To get the details of Capcom vs. SNK 2’s gameplay, check out the GC review or PS2 review. Players can pick from over 40 Capcom vs. SNK characters that are balanced out so that one fighter doesn’t dominate another. A few players will be irked that the characters don’t play exactly like how the character in their respective series would, but minor tweaks here and there just take getting used to.

The biggest, most awesome feature of the latest version of Capcom vs. SNK 2 is the ability to fight other players online through Xbox Live. Logging on is as simple as any other Live title. Simply head to network mode, plug in your password, and you’re good to go. The basic Xbox Live features are here – Quick Match, Optimatch, Create a Match, and Friends List. In addition, the Player List shows previous people you’ve fought against in case you want to send him/her a friend invite, a friends ranking list, and a full worldwide ranking list.

In Optimatch, rules can be specified to filter the players you want to fight against. Players can set matches to Beginner, Arcade, Console, or EO. Each mode is custom tailored to a specific set of play rules to best suit your fight needs. You can also choose between domestic or worldwide matches, and whether you want voice chat on/off, or have no preference. When you create a match, the same options apply and you can choose whether you want to play anyone or just your friends.

Fighting online is a blast. All the tension that you feel playing a real life opponent is right there as you combo your way to victory. The fights themselves have virtually no lag, but there are pauses in-between each round, depending on how good the connection speed is. These pauses can range from 5 seconds all the way to 10+ seconds. It puts a slight damper on the flow of action, but it’s easy to live with. After a match is over players can choose to rematch or end the match.

The biggest problem encountered when playing online doesn’t have anything to do with the game itself. Right after a match has ended, a player can disconnect from the game and your win won’t register, only a +1 added to the number of matches they’ve played. I’ve had about seven wins that didn’t register because of disconnect-ers, with my performance ratio getting lower as matches add up. Hopefully Capcom addresses the issue soon, as more players who find out about the flaw seem to be taking advantage of it. Minor glitches to the actual game are stalls in-between matches, being unable to sync with the other player, or losing background music.

The controls on the Xbox controller aren’t bad. The black and white buttons are a tad out of the way and the D-pad isn’t the best for diagonals. But most actions can be pulled off without a problem. The visuals are on par with the PS2 and GC versions – very clean with character models being a tad pixelated. The audio is crisp and clear. Every attack is loud, as are the battle calls for each character.

Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO is the best version of the fighter to date. Nothing beats the pulse-pounding nature of online play, coupled with the ease of use in Xbox Live. If the disconnects can be taken care of, it’ll be hard to have to fight offline ever again.