The King of Fighters 2002 is a fighting game for Xbox that reintroduces team-based play with three-character teams, a hallmark of the series. Notable gameplay enhancements include the Free Cancel System, Max Mode System, Quick Emergency Evasion, and Quick MAX Mode Activation, alongside significant adjustments to characters' special moves and their dynamics in combat.
The game brings back the team play composed by three characters each that was a tradition in previous games. The game has also several important changes in the gameplay, like the `Free Cancel System` or `Max Mode System`, the `Quick Emergency Evasion` and `Quick MAX Mode Activation`, aside from the countless changes in each character's special moves and their properties.