have loved to see this idea pushed a little more. The backgrounds look beautifully generated in 3D, but then you see the characters. This is probably just pointing out the obvious, but Capcom needs to think about switching to Hi-Res sprites. Not that the low res ones are bad, but when used against the 3D backgrounds, they look very cut-and-paste in the environments. Low res aside, the animations look great and there are so many small details that it's really something to see. For example, when playing a match between Ken and Ryu, instead of beginning in their normal ready stances, they begin close to each other and give each other this knuckle-to-knuckle high five. It's really cool.

I was a little disappointed in the backgrounds, not because they look bad, but because one of the cool things about fighting games is the special environment each character has. I realize with a cast of 44 fighters, things could get complicated, but it would have been cool to have at least two boards for each game instead of the few you are given.

The sound followed with the same level of presentation of the graphics - they worked, but something always felt out of place. I'm finding it increasingly interesting with every fighting game the new ways they are coming up with to say 'Fight', and CvS2 is no exception. Instead of saying fight, CvS2 treats you to things ranging from 'Live and Let Die' to a short monologue from the announcer about how important this match is. All the voice clips go along with the semi-television coverage the game sports. I really liked how Capcom used the announcer. Instead of just saying 'First Hit', he says something like 'He didn't see that sneak punch coming...' It's fun and I loved it. I did find some of the character voices annoying, however. I still think they hire one guy to record all the voices and just tell him '...just try to sound different.' The music rocks - blending different styles from techno to soul to J-pop - it really gets you in the 'fighting mood.'

Remember how I was telling you this is a hard game to review? Well here's the hard part. Where do I begin? Well, we are familiar with Street Fighter, aren't we? CvS 2 takes all your favorite fighters, or most of them, from just about every Capcom or SNK fighting game imaginable. Street Fighter, Street Fighter Alpha, Fatal Fury, Samurai Showdown, Last Blade, you name the game and someone is probably in there. With 44 characters to play as or mix into three man teams, there is someone for everyone and every style. Personally, I would have liked more Samurai Showdown people (okay, so maybe just Galford and that purple haired guy whose name escapes me right now), but I can't complain.

The real heart of CvS 2 is the groove system. Before starting, you are given the choice of six 'grooves': C, A, P, S, N, K. Each of these 'grooves' relates to the fighting system used in particular games. It would have been nice if these were better explained on the screen, or at least tell what game the 'groove' came from. Finding the right combination of 'groove' and fighter is a trick, some work and some don't; the beauty of it is that it leads to some interesting combinations - such as Ken on Samurai Showdown's 'Rage Meter' system.

Matches are set up in one of two ways: Single or Team. Single matches play out as they usually do, in a best of so many rounds wins format (the number of rounds can be set in Options menu). The Team system, however, works a little different. You pick three guys and the last team standing wins. I enjoyed this system more that the single matches, but would have liked a few things thrown in to make them even more interesting - such as a 'tag' feature. It would have also been nice if the new fighter would just jump on the screen instead of having to start a new match.

Difficulty is adjustable in the options menu, using the 'Stars' system, which should be familiar to any Street Fighter player. That's about all you can say about the difficulty level - it's however hard you want it to be. The groove system is hard at first, but once you learn what you are comfortable with, everything falls into place. I'll warn you now though, CvS 2 can get cheap and for those who get to Akuma - good luck!

As much as I dislike using the D-pad for fighting games, I have to admit the control in CvS 2 works. You are still forced to jump to shoulder pads, resulting in some messed up timing on combos, but other than buying an arcade stick, it's a fact of console life. The analog sticks do work, and help with pulling off some of the more difficult moves. I do not recommend trying to fight with it because it can be slippery.

Now to one of the best parts of fighting games - the hidden extras, and does CvS 2 have some cool ones. My favorite and the easiest to unlock is a mode that allows you to fool with the character's color schemes on a color slider. Creative gamers could have so real full with this mode. I'll leave the others as surprises, but they are worth it.

If you are a 2D fighting fan, do yourself a favor and pick up Capcom vs. SNK 2 . It's a blast to play, and a real treat for any fight fan. Despite revolving around beating up people - parents should be aware that this is not a Mortal Kombat, blood and guts type game. It's more cartoon-like if anything else. While I wouldn't recommend it for really young kids, older ones will really get a kick out of it, plus the fun factor may even interest parents enough to give it a shot.