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General: Also known as KOF2006 (to the US market), King of Fighters: Maximum Impact 2 more than doubles the original roster to well over 35 characters, including some welcomed secret characters. And with improved animation, graphics, gameplay mechanics, and presentation... SNK, known primarily for their 2D titles, delivers their best 3D fighter yet.
   KOF 2006 features a great line-up of SNK characters, each with a pretty large (and sometimes, humorously confusing) movelist. Characters have the newer moves (from previous games) that you'd want them to have, and THEN some... Many of the brand new moves (and super moves) are badass to say the least, and are presented quite nicely by the games smooth animation, which you can see especially well during a KO, as the camera slows down during the last strike of the match, or does a cool looking 360 around the action if you finish with a "Super Special Move." And yes, the moves are done with justice, and look just the way they should (painful); as the translation from 2D to 3D was done very well.
   The pace of the fight, like Maximum Impact, is fast; and takes some getting used to. If you're a veteran to KOF, you'll be able to pull off moves to the speed you're used to, because KOF2006 still feels like KOF, even in 3D. Yes, good news to KOF fans. The core gameplay is all about cancels. You can cancel normal moves into special moves, special moves into other special moves, and then into super moves... Easy to do at times, but fun! With the addition of a "counter system" and a tweaked wall game, the gameplay should not only please veteran KOF fans, but perhaps attract some new fans to the series as well.
   The thing that killed the PS2 version of Maximum Impact was definitely the horrible English voices... and yes, they are back by default. But rejoice KOF fans, you can now turn the dialouge to Japanese, and yes, it's MUCH better. The characters sound like they should, and they scream there moves with emotion and enthusiasm! Thanks SNK. But you can always turn on the English voices for a good laugh... But don't bother. "Why you!?!?" Ughh... HORRIBLE!!!
   Another thing that makes this title great? Unlockables... TONS of costumes, possibly the most unlockable costumes in any fighting game. On the downside, some costumes are quite "ugly," obsurd, completely unnecessary, and in many cases having color schemes that don't even match. Others though are pretty decent, and the "cosplay" alternate outfits based on other SNK characters are also entertaining. You can also unlock some cool new stages, mini games, and missions! It'll keep you busy, and you should enjoy the trip, because KOF2006 rocks for the most part).
   Dueling of the classic SNK fighters against each other in 3D, with a solid gameplay system (for the first time), is truly satisfying. But the character roster is a mixed bag... In my opinion, the veteran KOF'ers like Kyo Kusanagi, Terry Bogard, Rock Howard, or Billy Kane are all incredibly fun to use (for those of us who know their moves by heart). However, some of the newcomers just can't compare in terms of style, originality, personality, etc. Although not all are bad, honestly; I would rather have had even more of my OLD favorites back; like Vanessa, Yamazaki, Joe, or Gato for example. It just feels like there's something missing, but perhaps that's where KOF: Maximum Impact 3 will come in!
Manufacturer: SNK Neo Geo USA
Platforms: Playstation 2
Year: April 2006 (Japan) September 2006 (USA)
Characters: Alba, Lien, Soiree, Chae Lim, Mignon, Kyo, Iori, Terry, Ryo, Ralf, Clark, Yuri, Athena, K', Kim, Mai, Maxima, Rock, Leona, Seth, Billy Kane, Nagase, Luise Mayrink, B. Jenet, Duke, Wild Wolf, Nightmare Geese, Ninon, Richard Meyer, Hyena, Lily Kane, Mr. Karate, Armor Ralf, Jivatma, Hattori Hanzo, Fio, Classic Kyo
Comment: A question I always ask myself when rating a KOF game is... "Did they get Iori's laugh right?" Well, they actually did in KOF2006, so that's a good 5 points right there. I mean, they really did capture the personalities (and voices) of all returning KOF characters, because all the favorites are very well done... but in this case, it's the new characters that hold the rating down.
   Gameplay mechanic flaws? Despite a few over-powered characters, not many. It's fun, and that's all that counts sometimes. There is some "slowdown" during gameplay, but it actually looks really cool  in certain cases. There's a 20 hit Iori combo I do that causes lots of slo-mo, making my combo even more dramatic. Gotta love the drama. Mwahahaha!
Rating: 8.0