SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium
Takashi Nishiyama, a former director at SNK, walked into a meeting with Yoshiki Okamoto, the head of development at Capcom. These two men led rival companies that had spent years competing in the fighting game market. They proposed a joint project to their respective presidents, Eikichi Kawasaki and Kenzo Tsujimoto. The executives initially hesitated because their firms were direct competitors. Art director Toyohisa Tanabe later explained that the collaboration aimed to save the struggling Neo Geo Pocket Color handheld system. SNK spoke with several other companies to produce games for this specific platform before securing the deal. This partnership marked the first time these two giants worked together on a single title.
Players could choose between three distinct gauge types during character selection. A Capcom-style level gauge operated as an Average mode where energy built up steadily. An SNK-style charge gauge functioned as Counter mode requiring precise timing to fill. A neutral meter known as Rush mode enhanced super attacks when fully charged. This third option mirrored the Advanced mode found in The King of Fighters '97 and '98. Teams could consist of two fighters acting like Marvel vs. Capcom or three fighters queued like The King of Fighters series. One-on-one matches remained available for traditionalists. Every character possessed a specific rival they would face between stages four and five of the campaign.
The Olympic Mode offered themed minigames separate from standard fighting matches. Players blasted Martians in an FPS style lifted directly from the final boss of Metal Slug 2. Arthur from Ghosts 'n Goblins jumped across pits to snatch treasure while avoiding enemies. Time-attack, first strike, and survival events tested different skills within the same menu. Performance in these games awarded special Versus points to the player. These points unlocked a special attack for each character individually. Link-up features allowed players to transfer data to unlock extra content in SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash. The system also connected to The King of Fighters: Dream Match 1999 and Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 on the Dreamcast console.
The game featured a total of twenty-six playable characters drawn from both franchises. Some figures including Jubei, Arthur, Marco, and Fio appeared only as part of Olympic Mode mini-games. Other fighters such as Billy Kane and Vega made non-playable appearances during specific sequences. The main roster included iconic names like Geese Howard and Bison who formed tag teams in later stages. Orochi Iori and Evil Ryu served as final opponents depending on whether the player's rival had been defeated earlier. Clearing the final stage triggered the leading character's true ending sequence. Reaching this point unlocked a secret character selection screen for future playthroughs.
Famitsu magazine scored the game thirty out of forty upon its initial release. IGN awarded the title a perfect ten out of ten score on the 5th of January 2000. Critics praised the depth of gameplay mechanics compared to other handheld titles of that era. The Match of the Millennium received a nomination for Best Handheld Game of The Year at the 9th Annual GamePro Readers' Choice Awards. It lost that category to Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition for the Game Boy. Time Extension identified the title as one of the best games for the Neo Geo Pocket Color platform in 2023. Reviewers consistently highlighted the unique gauge systems as a standout feature.
The game sold seventy-five thousand copies within Japan alone during its run. This figure made it the overall best-selling game for the Neo Geo Pocket plus Color platform. Sales data confirmed the success of the collaboration between SNK and Capcom executives. The handheld system struggled before this release, making these numbers particularly significant for industry observers. Developers Dimps and publisher SNK achieved their goal of revitalizing interest in the portable console. No other title on the platform matched these commercial results during the late nineties period.
A port for Nintendo Switch released on the 17th of February 2021 as part of Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1. This version added local multiplayer support which was absent from the original hardware. TV mode functionality allowed players to connect the device to large screens for the first time. A Windows port followed later on the 30th of September 2021. These releases preserved the core mechanics while updating connectivity options for modern audiences. The project remained a collaborative effort that spanned decades from its initial conception to digital re-releases.
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Common questions
Who were the executives that proposed SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium?
Takashi Nishiyama and Yoshiki Okamoto led rival companies to propose a joint project to their respective presidents Eikichi Kawasaki and Kenzo Tsujimoto.
What gauge types are available in SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium?
Players can choose between an Average mode level gauge, Counter mode charge gauge, or Rush mode neutral meter during character selection.
When did IGN award SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium a perfect score?
IGN awarded the title a perfect ten out of ten score on the 5th of January 2000.
How many copies did SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium sell in Japan?
The game sold seventy-five thousand copies within Japan alone during its run making it the overall best-selling game for the Neo Geo Pocket plus Color platform.
On what date was the Nintendo Switch port of SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium released?
A port for Nintendo Switch released on the 17th of February 2021 as part of Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1.