The King of Fighters 2001

The gritty urban art style really sets the mood, and I’ve been having a blast with the puzzle mode—sending special moves to wreck opponents' fields is way more strategic than I expected. Charges in about 40 minutes too.

The puzzle mode is a clever addition—sending a special move to wreck the opponent's play field really changes the strategy mid-fight. Visuals are sharp and the loading times are minimal.

The gritty urban backgrounds hit way harder than the older entries, and that moody look really makes the fights feel meaner. The puzzle mode surprised me too, sending special moves over to wreck your opponent's field is a fun little twist.